SC H5196

South Carolina House Resolution congratulates the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina on achieving federal recognition on January 30, 2026, following the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act signed by President Trump on December 18, 2025

The Lumbee Tribe became the 575th federally recognized tribe, ending a 137-year effort that began in 1888

Federal recognition grants tribe members access to funding for housing, healthcare, education, and other benefits previously denied under a restrictive 1956 act that recognized the tribe but withheld services

The Lumbee Tribe has more than 56,000 members, making it the largest tribe in North Carolina and the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River

A copy of the resolution is to be presented to Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery