[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 184 (Sunday, October 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6593-S6594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES ACT

  Mr. UDALL. Madam President, 30 years ago this week, the Native 
American Languages Act, NALA, was signed into law. As we celebrate this 
momentous occasion, I would like to take some time to reflect.
  Native languages hold within them the culture, history, and 
resiliency of their communities, but they are not only crucial to the 
communities that speak them. Native languages have influenced our 
shared American history, contributed to our understanding of 
environmental stewardship, and made the very fabric of our Nation's 
identity richer. As just one notable example of the impact Native 
languages have had, in World War I and World War II, Native American 
soldiers known as Code Talkers used their Native languages to transmit 
coded tactical messages. Code Talkers were able to improve the speed of 
communications encryption during both wars, leading directly to 
American forces out-maneuvering enemy troops in numerous military 
operations.
  Yet prior to enactment of the Native American Languages Act in 1990, 
the United States' Federal policies and practices often resulted in 
suppression and extermination of Native languages. Recognizing that 
these past practices were in conflict with the principles of Tribal 
sovereignty and self-determination, the Senate Committee on Indian 
Affairs sought to reshape Federal policy to better align with these 
principles. Under the leadership of Chairman Inouye and Vice Chairman 
McCain, the paradigm-shifting Native American Languages Act became law, 
and the United States formally acknowledged the rights and freedoms of 
Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native languages.
  Under the Native American Languages Act, Congress set out our current 
Federal Native language policy, declaring:

       ``It is the policy of the United States to--
       ``(1) preserve, protect, and promote the rights and freedom 
     of Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native 
     American languages;
       ``(2) allow exceptions to teacher certification 
     requirements for Federal programs, and programs funded in 
     whole or in part by the Federal Government, for instruction 
     in Native American languages when such teacher certification 
     requirements hinder the employment of qualified teachers who 
     teach in

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     Native American languages, and to encourage State and 
     territorial governments to make similar exceptions;
       ``(3) encourage and support the use of Native American 
     languages as a medium of instruction in order to encourage 
     and support--
       ``(A) Native American language survival,
       ``(B) educational opportunity,
       ``(C) increased student success and performance,
       ``(D) increased student awareness and knowledge of their 
     culture and history, and
       ``(E) increased student and community pride;
       ``(4) encourage State and local education programs to work 
     with Native American parents, educators, Indian tribes, and 
     other Native American governing bodies in the implementation 
     of programs to put this policy into effect;
       ``(5) recognize the right of Indian tribes and other Native 
     American governing bodies to use the Native American 
     languages as a medium of instruction in all schools funded by 
     the Secretary of the Interior;
       ``(6) fully recognize the inherent right of Indian tribes 
     and other Native American governing bodies, States, 
     territories, and possessions of the United States to take 
     action on, and give official status to, their Native American 
     languages for the purpose of conducting their own business;
       ``(7) support the granting of comparable proficiency 
     achieved through course work in a Native American language 
     the same academic credit as comparable proficiency achieved 
     through course work in a foreign language, with recognition 
     of such Native American language proficiency by institutions 
     of higher education as fulfilling foreign language entrance 
     or degree requirements; and
       ``(8) encourage all institutions of elementary, secondary 
     and higher education, where appropriate, to include Native 
     American languages in the curriculum in the same manner as 
     foreign languages and to grant proficiency in Native American 
     languages the same full academic credit as proficiency in 
     foreign languages.''

  Over the last 30 years, catalyzed by the Native American Languages 
Act, Congress has promoted the maintenance and revitalization of Native 
languages. In 1992, Congress amended the act to establish a grant 
program at the Administration for Native Americans, ANA, to support 
Native language projects.
  During my time in Congress, I have worked to support Native American 
languages revitalization efforts. In 2006, as a U.S. Congressman for 
New Mexico, I helped lead a bipartisan bill to expand the ANA's grant 
program to bolster Native language immersion education programs. I also 
participated in an Education and Workforce Committee field hearing in 
my home State to hear from Native language advocates, which solidified 
support for the bill's passage in the House. Enacted as the Esther 
Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act, this legislation 
was named after an Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo traditional storyteller and 
Tewa language advocate who tragically passed away in 2006.
  As the current vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian 
Affairs, I had the honor of leading the most recent Esther Martinez 
Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act, which was 
signed into law this past December, to further enhance ANA's Native 
languages grant programs.
  I also convened a Native American Languages Listening Session last 
year and worked with Committee Chairman John Hoeven to hold an 
oversight hearing in 2018 to hear directly from Native language 
revitalization stakeholders across the country. At those events, we 
learned that, over the last three decades, great strides have been made 
to rectify past injustices and move toward support of Native languages. 
Sadly, despite our efforts, a number of Native languages are still 
endangered today. The loss of even one Native language would deal a 
significant blow to our shared American and global heritage. There is 
still more work to do.
  This anniversary is an important opportunity for Congress to reflect. 
I hope my colleagues will join me and recommit to fully upholding the 
policies set out in the Native American Languages Act.

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