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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Scotland County leaders talked about the economy and politics with Washington insiders during a two-day summit this week on Capitol Hill.

The local delegation — that included 11 civic and business leaders — also had some one-on-one time with those representing the region in Congress.

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is trying again to persuade Congress to give its people millions of dollars in federal benefits that other American Indian tribes receive.

Similar efforts have failed for decades, in part because of opposition from other tribes that fear their benefits would be reduced in order to provide for the Lumbees. But U.S. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina introduced a new Lumbee recognition bill and, with Lumbee Tribal Chairman Harvey Godwin, presented it Wednesday to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

This summer, with the American people as our guide, House Republicans released our Better Way agenda, a plan to tackle the biggest problems facing our country. Now, we’re taking that plan on the road, bringing it to schools, homes, businesses, community groups, and nonprofits across the nation to get even more feedback on how we can put our country back on track.