[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 277 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 277

    Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Policy of Indian Self-
                             Determination.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 23, 2000

  Mr. Campbell (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Inouye) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Policy of Indian Self-
                             Determination.

Whereas the United States of America and the sovereign Indian Tribes contained 
        within its boundaries have had a long and mutually beneficial 
        relationship since the beginning of the Republic;
Whereas the United States has recognized this special legal and political 
        relationship and its trust responsibility to the Indian Tribes as 
        reflected in the Federal Constitution, treaties, numerous court 
        decisions, federal statutes, executive orders, and course of dealing;
Whereas Federal policy toward the Indian Tribes has vacillated through history 
        and often failed to uphold the government-to-government relationship 
        that has endured for more than 200 years;
Whereas these Federal policies included the wholesale removal of Indian tribes 
        and their members from their aboriginal homelands, attempts to 
        assimilate Indian people into the general culture, as well as the 
        termination of the legal and political relationship between the United 
        States and the Indian tribes;
Whereas President Richard M. Nixon, in his ``Special Message to Congress on 
        Indian Affairs'' on July 8, 1970, recognized that the Indian Tribes 
        constitute a distinct and valuable segment of the American federalist 
        system, whose members have made significant contributions to the United 
        States and to American culture;
Whereas President Nixon determined that Indian Tribes, as local governments, are 
        best able to discern the needs of their people and are best situated to 
        determine the direction of their political and economic futures;
Whereas in his ``Special Message'' President Nixon recognized that the policies 
        of legal and political termination on the one hand, and paternalism and 
        excessive dependence on the other, devastated the political, economic, 
        and social aspects of life in Indian America, and had to be radically 
        altered;
Whereas in his ``Special Message'' President Nixon set forth the foundation for 
        a new, more enlightened Federal Indian policy grounded in economic self-
        reliance and political self-determination; and
Whereas this Indian self-determination policy has endured as the most successful 
        policy of the United States in dealing with the Indian Tribes because it 
        rejects the failed policies of termination and paternalism and declared 
        that ``the integrity and right to continued existence of all Indian 
        Tribal and Alaska native governments, recognizing that cultural 
        pluralism is a source of national strength'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate of the United States recognizes the 
unique role of the Indian Tribes and their members in the United 
States, and commemorates the vision and leadership of President Nixon, 
and every succeeding President, in fostering the policy of Indian Self-
Determination.
                                 <all>