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STAT.]

PUBLIC LAW 571-JUNE 7, 1956

255

"Tiereas at the time of their first contacts with the colonists, these Indians were a well-established and distinctive people living in European-type houses in settled towns and communities, owning slaves and livestock, tilling the soil, and practicing many of the arts and crafts of European civilization; and Whereas by reason of tribal legend, coupled with a distinctive appearance and manner of speech and the frequent recurrence among them of family names such as Oxendine, Locklear, Chavis, Drinkwater, Bullard, Lowery, Sampson, and others, also found on the roster of the earliest English settlements, these Indians may, with considerable show of reason, trace their origin to an admixture of colonial blood with certain coastal tribes of Indians; and Whereas these people are naturally and understandably proud of their heritage, and desirous of establishing their social status and preserving their racial history: Now, therefore. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Indians now residing in Robeson and adjoining counties of North Carolina, originally found by the first white settlers on the Lumbee River in Robeson County, and claiming joint descent from remnants of early American colonists and certain tribes of Indians originally inhabiting the coastal regions of North Carolina, shall, from and after the ratification of this Act, be known and designated as Lumbee Indians of North Carolina and shall continue to enjoy all rights, privileges, and immunities enjoyed by them as citizens of the State of North Carolina and of the United States as they enjoyed before the enactment of this Act, and shall continue to be subject to all the obligations and duties of such citizens under the laws of the State of North Carolina and the United States. Nothing in this Act shall make such Indians eligible for any services performed by the United States for Indians because of their status as Indians, and none of the statutes of the United States which affect Indians because of their status as Indians shall be applicable to the Ijumbee Indians. SEC. 2. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed. Approved June 7, 1956. Public Law 571

Lumbee Indians of North Carolina^

CHAPTER 376

AN ACT To further amend the Military Personnel Claims Act of 1945.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 1(a) of the Military Personnel Claims Act of 1945 (59 Stat. 225), as amended, is further amended by striking out "$2,500" and inserting in lieu thereof "$6,500". SEC. 2. Section 1 of this amendatory Act is effective as of July 2, 1952, and, notwithstanding section 1(e) of the Military Personnel Claims Act of 1945, as amended, any claim heretofore settled in the amount of $2,500 solely by reason of the maximum limitation established by the Act of July 3, 1952 (ch. 548, 66 Stat. 321), may, upon the written request of the claimant made within one year from the date of enactment of section 1 of this amendatory Act, be reconsidered and settled in accordance with the amendment contained in that section. Approved June 7, 1956.

June 7, 1956 [H. R. 3996]

Military personnel. Claimst 66 Stat. 321< 31 USC 222c.

31 USC 222c.

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