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U. S. Representative Mike McIntyre (D-NC-7) introduced a bill for federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe on January 4, 2007—the day the 110th Congress convened. The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

McIntyre is a member of the Congressional Native American Caucus. He said in a statement, “It is time for discrimination to end and recognition to begin. The first bill I have introduced in this Congress will do just that, and I will be working with my colleagues to pass this important measure.”

As of January 24, 2007, the bill—H. R. 65, the Lumbee Recognition Act—had 196 cosponsors.

To view the full text of the bill, go to www.thomas.gov and search: Lumbee

• References on the progress of this bill will be added to this page.

Jenkins, Venita. "House panel to consider Lumbee recognition." Fayetteville Observer March 29, 2007. Full text available: NewsBank: America's Newspapers--North Carolina (NCLIVE)

Locklear, Mark. "Sampson will testify at recognition hearing." Robesonian Friday, March 30, 2007.
A hearing on this bill is scheduled for April 18, 2007, before the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources. The bill currently has 207 cosponsors. Kelvin Sampson, basketball coach at the University of Indiana, is scheduled to testify, as are Representative McIntyre, tribal chairman Jimmy Goins, and anthropologist Jack Campisi. [Note: This is a joint hearing on the Lumbee bill as well as H.R. 1294, the “Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2006." GESS]

"Taking a shot." Robesonian Monday, April 2, 2007.
This editorial discusses the impact that testimony from Kelvin Sampson might have at the upcoming hearing on true federal acknowledgment for the Lumbee. Sampson is the Lumbee professional "whose face is most recognizable." Sampson graduated from UNC-Pembroke and has always hoped to eliminate the constraints on the Native American identity of Lumbee. He explains, "In the past, we have said: ‘We are Lumbees. We are Native American, but ... We want to eliminate the ‘but.'” The editorialist concludes, "It's hard to know what kind of impact Sampson's appearance will have, but it would be difficult to find a more articulate spokesman on the struggles of the Lumbee people."

Jenkins, Venita. "Lumbees again try for recognition." Fayetteville Observer Thursday, April 19, 2007.
This article provides a profile of the hearing on H. R. 65 held April 18, 2007 in the U. S. House Committee on Natural Resources. The article describes testimony in favor of the bill from Kelvin Sampson, Lumbee, who is head coach of Indiana University's men's basketball team; Jimmy Goins, Lumbee Tribal Chairman; and U. S. Rep. Mike McIntyre, who introduced the bill. Also described is the testimony of Michell Hicks, Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Hicks opposes the bill (as he notes that the Eastern Band has done since 1910) for several reasons: the Lumbee have sought federal acknowledgment under four other tribal names; Hicks agrees with the "serious problems with Lumbee identity" raised by genealogists Virginia DeMarce (who found that the Lumbee did not originate in Robeson County; rather, they migrated there from other places) and Paul Heinegg (who has called the Lumbee "an invented North Carolina Indian tribe"); and he believes Congress should amend the 1956 Lumbee Act to allow the Lumbee to seek acknowledgment under the petition process from the Office of Federal Acknowledgment in the Department of the Interior.

See also :
• Barrett, Barbara. "Lumbees ask Congress for tribal status." News and Observer (Raleigh, NC) April 18, 2007.
• Jenkins, Venita. "Lumbees make case for recognition." Fayetteville Observer April 18, 2007.
• Locklear, Mark. "Sampson, video help Lumbees make case." Robesonian Friday, April 20, 2007.

To fully understand the arguments offered and information presented during this hearing, visit the web site of the Committee on Natural Resources, where copies of the prepared statements of the following speakers can be downloaded: Carl J. Artman, Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs, U.S. Dept. of the Interior; Dr. Jack Campisi, anthropologist, consultant to the Lumbee Tribe; James E. Goins, Chairman, Lumbee Tribe; Michell Hicks, Principal Chief, The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Arlinda F. Locklear, attorney for the Lumbee Tribe; and Kelvin Sampson, enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe, head basketball coach, Indiana University.

Barrett, Barbara. "Two N. C. tribes fight for identity; delegation split on Lumbee recognition." News and Observer (Raleigh, NC) April 19, 2007.
This article focuses on the stance being taken by the North Carolina Representatives, and one Senator, who attended the April 18 hearing on H. R. 65. This is the third consecutive Congress during which bills for true federal acknowledgment of the Lumbee have been introduced. Rep. Heath Shuler, who represents western North Carolina, is ready to submit a bill that would modify the 1956 Lumbee Act and allow the tribe to go through the administrative (petition) process for federal recognition. Rep. Patrick McHenry (from Waynesville) and Rep. Walter Jones (from Farmville) also oppose H. R. 65. Jones would only approve the bill if it were modified to disallow the Lumbee to have a casino. Rep. Mike McIntyre, from Lumberton (who introduced H. R. 65), Sen. Richard Burr, and Sen. Elizabeth Dole support federal acknowledgment of the Lumbee. Michell Hicks, Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, spoke in opposition to H. R. 65. He says his objection does not relate to the possibility that the Lumbees might seek to establish a casino; rather, he questions their Indian identity and believes that the federal acknowledgment process will prove or disprove it.

"Inside politics: McIntyre optimistic on Lumbee bill." Fayetteville Observer Monday, April 23, 2007.
U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre called the April 18, 2007 hearing on H.R. 65 "the most successful hearing yet." He believes that the change in control of Congress, along with the fact that his bill has 207 cosponsors in the house, may lead to success for federal acknowledgment of the Lumbee. A vote on the bill in the House Committee on Natural Resources could come this week. This article looks back at the fate of Lumbee recognition bills in 1988, when control of the Senate had just shifted to Democrats.

"U. S. House committee approves Lumbee recognition." News and Observer (Raleigh, NC) April 25, 2007.
The House Committee on Natural Resources approved H.R. 65 by a vote of 24 to 7. The bill was amended (with the tribe's acceptance) to include a prohibition from engaging in gaming activities. Among the 7 votes against the bill was Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., who represents western North Carolina and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Shuler plans to introduce a bill that would allow the Lumbee to go through the administrative (petition) process for federal recognition and would require the Department of Interior to act on the Lumbee Petition within eighteen months. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., has stated that she will work to obtain quick action on her Senate bill for Lumbee recognition.

See also:
• "House committee votes in favor of Lumbee tribe's federal recognition." Winston-Salem Journal April 25, 2007. [Arlinda Locklear, the tribe's attorney, stated that the tribe gave up the right to establish a casino because its interest in federal recognition is to demonstrate the tribe Indian identity. The Winston-Salem Journal contacted all North Carolina senators and representatives about their position on Congressional recognition of the Lumbee. The article includes a list of those for and those against.

• Jenkins, Venita. "Lumbee bill clears house committee." Fayetteville Observer April 25, 2007. [Congressman Heath Shuler proposed an amendment to H.R. 65 that would allow the Lumbee to go through the administrative (petition) process; his amendment failed by voice vote. Lumbee Tribal Speaker Gerald Goolsby stated, on the Lumbee quest for federal recognition: "It is about the rights of our people and the benefits denied to them. It is also about dignity of recognition.”

• Locklear, Mark. "Lumbee bill moves forward." Robesonian Friday, April 27, 2007.
This article provides comments from several individuals on the amendment to H.R. 65, introduced by Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. of Tennessee, restricting the tribe from operating gaming. Some felt that the restriction helped the bill gain approval from the committee, would help broaden support for the bill going forward, and proved that for the Lumbee, federal recognition has never been about gaming. Others felt that the Lumbee should have available to them all of the rights and privileges other federally recognized tribes have, and that a vote of the tribal members should determine whether the Lumbee pursue gaming. Comments are made by Rep. Mike McIntyre, Lumbee Tribal Council member Lawrence Locklear, House Natural Resources Committee chairperson Nick Rahall, former Lumbee Tribal Chairperson Milton Hunt, and Lumbee Tribal Attorney Arlinda Locklear. Locklear noted that it is "not uncommon" for gaming restrictions to be placed on tribes when they are given federal recognition.

• Jenkins, Venita. "Lumbee leaders OK with swap." Fayetteville Observer Saturday, April 28, 2007.
This article provides additional reactions to the amendment to H.R. 65 forbidding the Lumbee to pursue gaming if the bill is passed. The article notes that committee members have expressed concerns about the possibility of gaming in each of the past four committee hearings on Lumbee recognition. There are comments from Tribal Speaker Gerald Goolsby, Tribal Attorney Arlinda Locklear, Rep. Mike McIntyre, Tribal Council member Lawrence Locklear, the Rev. Mike Cummings (Burnt Swamp Baptist Association), William Brooks Jr. (president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council), and Lumbee real estate developer Greg Bryant, and others. Points made include: a casino on I-95 might have had a negative impact on low-income people in the vicinity and on military personnel stationed at nearby Fort Bragg; the Lumbee desire for federal recognition has always been about affirmation of their identity, not about access to gaming money, and the amendment to the bill makes this even clearer; since the Jack Abramoff scandal, members of Congress have not wanted to be associated with Indian gaming; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has expressed opposition to allowing more Indian gaming; removing the obstacle of gaming from the bill will flush out the true reasons that may exist for opposing Lumbee recognition; recognition would have a positive impact on tribal members' future by providing funding for education, health care, housing, and economic development.

Jenkins, Venita. "House passes Lumbee bill." Fayetteville Observer Thursday, June 7, 2007.
At 5:08pm, the bill passed the full House of Representatives by a vote of 256 to 128,
Note: Visit the House Web site for the final roll call vote and an outline of House floor proceedings as the bill was considered.