Digital Scholarship and Initiatives

An anonymously written editorial discusses the Lumbee Tribe's unlikely chance of gaining federal recognition and the millions of dollars of federal aid money this year.

The bill was closer than ever to being passed this year, having passed the House of Representatives last year, gained approval from key Senate committees, and had the support of the President, the BIA, and both North Carolina senators.

Last week Congress passed an interim spending bill before they recessed for upcoming elections, which will halt and likely stop any chance of the Lumbee recognition bill's being voted on. Tribal leaders among the Lumbee are  hopeful even though sources in Washington have said the bill will not be voted on this year. Congress will reconvene for a lame-duck session, though there is still the matter of a parliamentary hold placed on the bill by certain unnamed senators.

The editorialist said, "We have no doubt tribal leaders' brief alliance with a Las Vegas gaming consultant inflicted serious damage to the recognition bill and hope that's the last we'll see of that move...Soon, it will be time to pick up the pieces and start work on a new bill. We'll continue to hope that the next try will be the one that wins."