The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina may be recognized by the state, but it has never succeeded in gaining the federal recognition it feels it deserves. While the 1956 Lumbee Act recognized the tribe as Native American, the “people of the dark water” have never received the status, sovereignty, and benefits of a federally recognized tribe.
But that hasn’t stopped the tribe from receiving years of federal support and the ear of certain politicians who purport to take the tribe’s status seriously.
One of those politicians is Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), who just recently stepped down from his position in Congress. Instead of running for re-election, Bishop competed against Democrat Jeff Jackson in the race for North Carolina attorney general and lost.
In his farewell speech, Bishop chose to highlight the Lumbee Tribe’s ongoing quest for federal recognition (and more tax dollars, of course).
“This is my final week in Congress, and many come to the floor and ruminate over their service. As for me, I can’t think of a better way to spend my final words on the floor than in support of recognition for the Lumbee Tribe,” Bishop began.
“The Lumbee have been pursuing justice since the mid-1800s,” he pleaded before highlighting the “their struggle as a people against racial discrimination and their deep and abiding community orientation around the life-changing power of education.”
Pat Gray of “Pat Gray Unleashed” can’t help but laugh at both Bishop and the Lumbee Tribe’s incessant demands for more tax dollars when there are serious debates over the tribe’s status.
He is thankful that other politicians, like Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), for example, are calling a spade a spade.
Burchett was pessimistic about the Lumbee Fairness Act that aimed to grant the tribe federal recognition. The bill passed the House but was not considered by the Senate this Congress.
The bill, Burchett said, would “take it to the taxpayers,” as it would cost “close to a billion dollars” and make the Lumbee Tribe the “largest federally recognized tribe in the United States.”
“Terrible idea,” he said bluntly.
“I love Tim Burchett,” laughs Keith Malinak.
To hear the rest of the “Unleashed” team’s commentary, watch the clip above.
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