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Congress·In Committee·S. 3859

Catawba Indian Nation: Tribal Membership Rules

A bill to amend the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993 with respect to future membership in the Catawba Indian Nation.

about 1 month ago·View on Congress.gov
Part of: Congress proposes legislation to grant the Catawba Indian Nation authority over

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law

Key Points

  • This bill changes a 1993 law to give the Catawba Indian Nation more power to decide who can be a member of their tribe. It removes specific federal requirements that have limited tribal enrollment for over 30 years.
  • Currently, federal law says a person can only join the tribe if they are a direct descendant of someone on a specific 1993 list. It also requires them to prove they have kept up 'political relations' with the tribe.
  • The bill, introduced by South Carolina's senators, would strike those strict federal rules from the law. This allows the tribe to set its own standards for future members based on their own traditions and needs.
  • This change is a matter of tribal sovereignty, which is the right of Native American groups to govern themselves. By removing these federal limits, the tribe gains the same freedom many other tribes have to define their own community.
  • The policy specifically affects the Catawba Indian Nation in South Carolina. It would make it easier for the tribe to grow and include people who may have been left out by the old, narrow federal definitions.

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 12, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Related Bills

1 bill
H.R. 4463Related bill

To amend the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993.

Feb 11 — Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

A bill to amend the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993 with respect to future membership in the Catawba Indian Nation.

Bill NumberS 3859
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.