wendell

Opponents of the bill cite testimony from hearings on the 1956 Lumbee Act in which Congressman Aspinall asks the bill's sponsor, Congressman Frank Carlyle, what the Lumbee expect to get from the bill's passage, since nothing in the bill calls for any upkeep or expenditure. Carlyle states that "no one has ever mentioned to me any interest in that, that they had any interest in becoming a part of the reservation or asking the federal government for anything. Their purpose in this legislation is to have a name that they think is appropriate for their group" (approx. p. 7 of part 2). Then Congressman Aspinall asked Rev. Lowry if members of the tribe anticipated that, after receiving the designation Lumbee, they would come to Congress and ask for any benefits that otherwise go to Indian tribes. Lowry replied “No.” According to the current Lumbee Act's opponents, this testimony belies the committee majority's contention that the Lumbee understood the 1956 Act's intent to be recognition.