H.R. 2929 — Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina Act

This section states congressional findings on the history, state recognition since 1965, continuous community existence, and receipt of federal funding for over 50 years (from the Department of Education's Office of Indian Education) and more than 25 years (from the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act) by the Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina.

This section defines the terms “Member,” “Secretary,” and “Tribe” for purposes of the Act as, respectively, a member of the Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina.

This section extends full federal government-to-government relations to the Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe, making applicable to the tribe and its members all U.S. laws (including regulations) of general applicability to Indians or Indian tribes—such as the Indian Reorganization Act (25 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.)—that are not inconsistent with this Act.

This section provides that the Tribe and its members are eligible for all federal services and benefits provided to federally recognized Indian tribes without regard to the existence of a reservation, including under the Indian Reorganization Act (25 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.). It further (1) designates Halifax, Warren, Nash, Franklin, Vance, and Granville Counties in North Carolina as the service area for delivery of such services and benefits to tribal members; (2) defines the service population as the tribal roll in effect on the date of enactment, subject to verification by the Secretary; and (3) specifies that the most recent membership roll and governing documents submitted by the Tribe to the Secretary before enactment are controlling.

This section authorizes the Secretary to take land into trust for the benefit of the Tribe and proclaim a reservation pursuant to the Indian Reorganization Act (25 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.), notwithstanding any other provision of law. Lands acquired in trust for the Tribe and included in its first reservation proclamation are treated as an initial reservation that meets the requirements of section 20(b)(1)(B)(ii) of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA, Public Law 100-497). (Thus, the Tribe may conduct Class III gaming on such lands subject to a tribal-state compact.)