[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1688-E1689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING THE OPENING OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 21, 2004

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to join in 
support of this resolution.
  The resolution notes that the National Museum of the American Indian 
Act (20 U.S.C. 808 et seq.) established within the Smithsonian 
Institution the National Museum of the American Indian and authorized 
the construction of a facility to house the National Museum of the 
American Indian on the National Mall in the District of Columbia. It 
points out this will be the only national museum devoted exclusively to 
the history and art of cultures indigenous to the Americas, and will 
give all Americans the opportunity to learn of the cultural legacy, 
historic grandeur, and contemporary culture of Native Americans. And it 
officially recognizes that the new museum officially opens today.

[[Page E1689]]

  By its passage, Congress--
  (1) recognizes the important and unique contribution of Native 
Americans to the cultural legacy of the United States, both in the past 
and currently;
  (2) honors the cultural achievements of all Native Americans;
  (3) celebrates the official opening of the National Museum of the 
American Indian; and
  (4) requests the President to issue a proclamation encouraging all 
Americans to take advantage of the resources of the National Museum of 
the American Indian to learn about the history and culture of Native 
Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, this day has been a long time coming--and passage of 
this resolution will make clear that it is all the more welcomed by all 
Americans. The resolution comes to us from the Senate, where it was 
introduced by Colorado's senior Senator, Ben Nighthorse Campbell.
  Senator Campbell deserves our thanks, not only for this resolution 
but even more for his leadership in making this day a reality. He has 
earned the praise extended in two editorials that I am attaching for 
the information of our colleagues;

             [From the Rocky Mountain News Sept. 21, 2004]

                           Campbell's Legacy

       Kudos to Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell for helping create 
     the Smithsonian's spectacular new National Museum of the 
     American Indian, which celebrates its grand opening today on 
     the Washington Mall.
       While serving in the U.S. House 15 years ago, Campbell was 
     asked to be a prime sponsor of the bill that authorized the 
     museum. He was more than willing, but on one condition: the 
     Smithsonian must first agree to return the remains of about 
     18,500 Native Americans to their tribes for burial, and other 
     museums nationwide must do the same.
       The museums resisted, but Campbell prevailed.
       He also helped procure the $214 million needed to build the 
     museum and fill it with artifacts. He deserves the place of 
     honor he will enjoy at today's ceremonies.
                                  ____


                   [Editorial--the Pueblo Chieftain]

                       A Tribute to Sen. Campbell

       When the Colorado Republican started off as a Democrat in 
     the U.S. House, one of his first bills was to build a museum 
     to honor the Native Americans who peopled the Americas long 
     before the first Europeans arrived. A grand opening ceremony 
     for the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, 
     D.C., will be held today, and it will be the capstone of Sen. 
     Ben Nighthorse Campbell's service in Congress.
       The monument to a largely ignored set of cultures sits on 
     the last vacant spot on the National Mall, in the shadow of 
     the U.S. Capitol, as the centerpiece of the Smithsonian 
     Institution's 18 museums and galleries. The five-story, 
     curvilinear building with limestone facade was designed as if 
     the building itself were a natural formation carved by rain 
     and snow over the centuries, as if it had always been there. 
     Yet, it almost wasn't there at all.
       This museum is Sen. Campbell's pride and joy. When the 
     Colorado Republican started off as a Democrat in the U.S. 
     House, one of his first bills was to build a museum to honor 
     the Native Americas who peopled the Americas long before the 
     first Europeans arrived.
       In the years since, Sen. Campbell chaired the museum's 
     fund-raising committee, leading the effort to raise more than 
     $100 million in private financing to turn an idea into brick 
     and mortar. He hopes the museum will erase the myths 
     characterizing Indians as ``savages that were raping and 
     pillaging.'' The life, languages, literature, history and 
     arts of the native people of the Western Hemisphere will be 
     the focus of every exhibit.
       Sen. Campbell, who once made his living as a designer of 
     Indian jewelry, will showcase some of his own artwork in an 
     opening show that will continue for six months.
       When he first ran for Congress in 1986, Sen. Campbell 
     emphasized that his political career would be about non-
     Indian issues as much as it would be about Indian issues. 
     Today, the 71-year-old Cheyenne tribal chief cites numerous 
     accomplishments that have nothing to do with that background 
     and everything to do with making a difference, including 
     doing his best to protect Arkansas River water from the 
     devastating water diversions by Aurora and Colorado Springs, 
     the funding of bullet-proof vests for the nation's police 
     officers, pushing for a national law enforcement museum and 
     upgrading two Colorado attractions--the Great Sand Dunes and 
     the Black Canyon of the Gunnison--to national park status.
       Today, he will stand just north of the site where the 
     Indian Removal Act of 1830 was signed--``where the museum now 
     sits''--and address a crowd expected to include thousands of 
     fellow American Indians. The irony of putting the museum on 
     the site where Congress acted to forcibly relocate Indians 
     will make the day all the sweeter.
       Sen. Campbell is retiring from Congress the end of this 
     year. The museum he shepherded to reality will in some small 
     measure be a tribute to this adopted Coloradan.

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