[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 197 (Monday, December 19, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S7289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DURBIN FEELING NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES ACT OF 2021
Mr. SCHATZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 175, S. 1402.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 1402) to amend the Native American Languages Act
to ensure the survival and continuing vitality of Native
American languages, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Mr. SCHATZ. I ask unanimous consent that the Schatz substitute
amendment at the desk be agreed to.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 6544) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to,
as follows:
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Durbin Feeling Native
American Languages Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. ENSURING THE SURVIVAL AND CONTINUING VITALITY OF
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES.
(a) In General.--Section 106 of the Native American
Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2905) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(c) Evaluation; Report.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this subsection, the President shall--
``(1) require the heads of the various Federal departments,
agencies, and instrumentalities to carry out an evaluation
described in subsection (a)(1); and
``(2) submit to Congress a report that describes--
``(A) the results of the evaluations; and
``(B) the recommendations of the Secretary of the Interior,
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary
of Education, after consultation with Indian tribes,
traditional leaders, and representatives of Native American
language communities, for amendments to Federal laws that are
needed--
``(i) to bring the Federal laws into compliance with this
Act;
``(ii) to improve interagency coordination for purposes of
supporting revitalization, maintenance, and use of Native
American languages; and
``(iii) to reduce duplication, inefficiencies, and barriers
Native American language communities face in accessing
Federal programs to support efforts to revitalize, maintain,
or increase the use of Native American languages.''.
(b) Survey on Native American Languages.--The Native
American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 108. SURVEY ON NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES.
``(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date
of enactment of this section, and every 5 years thereafter,
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through
the Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans
(referred to in this section as the `Secretary'), shall
undertake a survey of the use of all Native American
languages in the United States.
``(b) Updates.--Prior to conducting each subsequent survey
after the initial survey under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall update the survey in accordance with this section.
``(c) Consultation Required.--The Secretary shall design
the initial survey under subsection (a) and each updated
survey under subsection (b)--
``(1) in consultation with Indian tribes; and
``(2) after considering feedback received from Native
American language speakers and experts.
``(d) Contents.--Each survey under subsection (a) shall
solicit--
``(1) information on which Native American languages are
currently spoken;
``(2) estimates of the number of speakers of each Native
American language;
``(3) any language usage statistics or information that the
Secretary, in consultation with Indian tribes and Native
American language speakers and experts, determines to be
relevant and appropriate;
``(4) information on the types of Native American language
maintenance and revitalization projects and practices that
are currently being carried out;
``(5) information on any unmet Native American language
resource needs of Indian tribes and Native American language
communities; and
``(6) any other information that the Secretary, in
consultation with Indian tribes and Native American language
speakers and experts, determines to be necessary.
``(e) Coordination.--The Secretary may coordinate, and
enter into cooperative agreements with, the Director of the
Bureau of the Census for the purposes of carrying out this
section.
``(f) Outreach and Engagement.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out outreach
and engagement activities to provide Indian tribes, Native
American language communities, and the public information
about--
``(A) opportunities to provide input on the development and
design of each survey under subsection (a), including
information on the consultations required under subsection
(c);
``(B) the goals and purpose of the surveys conducted under
subsection (a); and
``(C) the benefits and importance of participation in
surveys under subsection (a).
``(2) Grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements
authorized.--The Secretary may carry out the outreach and
engagement activities required under paragraph (1)--
``(A) directly;
``(B) in partnership with the Bureau of the Census; or
``(C) through grants to, or contracts or cooperative
agreements with--
``(i) Indian tribes;
``(ii) tribal organizations; and
``(iii) nonprofit organizations that work with Indian
tribes, Native American language programs, and Native
American language communities.
``(g) Limitation.--Nothing in this section requires an
Indian tribe, Native American language community, or Native
American language speaker--
``(1) to participate in a survey under subsection (a); or
``(2) to provide specific or culturally sensitive
information in completing such a survey.
``(h) Availability of Survey Materials and Findings.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, and prior to conducting each
survey under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to
the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate and the
Committees on Education and Labor and Natural Resources of
the House of Representatives, and make publicly available, a
description of--
``(A) the feedback received under subsection (c) on the
design of the survey;
``(B) the form and content of the survey;
``(C) the plan for deploying the survey to ensure a robust
response; and
``(D) how the Secretary will ensure any survey enumeration
efforts are culturally informed and appropriate.
``(2) Results.--Not later than 90 days after the date on
which analysis of each survey under subsection (a) is
completed, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
Indian Affairs of the Senate and the Committees on Education
and Labor and Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives, and make publicly available, the results of
the survey.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,500,000 for
each fiscal year--
``(1) preceding a fiscal year during which a survey under
subsection (a) is conducted; and
``(2) during which a survey under that subsection is
conducted.''.
Mr. SCHATZ. I ask unanimous consent that the bill, as amended, be
considered read a third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read
the third time.
Mr. SCHATZ. I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
Hearing none, the bill having been read the third time, the question
is, Shall the bill pass?
The bill (S. 1402), as amended, was passed.
Mr. SCHATZ. I ask that the motion to reconsider be considered made
and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________