Lumbee Tribe chairman returns from Washington after Lumbee Fairness Act signed into law

ROBESON COUNTY, NC  (WWAY) — Lumbee Tribe Chairman John Lowery is back from Washington  following what tribal leaders are calling a historic moment for the Lumbee people.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which included the Lumbee Fairness Act. President Donald Trump officially signed the bill into law Thursday, granting long-sought federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe.

Lowery held a news conference to acknowledge the milestone, where he spoke about the decades-long effort that led to the legislation’s passage.

For more than a century, the Lumbee Tribe has worked with federal officials to prove its identity and secure full recognition from the federal government.

Now signed into law, the Lumbee Fairness Act provides federal recognition for the tribe and opens access to land protections, as well as federal programs for health care and education.

“I do think this is the high point, but I challenge our people that this cannot be the highest point,” Lowery said. “We got to keep pushing on to the next high point.”

Lowery also discussed negotiations involving Indian Health Services and the Bureau of Indian Affairs that were part of the process to advance the Lumbee Fairness Act through Congress.

Tribal leaders say the legislation represents a major step forward, while emphasizing that additional work remains as the Lumbee Tribe moves into a new chapter following federal recognition.