G. K. Butterfield: “Let me first thank Congresswoman Leger Fernandez for her friendship, her extraordinary leadership, and her passionate…”

“Let me first thank Congresswoman Leger Fernandez for her friendship, her extraordinary leadership, and her passionate leadership. The gentlewoman is a wonderful member of this body, and I thank her so much for all that she does. She and I serve on another committee together, the Elections Subcommittee, and I have seen her in action. Madam Speaker, I thank all of our cosponsors of this legislation for their support, both Democratic and Republican, including the Tribe's Representative, Congressman Dan Bishop from the Ninth District of North Carolina, who is my friend. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 2758, the Lumbee Recognition Act, and I urge my colleagues to vote for its passage. Madam Speaker, the Lumbee Recognition Act will finally extend full Federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and make its members eligible for the same services and the same benefits provided to members of other federally recognized Tribes. Most importantly, the bill would establish, once and for all, the Lumbee Tribe as an independent and sovereign entity under Federal law. Madam Speaker, we have an opportunity before us to do the right thing and fix a historic wrong by passing my bill. North Carolina has recognized the Lumbee Tribe since 1885, and this body, the Congress, recognized the Tribe in the 1950s but, during the dark days of the termination era, refused to allow the Lumbee Tribe access to federally funded services and benefits.…”