Source: SFGate
“With the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act by the Senate on Wednesday, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is all but assured to become a federally recognized tribal nation. The state-recognized tribe, whose historic and genealogical claims have been a subject of controversy, has been seeking federal recognition for generations. Congress has considered the issue for more than 30 years, but the effort gained momentum after President Donald Trump endorsed the tribe on the campaign trail last year. ‘It means a lot because we have been figuring out how to get here for so long,’ said Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery moments after celebrating the victory in the Capitol office of North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis. ‘We have been second-class Natives and we will never be that again, and no one can take it away from us.'” (12/17/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/the-lumbee-tribe-s-federal-recognition-is-21248191.php