This bill matters because it deals with tribal sovereignty, which is the right of a Native American tribe to govern itself. By removing federal restrictions on who can be a tribal member, this bill gives the Catawba Indian Tribe more power to define its own community and determine its future. If this bill becomes law, the Tribe will have greater self-determination over one of the most fundamental aspects of its existence – its membership. If it doesn't pass, the federal government's specific requirements from the 1993 law will remain in place, continuing to influence who can become a member of the Catawba Indian Tribe.