COLUMBIA, SC – Congressman James E. Clyburn praised the enactment of the Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act included in the National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Biden today.
The Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act clarifies that the Catawba Indian Nation is subject to the well-established rules and regulations of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act on their modern and ancestral lands in the State of North Carolina. This new law clarifies the Tribe’s 1993 land claims settlement act and reaffirms recent action taken by the Department of Interior to take land into trust for the Tribe.
“I was proud to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to ensure passage of this bipartisan piece of legislation,” said Congressman Clyburn. “The Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act is a very significant step towards rectifying historic injustices that have been perpetrated against the Catawba Indian Nation. This legislation will be crucial in helping the Catawba Indian Nation secure economic self-sufficiency.”
Congressman Clyburn was the original sponsor of the legislation in the House, and Senator Lindsey Graham has previously sponsored similar legislation in the Senate. South Carolina Representatives William Timmons and Joe Wilson also co-sponsored the bill.
###