PEMBROKE, N.C. (AP) – The Lumbee Tribal Council in North Carolina has approved a resolution supporting a new lobbyist to represent the tribe in Washington.
The Fayetteville Observer reported Monday the vote by the tribal council was the first time the tribe acknowledged its relationship with Anderson Tuell LLP, a Washington-based law firm. The newspaper says it is Anderson Tuell is one of the first Washington-based law firms owned by American Indians.
The tribe had been without a lobbyist since June, when a contract with a Nevada gaming consultant collapsed.
The Lumbees are fighting for federal recognition. Congress recognized the Lumbees in 1956 but denied the tribe financial benefits that would provide millions of dollars for community development.
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Information from: The Fayetteville Observer,
http://www.fayobserver.com