[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 139 (Thursday, October 14, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2105-E2106]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION FOUNDATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 14, 1999

  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to be able 
to join my friend and cofounder of the Native American Caucus, 
Congressman Dale Kildee, for the introduction of this legislation.
  Over the past several years it seems to me that Indian Country has 
continually been on the defensive. Often tribes have had to struggle to 
simply keep the status quo against legislative proposals that would 
serve to undermine Tribal sovereignty and weaken the trust 
relationship.
  Today can be different. Today we have a chance to do something 
positive for Indian Country. Right now we can begin a process where the 
hallmarks of treaty and trust are celebrated. We can offer Indian 
Country a distinct opportunity to improve the quality of life for 
future generations of Native children.
  As I am sure the committee is well aware, the state of education in 
Indian Country is far below that of non-Native communities.
  The per pupil expenditure for public elementary and secondary schools 
during the 1994-95 school year was over $7,000. The Indian Student 
Equalization Program funding for BIA students was about $2,900.
  Unlike public schools which have State and local resources for 
education programs, Indian schools in the BIA are totally reliant upon 
the Federal Government to meet their educational needs.
  According to the 1990 Census, the American Indian poverty rate is 
more than twice the national average as 31 percent of American Indians 
live below the poverty level.
  The 1994 National Assessment of Education Progress showed that over 
50 percent of American Indian 4th graders scored below the basic level 
in reading proficiency. Another NAEP assessment showed that 55 percent 
of 4th grade American Indian students scored below the basic level in 
mathematics.
  American Indian students have the highest dropout rate of any racial 
or ethnic group (36 percent), and the lowest high school completion and 
college attendance rates of any minority group. As of 1900, only 66 
percent of American Natives aged 25 years or older were high school 
graduates, compared to 78 percent of the general population.
  Approximately one-half of BIA/tribal schools (54 percent) and public 
schools with high Indian student enrollment (55 percent) offer college 
preparatory programs, compared to 76 percent of public schools with few 
(less than 25 percent) Indian students.
  Sixty-one percent of students in public schools with Indian 
enrollment of 25 percent or more are eligible for free or reduced-price 
lunch, compared to the national average of 35 percent.
  And finally, many of the 185 BIA-funded schools are in desperate need 
of replacement or repair.
  Members of the Committee, it is clear from these statistics that 
there is a pressing need in elementary and secondary Indian education. 
My colleagues, this is a situation which must be met with fierce 
determination. We need to support an aggressive agenda for Indian 
education because the current landscape is not meeting the challenge.
  Right now, the BIA and Office of Indian Education is not authorized 
to distribute privately donated monetary gifts or resources to 
supplement the missions of these agencies. Yet every year numerous 
inquiries from the public are made as to where they can donate funds 
that will be spent wisely on behalf of Indian education. Simply put, we 
are missing out on a unique opportunity to help funnel non-governmental 
resources into Indian education. Ultimately, I believe this legislation 
is the appropriate answer to this situation. We can give the public a 
high profile mechanism to reach out to Indian Nations in a way that is 
apolitical and noncontroversial.
  Simply put, the establishment of an American Indian Education 
Foundation is good government. It speaks to a modern way of doing 
things in which successful private-public partnerships are created. It 
is also an efficient way to get at the heart of a very pressing problem 
without placing an undue additional burden on taxpayers.

[[Page E2106]]

  Within 2 to 3 years after enactment of this bill the Foundation 
should be completely self-sufficient and will not use more than 10 
percent of its generated funds to pay for operating expenses. My 
colleagues, lets be clear at the outset--the purpose of this 
legislation is not to create a new level of bureaucracy or make some 
staffer rich. In my opinion such a situation would be one more example 
of where this government has failed in its trust duty to Indian 
Country. In brief, it is my intention to hold the bureaucracy to the 
letter of the law that we are now beginning to draft.
  As for the role of Congress I do want to make one thing perfectly 
clear. It should not be the intent of this legislation to use the funds 
raised to take the place of existing Indian education programs. Rather, 
these funds should be considered entirely separate and supplemental to 
the efforts of the Federal and tribal governments.
  My colleagues, we all understand the budget shell game and I do not 
want to see the success of this program leveraged against governmental 
funding for teacher training, school modernization, and education 
technology initiatives.
  In short, I do not want to hear one voice out there saying that we do 
not need to fund the Office of Indian Education because the Foundation 
has X amount of dollars in its account. To do so would again be another 
slight against our trust and treaty obligations to the First people of 
this Nation.
  In the end, I want to reiterate the obvious. Indian Country is 
lacking in the resources needed to train its children for the demands 
of the global economy.
  The 106th Congress has a chance to help rectify this problem. While 
we should continue to allocate more Federal resources towards the 
growing population of children within Indian Country we can also make 
it easier for private interests to become involved. Helping Indian 
children achieve is not only a public trust but a private one as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope the House will move this legislation in a 
expeditious manner.

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