A U.S. senator and a congressman have introduced legislation that would grant the Lumbee tribe full federal recognition.

Sen. Richard Burr and Rep. Robert Pittenger, both North Carolina Republicans, filed similar bills Thursday, according to a statement released by Pittenger’s office.

The Robeson County-based tribe received partial recognition from the federal government in 1956. The move meant the tribe could not get millions of dollars in benefits given to fully recognized tribes.

Pittenger’s statement said the Lumbees have not been eligible for economic development programs through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. After Hurricane Matthew, the tribe was not able to receive disaster relief in the way usually available to other federally-recognized tribes, according to the statement.

Pittenger said he and Burr are trying to correct a “century-old wrong.”

“The Lumbee tribe deserves the same recognition and benefits as other federally recognized tribes,” he said. “This is about fairness and providing equal opportunities to encourage economic growth.”

A group of Lumbees petitioned the federal government for recognition as an American Indian tribe in December 1888, according to the tribe’s website.

Pittenger's bill will be sent to the House Committee on Natural Resources for consideration, the statement said.

Burr also introduced a Lumbee recognition bill last year. Lumbee Tribal Chairman Harvey Godwin said then that the tribe would use full recognition to create an atmosphere for economic development in rural southeastern North Carolina.

In the past, the tribe’s requests for full recognition have been rejected again and again by Congress.

In December, the tribe won a victory on another potential path to recognition. The federal Department of the Interior’s solicitor issued a memo that said the Lumbees can apply to that agency for recognition.

Staff writer Steve DeVane can be reached at sdevane@fayobserver.com or 486-3572.