Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina Act

This bill would formally extend the United States’ full government-to-government relationship to the Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina, treating the tribe as a federally recognized tribe with the same legal relationship to the U.S. as other recognized tribes. It acknowledges the tribe’s historical existence and prior dealings with state and federal governments and provides that federal laws and regulations applicable to Indian tribes (and not inconsistent with this Act) would apply to the Haliwa Saponi. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust to establish a tribal reservation and sets up a framework for who counts as a member, what constitutes the tribe’s service area (six North Carolina counties), and which tribal roll governs eligibility for federal services. In addition to extending recognition, the bill ensures the tribe and its members would be eligible for federal services and benefits available to federally recognized tribes, including programs under the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act and related housing and education programs. It also formalizes that a tribal enrollment roll and governing documents in effect at the time of enactment will define membership and governance for purposes of federal services.