[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 186 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5462]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





 SENATE RESOLUTION 459--RECOGNIZING NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE 
 MONTH AND CELEBRATING THE HERITAGES AND CULTURES OF NATIVE AMERICANS 
     AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATIVE AMERICANS TO THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. SCHATZ (for himself, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Collins, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Cramer, 
Mr. Crapo, Mr. Daines, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Fetterman, Mrs. 
Fischer, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. 
Hyde-Smith, Mr. Kaine, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford, Mr. 
Lujan, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Moran, 
Mr. Mullin, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Risch, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Rounds, 
Mr. Schumer, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Tester, Ms. Warren, Mr. 
Wicker, Mr. Wyden, and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 459

       Whereas, from November 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023, 
     the United States celebrates National Native American 
     Heritage Month;
       Whereas National Native American Heritage Month is an 
     opportunity to consider and recognize the contributions of 
     Native Americans to the history of the United States;
       Whereas Native Americans are descendants of the original, 
     Indigenous inhabitants of what is now the United States;
       Whereas the Bureau of the Census estimates that--
       (1) in 2020, there were 9,666,058 individuals of American 
     Indian and Alaska Native descent in the United States; and
       (2) in 2020, there were 680,442 individuals of Native 
     Hawaiian descent in the United States;
       Whereas Native Americans maintain vibrant cultures and 
     traditions and hold a deeply rooted sense of community;
       Whereas Native Americans have moving stories of tragedy, 
     triumph, and perseverance that need to be shared with future 
     generations;
       Whereas Native Americans speak and write in their 
     Indigenous languages, which have influenced and contributed 
     in a variety of ways to the United States, including the 
     naming of places and sites throughout the United States;
       Whereas Congress has consistently reaffirmed support for 
     self-governance and self-determination policies for Native 
     American communities and the commitment of the United States 
     to improving the lives of all Native Americans;
       Whereas the United States is committed to--
       (1) strengthening the government-to-government relationship 
     with Indian Tribes; and
       (2) upholding the Federal trust responsibility to Native 
     American communities;
       Whereas Congress has recognized the contributions of the 
     Iroquois Confederacy and the influence of the Iroquois 
     Confederacy on the Founding Fathers in the drafting of the 
     Constitution of the United States with the concepts of--
       (1) freedom of speech;
       (2) the separation of governmental powers; and
       (3) the system of checks and balances between the branches 
     of government;
       Whereas, with the enactment of the Native American Heritage 
     Day Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-33; 123 Stat. 1922), 
     Congress--
       (1) reaffirmed the government-to-government relationship 
     between the United States and Native American governments; 
     and
       (2) recognized the important contributions of Native 
     Americans to the culture of the United States;
       Whereas Native Americans have made distinct and important 
     contributions to the United States and the world in many 
     fields, including agriculture, environmental stewardship, 
     wayfinding, medicine, music, dance, language, and art;
       Whereas contemporary applications of traditional knowledge 
     systems of Native Americans have expanded scientific, 
     environmental, and intercultural understanding;
       Whereas Native Americans have distinguished themselves as 
     inventors, entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, and scholars;
       Whereas Native Americans have served with honor and 
     distinction in the Armed Forces of the United States for 
     centuries and have the highest per capita involvement of any 
     population currently serving in the Armed Forces of the 
     United States;
       Whereas the United States has recognized the contribution 
     of the Native American code talkers in World War I and World 
     War II, who used Indigenous languages to communicate an 
     unbreakable military code, saving countless lives in both 
     conflicts; and
       Whereas the people of the United States have reason to 
     honor the great achievements and contributions of Native 
     Americans and their ancestors: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the month of November 2023 as ``National 
     Native American Heritage Month'';
       (2) recognizes the Friday after Thanksgiving as ``Native 
     American Heritage Day'' in accordance with section 2(10) of 
     the Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-
     33; 123 Stat. 1923); and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     National Native American Heritage Month and Native American 
     Heritage Day with appropriate programs and activities.

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