S. 3859 · In committee · Native Americans

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.

Sponsor: Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

What it does

• Remove federal statutory restrictions on membership criteria for the Catawba Indian Nation.
• Allow the tribe to establish and enforce its own membership rules without the constraints of the 1993 Settlement Act.
• Preserve existing tribal governance authority over enrollment decisions and tribal citizenship.

Official summary

This bill revises tribal membership requirements for the Catawba Indian Nation (a tribe in South Carolina). The Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993 explicitly restricted the tribe’s future membership to lineal descendants of people on the final base membership roll who maintained continuous political relations with the tribe. This bill removes these membership criteria and allows the tribe to determine its membership. (The tribe uses three base membership rolls and anyone who wants to be enrolled must prove lineal descent from someone listed on one of these base membership rolls.)

Latest action

Sep 23, 2026: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

Committee: Senate Indian Affairs