[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 130 (Monday, July 26, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H3868-H3869]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AMENDING ALYCE SPOTTED BEAR AND WALTER SOBOLEFF COMMISSION ON NATIVE 
                              CHILDREN ACT

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 325) to amend the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff 
Commission on Native Children Act to extend the deadline for a report 
by the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native 
Children, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 325

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ALYCE SPOTTED BEAR AND WALTER SOBOLEFF COMMISSION 
                   ON NATIVE CHILDREN REPORT.

       Section 3(f) of the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff 
     Commission on Native Children Act (Public Law 114-244; 130 
     Stat. 987) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
     by striking ``3 years'' and inserting ``5 years''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr.

[[Page H3869]]

Westerman) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 325, introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski from 
Alaska, provides a 2-year extension for the Alyce Spotted Bear and 
Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children to publish its report and 
make policy recommendations for Federal, State, and Tribal programs 
that serve Native children.
  Native children experience severe health and socioeconomic 
disparities compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the 
United States due to the cycles of intergenerational trauma. It is the 
Federal Government's trust responsibility to provide for the health and 
well-being of Native children. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed 
much of the Commission's essential work.
  Passage of S. 325 will grant the Commission an extension of time and 
ensure that the report best addresses the needs of Native children 
through much-needed expertise and cultural wisdom.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished Senator from Alaska, Senator 
Murkowski, for introducing and championing this critically important 
legislation, as well as my dear friend and Committee on Natural 
Resources colleague,   Don Young, for leading the House companion bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 325, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 325, which would amend the Alyce 
Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act, to 
extend the deadline of the Commission's report from 3 years to 5 years 
after the Commission is fully appointed and fully funded.
  In 2016, the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on 
Native Children Act was signed into law.
  The purpose of the legislation was to establish, within the U.S. 
Department of Justice's Office of Tribal Justice, a commission on 
Native children and to conduct a comprehensive study regarding the 
Federal and local programs, grants, and support available for Native 
communities and Native children.
  The legislation stipulated that 3 years after the date on which the 
Commission is fully appointed and funded, the Commission shall issue a 
report to Congress with its recommendations on how to achieve better 
use of existing resources, increased coordination, measurable outcomes, 
stronger data, enhanced private sector partnerships, and implementation 
of best practices.
  Funding for the Commission was not authorized in the enacted version. 
However, the fiscal year 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act provided 
$400,000 to the Commission.
  With delays in securing funding and the full appointment of 
Commission members, the Commission was not able to hold its first 
meeting until December 2019. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed 
much of the Commission's work.
  In response to these challenges faced by the Commission, my good 
friend, Mr. Young, introduced the House companion bill to S. 325, to 
ensure that the Commission has adequate time to produce a complete and 
comprehensive report.
  I would like to commend Mr. Young for his continued tireless work on 
behalf of American Indian and Alaska Natives.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), the dean of the House.
  Mr. YOUNG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I would 
like to thank Chairman Grijalva and, of course, the ranking member, Mr. 
Westerman, for the support of scheduling this bill for final passage. I 
would also like to thank my good friend, Debbie Dingell, for her work. 
I have been sitting and listening to these bills, these are good bills. 
So, thank you, I appreciate it.
  Mr. Speaker, I introduced this bill on the House side. I would like 
to thank Congressman Case and Congressman Kahele for their sponsorship 
and support.
  As has been mentioned, S. 325 gives Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter 
Soboleff Commission on Native Children 2 more years to complete their 
important work and report their findings to Congress.
  The Commission is tasked with conducting a comprehensive study of 
Federal, State, local, and Tribal programs that serve Native children 
with the goal of developing a system that delivers wraparound service 
for Native youth.
  The Commission was put in place, as I mentioned, in 2016, but was not 
able to have its first meeting until 2019. Further meetings were 
delayed by COVID, and as we know, things weren't really going according 
to scale.
  But my good friend, Gloria O'Neill, serves as chairman of the 
Commission, and I am thankful for her leadership on this issue, and her 
commitment to ensuring the Commission has enough time to do its 
important work.
  Without this extension, the Commission would be rushing to conclude 
their regional meetings in order to meet Congress' deadline.
  When doing this work, it could have far-reaching effects on Native 
youth and Native communities. We need to ensure the Commission has 
enough time to do good work and consider the options.
  Also, my colleagues have noticed recently, in a lot of publications, 
about some of my schools concerning Native students--Native youth, and 
especially in Canada. Will this Commission also look at that process 
and see what has happened in the past, and we can avoid what is going 
to occur in the future?
  This is a needed Commission and a needed bill. I urge my colleagues 
to support S. 325.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank the leadership of the dean 
of the House, Mr. Young, on this, and Senator Murkowski for the Native 
children.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 325.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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