[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 177 (Thursday, November 20, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10755-S10756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S10755]]
SENATE RESOLUTION 719--RECOGNIZING NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA 
   NATIVE HERITAGE MONTH AND CELEBRATING THE HERITAGE AND CULTURE OF 
 AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICAN 
            INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES TO THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. DORGAN (for himself, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Boxer, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. 
Schumer, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Tester, Mr. Domenici, Mr. 
McCain, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Baucus, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, 
Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Thune, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Conrad, and Mr. 
Johnson) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Indian Affairs:

                              S. Res. 719

       Whereas from November 1, 2008, through November 30, 2008, 
     the United States celebrates National American Indian and 
     Alaska Native Heritage Month;
       Whereas American Indians and Alaska Natives are descendants 
     of the original, indigenous inhabitants of what is now the 
     United States;
       Whereas, in 2000, the United States Census Bureau reported 
     that there were more than 4,000,000 people in the United 
     States of American Indian and Alaska Native descent;
       Whereas, on December 2, 1989, the Committee on Indian 
     Affairs of the Senate held a hearing exploring the 
     contributions of the Iroquois Confederacy, and its influence 
     on the Founding Fathers in the drafting of the Constitution 
     of the United States with the concepts of freedom of speech, 
     the separation of governmental powers, and checks and 
     balances among the branches of government;
       Whereas the Senate has reaffirmed that a major national 
     goal of the United States is to provide the resources, 
     processes, and structure that will enable Indian Tribes and 
     tribal members to obtain the quantity and quality of health 
     care services and opportunities that will eliminate the 
     health disparities between American Indians and the general 
     population of the United States;
       Whereas Congress recently reaffirmed its trust 
     responsibility to improve the housing conditions and 
     socioeconomic status of American Indians and Alaska Natives 
     by providing affordable homes in a safe and healthy 
     environment;
       Whereas, throughout its course of dealing with Indian 
     Tribes, the United States Government has engaged in a 
     government-to-government relationship with Tribes;
       Whereas the United States Government owes a trust 
     obligation to Tribes, acknowledged in treaties, statutes, and 
     decisions of the Supreme Court, to protect the interests and 
     welfare of tribal governments and their members;
       Whereas American Indians and Alaska Natives have 
     consistently served with honor and distinction in the Armed 
     Forces of the United States, some as early as the 
     Revolutionary War, and continue to serve in the Armed Forces 
     in greater numbers per capita than any other group in the 
     United States;
       Whereas American Indians and Alaska Natives speak and 
     preserve indigenous languages and have contributed hundreds 
     of words to the English language, including the names of 
     people and locations in the United States;
       Whereas Congress has recognized Native American code 
     talkers who served with honor and distinction in World War I 
     and World War II, using indigenous languages as an 
     unbreakable military code, saving countless American lives;
       Whereas American Indians and Alaska Natives are deeply 
     rooted in tradition and culture, which drives their strength 
     of community; and
       Whereas American Indians and Alaska Natives of all ages 
     celebrate the great achievements of their ancestors and 
     heroes and continue to share their stories with future 
     generations: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the celebration of National American Indian 
     and Alaska Native Heritage Month during the month of November 
     2008;
       (2) honors the heritage and culture of American Indians and 
     Alaska Natives and the contributions of American Indians and 
     Alaska Natives to the United States; and
       (3) urges the people of the United States to observe 
     National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month 
     with appropriate programs and activities.

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, on October 30, 2008, President Bush issued 
a proclamation designating November 2008 as National American Indian 
and Alaska Native Heritage Month. The President follows a tradition of 
Presidents since 1990 of issuing proclamations making November the 
month for recognizing the significant contributions of tribal 
governments and individual Native Americans to our Nation's history and 
development.
  Congress also has traditionally recognized the contributions of 
Native Americans to the United States in the form of resolutions, 
findings, coins and medals. The resolution, which I am sending to the 
desk to ask for its immediate consideration, continues in that 
tradition.
  This resolution recognizes some of the many contributions that Native 
Americans have made to help build our great Nation as well as the 
continued contributions of Native Americans to the growth of the United 
States. From contributions to the United States and the world in the 
fields of agriculture, medicine, music, language, and art to 
influencing the founding documents of our Federal Government to the use 
of native languages to develop an unbreakable military code that helped 
defeat the Axis powers in World War II, Indian Tribes and individual 
Native Americans have shaped our Nation's history in remarkable ways.
  Through this resolution, we celebrate these and many other 
contributions of tribal governments and Native Americans during the 
month of November. I urge all citizens, and local, State, tribal and 
Federal Governments and agencies to take time this month to learn more 
about the many facets of Native American history, traditions, and their 
important contributions to the formation of the United States.
  This year, the United States Senate and the Congress as a whole acted 
on two important pieces of legislation that seek to meet our Nation's 
legal, treaty and trust obligations to promote health care and housing 
for the residents of Indian Country.
  S. 1200, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 2008, passed the 
Senate in February of this year with a margin of 83-10. As Chairman of 
the Committee on Indian Affairs, this legislation has been the priority 
for the Committee in the 110th Congress. The Indian health care act was 
last authorized in 1992, and this bill would help bring Indian health 
care into to 21st century. I am proud to report that we were able to 
pass this legislation out of the Senate for the first time in almost a 
decade. A number of Senators were instrumental moving this legislation 
forward in the Senate. Unfortunately, our work was not completed. The 
House was unable to pass the legislation and it remains unauthorized as 
the health care needs of Native Americans remain sorely under-funded 
and services remain outdated. Indian health care will continue to 
remain a priority for the committee and every effort will be made to 
reauthorize this legislation as soon as possible.
  In addition to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, the Senate 
approved a $1 billion authorization for additional funding for the 
Indian Health Service as a part of the Senate Budget Resolution. 
Congress also passed a $250 million authorization for Indian health 
care through an amendment to the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United 
States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria 
Reauthorization Act of 2008.
  In September of this year, Congress succeeded in enacting the Native 
American Housing and Self-Determination Assistance Reauthorization Act 
of 2008. This bill makes long needed improvements to Native housing 
programs, and authorizes the flexible use of funding to strengthen 
Native communities through economic and community development.
  While health care and housing are critically important to Indian 
Country and represent significant steps forward in fulfilling the trust 
obligation between Congress and the First Americans, it is important to 
acknowledge several other achievements in the 110th Congress.
  Congress passed into law the Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2008 
which provides well-deserved Congressional gold medals to each tribe 
that had members who were Code Talkers in any foreign conflict. Each 
next of kin to the valiant Code Talker who served their country will 
receive a silver duplicate.
  The Higher Education Reauthorization Act was passed into law, which 
reauthorized the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities 
Assistance Act, increasing the amount of money per student in tribal 
colleges and universities. A study has been requested of the General 
Accountability Office which will allow for an evaluation of public 
schools on Indian lands to assist Congress in meeting its obligations 
to Indian education.
  Congress also passed the Fostering Connections to Success and 
Increasing Adoptions Act allowing Tribes for the

[[Page S10756]]

first time to directly administer foster care and adoption programs 
offered by the Federal government, allowing tribes to continue 
strengthening their communities by ensuring safe and caring homes for 
their Native children.
  Congress passed the Native American $1 Coin Act, which recognizes the 
contributions of Native Americans to the development of the United 
States through an annually changing image on the reverse of the 
Sakakawea $1 coin that is now in circulation.
  Congress also passed into law a joint resolution designating November 
28, 2008 as Native American Heritage Day, honoring the contributions 
and achievements of our First Americans.
  The Treaty of Fort Laramie and other treaties acknowledged the 
specific obligations that the United States owes to the Tribes located 
in my State of North Dakota. Much has been done this Congress to begin 
to fulfill this legal responsibility and the more general trust 
responsibility that Congress owes to all Indian Tribes.
  However, as is evident with Congress' failure to pass the Indian 
Health Care Improvement Act of 2008, much still remains to be done. The 
resolution before the Senate today would simply honor the hard work, 
traditions, culture, and contribution of the First Americans.
  I ask that this resolution be adopted quickly and that it act as an 
encouragement to all people of the United States to observe the month 
of November as National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage 
Month.

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