Lumbee Tribe of NC

2025-2026 Bill 5196: Lumbee Tribe of NC - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5196
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. M.M. Smith, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J.E. Johnson, J.L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G.M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow
Document Path: LC-0444VR-RM26.docx
Introduced in the House on February 18, 2026
Adopted by the House on February 18, 2026
Summary: Lumbee Tribe of NC
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

2/18/2026

House

Introduced and adopted (
House Journal-page 45
)

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legislative information
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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
02/18/2026

A
house
RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE THE LUMBEE TRIBE OF NORTH CAROLINA
ON BEING FORMALLY ADDED TO THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS' LIST OF FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES, THUS ENDING A STRUGGLE OF ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS.

W
hereas, on January 30,
2026, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina was officially added to the Bureau of
Indian Affairs' list of federally recognized tribes, following the passage of
the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, signed by President Trump on
December 18, 2025; and

W
hereas, these actions
ended a struggle that began in 1888 and continued for 137 years. The Lumbee
Tribe's successful effort to achieve full recognition makes the tribe the 575
th

group to be so recognized and grants Lumbee Tribe members access to federal
services and benefits; and

W
hereas, the tribe is
currently in the first phase of implementing this recognition, with a
transition team working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Tribe members plan
to hold a year-long celebration in 2026 to mark this historic achievement; and

W
hereas, the
recognition provides access to federal funding for housing, healthcare,
education, and other benefits, reversing a restrictive 1956 act that previously
had recognized the tribe but denied them services. The new 2026 benefits also
will create economic opportunities for the tribe and the surrounding community;
and

W
hereas, with more than
56,000 members, the Lumbee is the largest tribe in the state of North Carolina
and the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River; and

W
hereas, with great
pleasure, the South Carolina House adds its collective voice to the chorus of
congratulations flowing in to the members of the Lumbee Tribe at this
successful conclusion of long years of effort and anticipation. Now, therefore,

B
e it resolved by the
House of Representatives
:

T
hat the members of the
South Carolina
House of Representatives
,
by this resolution, congratulate the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina on being
formally added to the Bureau of Indian Affairs' list of federally recognized
tribes, thus ending a struggle of one hundred thirty-seven years.

B
e it further resolved
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L.
Lowery on behalf of the Lumbee Tribe.

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This web page was last updated on February 18, 2026 at 1:08 PM