[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 44 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.Con.Res. 44
                                     Agreed to November 23, 1993        
                       One Hundred Third Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
  the fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-three


                          Concurrent Resolution

Whereas United Nations Resolution 45/164 of December 18, 1990, 
  proclaimed the year 1993 as the International Year of the World's 
  Indigenous Peoples, in order to strengthen international cooperation 
  for a solution to the problems faced by indigenous communities in 
  areas such as human rights, the environment, development, education, 
  and health;
Whereas indigenous peoples are descendants of the original inhabitants 
  of many countries with diverse cultures, religions, languages, and 
  social and economic customs;
Whereas an estimated 300 million indigenous peoples live in more than 70 
  countries, including the United States;
Whereas indigenous peoples are often disadvantaged and face common 
  difficulties in their homelands, including issues such as self-
  determination, the preservation of land and natural resources, the 
  preservation of culture, arts, and language, and dismal social and 
  economic conditions;
Whereas many indigenous peoples continue to face discrimination and 
  exploitation in their homelands;
Whereas the rights and social and economic conditions of indigenous 
  peoples have often been overlooked by individual nations and the 
  international community; and
Whereas the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations has 
  drafted a Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Now, 
  therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
        (1) the United States should cooperate with the United Nations 
    in its efforts to raise the level of public interest in and 
    consciousness of the problems of indigenous peoples;
        (2) the United States should address the rights and improve the 
    social and economic conditions of its own indigenous peoples, 
    including Native American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, 
    Chamorros, American Samoans, and Palauans;
        (3) the United States should support the United Nations in its 
    efforts to establish international standards on the rights of 
    indigenous peoples; and
        (4) the United States recognizes that the year 1993 is an 
    insufficient time period for promoting public awareness of the 
    plight of indigenous peoples and urges the United Nations to 
    proclaim an International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
  Attest:







                                                Secretary of the Senate.

  Attest:







                                  Clerk of the House of Representatives.