[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 44 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

103d CONGRESS

  1st Session

                            S. CON. RES. 44

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To express the sense of the Congress concerning the International Year 
                   of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 44

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                         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.

            Passed the Senate November 20 (legislative day, November 
      2), 1993.

            Attest:






                                                             Secretary.