Sponsor
Don Davis
Representative · D-NC
Representative · D-NC
The bill secures federal recognition, a reservation, and clear governance/funding paths for the Haliwa Saponi—granting tribal members access to federal programs and stronger self‑governance—while shifting costs to taxpayers and producing jurisdictional, administrative, and transitional impacts for state/local governments and some tribal members.
Members of the Haliwa Saponi (indigenous tribal community) become federally recognized and gain eligibility for federal services and benefits, increasing access to health care, housing, education, and economic programs.
The bill establishes trust land/initial reservation for the Tribe, securing a land base that strengthens tribal self-governance, clarifies land status, and reduces litigation risk for economic development and land use planning.
Tribal government authority and eligibility under statutes like the Indian Reorganization Act are confirmed, enabling access to funding, technical assistance, and clearer administrative processes (including use of the Tribe's submitted membership roll) to support self-governance and program delivery.
Taxpayers may incur increased federal costs because the newly recognized Tribe and its members become eligible for federal services and funding.
State and local governments (and residents) face shifts in jurisdiction, potential loss of certain authorities or revenues, and legal adjustments as federal law and trust status change the applicability of local rules (e.g., taxes, zoning, criminal jurisdiction).
Federal agencies, the Tribe, and state/local partners will face administrative and transitional burdens (verifying rolls, updating operations, and implementing new service responsibilities), which can create short-term costs and complexity.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Provides federal recognition and government-to-government status to the Haliwa Saponi Tribe, makes the Tribe eligible for federal tribal benefits, and authorizes land-into-trust and reservation proclamation.
Official title: To extend the full measure of the Federal Government-to-government relationship between the United States and the Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina.
Introduced April 17, 2025 by Don Davis · Last progress April 17, 2025
Grants the Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina formal federal recognition and a government-to-government relationship with the United States, making the Tribe and its members eligible for federal services and benefits available to other federally recognized tribes. It defines the Tribe’s service area and membership roll, and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust and proclaim an initial reservation for the Tribe. The Act incorporates existing historical findings about the Tribe, adopts standard definitions, and applies U.S. laws and regulations of general applicability to Indian tribes to the Haliwa Saponi, subject to consistency with this Act. Eligibility for federal programs is tied to a specified service area and the Tribe’s submitted membership roll, subject to Secretary verification.