[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 181 (Tuesday, November 7, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H8529-H8530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND HONORING DR. RUDI 
                                MITCHELL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bacon) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate National Native 
American Heritage Month by honoring a dedicated community leader and 
warrior from Nebraska's Second Congressional District.
  Growing up on the Umonhon Nation Reservation in Macy, Nebraska, Dr. 
Rudi Mitchell was one of eight children raised by a single mother. 
Rudi's mom, Mary Lieb Mitchell, was a strong woman and a major 
influence in the lives of her children. Her focus was education and 
ensuring her children had the opportunities that she did not have.
  It was because of her that Rudi and his siblings all went out to 
pursue

[[Page H8530]]

higher education. Including nieces and nephews, 15 members of his 
family have earned degrees ranging from bachelor's to doctorate, to 
medical degrees.
  In 1964, Rudi felt the call to serve our Nation at a time of war and 
enlisted in the United States Army Medical Corps. As he will tell you, 
Native Americans consider it an honor to serve as a warrior, and he was 
proud to do so in the U.S. Army. He was a part of the Army Medical 
Corps and served a total of 3 years and 13 months of which he deployed 
to South Korea, providing medical support to troops.
  Once his service was complete, Dr. Mitchell used the GI Bill to 
attend the University of Nebraska Omaha, and in August of 1973, he 
earned his bachelor of general studies with an emphasis on social work. 
He then pursued and received his master of social work in August of 
1975.
  With his degrees in hand and inspired by his mother's dreams, Dr. 
Mitchell worked for the Nebraska Indian Intertribal Development 
Corporation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs for Winnebago. After that, 
he returned to the Umonhon Nation Reservation in Macy, Nebraska, and 
was the acting director of the outpatient mental health-social services 
department at the Carl T. Curtis Health Education Center. Rudi then 
earned his doctorate of education and counseling and psychology from 
the University of South Dakota in December of 1987.
  Dr. Mitchell continued to serve those residing at the Macy and 
Winnebago Reservations, including as interim president of the Nebraska 
Indian Community College and, most recently, as the assistant professor 
of Native American studies at Creighton University. He is also listed 
as a qualified expert witness in Indian child welfare cases in the 
courts of the State of Nebraska.
  His deep compassion for the youth of the Umonhon Nation inspires him 
to continue to make an impact. With the high suicide rate and many 
suffering from depression, Dr. Mitchell has made it a mission of his to 
interact with the youth as a social worker and mental health therapist. 
As an elder of the Umonhon Nation, Dr. Mitchell participates and leads 
traditional Umonhon prayer ceremonies in welcome and graduation 
ceremonies.
  Rudi continues to preserve his native language, which his mother did 
not allow to be spoken in his childhood home because she wanted them to 
learn English. He also is working to revive the lost culture of his 
Nation, including the importance of his Indian name. His is Sihi-duba 
of the Buffalo Clan.
  As a direct descendant of Chief Big Elk, the last hereditary chief of 
the Umonhon Nation, Dr. Mitchell followed his great-great-great-great-
grandfather's legacy of leadership, and has served as a Native American 
leader on the local, State, and national level. From 1992 to 1995, he 
was the Tribal chairman of the Umonhon Nation and the chief elected 
governmental representative of his people. He presided over the elected 
Tribal Council at all official meetings and represented their interests 
with county supervisors, the Nebraska Unicameral, the United States 
Congress, State Governors, the President of the United States, and 
international leaders.
  In addition, Dr. Mitchell serves on the board of directors for the 
Big Elk Native American Center, a nonprofit that is working to provide 
a multitude of services to more than 8,000 Native Americans from over 
130 Tribes that reside in the Omaha area. Currently, the nonprofit 
provides language services, teaching the Umonhon language, and 
providing expert witnesses.
  Dr. Mitchell is a lifetime member of the VFW Post 1581 and the 
American Legion Post 1, and although he has officially retired, he 
still serves as an elder of the Omaha Tribe. Through his lifetime of 
dedicated service, he has helped many youth and members of the Umonhon 
Nation overcome depression and learn about their heritage.
  We are proud to recognize Dr. Mitchell as a true warrior, patriot, 
and selfless servant; one that not only fought for his Nation, but also 
for those impacted by mental health issues, and continues to keep his 
Native American culture and heritage alive for future generations.

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