[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 56 (Thursday, March 27, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E260-E261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                INDIGENOUS DIPLOMACY AND ENGAGEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. ED CASE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2025

  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support for my Indigenous 
Diplomacy and Engagement Act to ensure that our foreign affairs fully 
encompass and incorporate the independent interconnectedness of our 
world's indigenous peoples.
  The estimated 476 million indigenous peoples spread across all parts 
of our world are bound together by a common heritage, common wisdom and 
common challenges that transcend often artificial lines of national 
sovereignty. To recognize their international status and leverage their 
collective knowledge, in 2007 the international community adopted the 
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
  This common history, knowledge and approach, in such key areas as 
preservation of unique cultures, sustainable use of our natural 
resources, and advancement of health care, offers all of us not only a 
wealth of expertise on their own challenges but on those we all face. 
To better coordinate focus on indigenous peoples worldwide and engage 
internationally on issues important to indigenous peoples, my 
Indigenous Diplomacy and Engagement Act would create an Office for 
Indigenous Affairs at the Department of State responsible for 
coordinating all efforts of the federal government regarding diplomacy 
and engagements with international indigenous peoples. The office would 
be headed by a Coordinator for Indigenous Affairs, appointed by the 
President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The coordinator 
will be tasked with establishing a comprehensive international strategy 
for promoting diplomacy and engagement with indigenous peoples.
  The strategy will be developed in coordination with various federal 
departments and agencies as well as an Advisory Commission on 
Indigenous Peoples established by the bill. The Commission will consist 
of members appointed by the Secretary of State, President Pro Tempore 
of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, as well as representatives 
from the National Congress of American Indians, Alaska Federation of 
Natives and Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the representative entities for 
the largest groups of our country's own indigenous peoples. This will 
help more directly link our Nation's indigenous peoples with efforts to 
build relationship with those in other countries.
  This bill would also require our Foreign Service Officers to be 
trained on the history and culture of indigenous communities that 
reside near their posts of assignment. Our Foreign Service Officers 
will often be the primary American officials for interaction with these 
communities, and should be well versed in specific indigenous peoples' 
issues.
  We must not step away from the international stage; rather we should 
lead efforts for meaningful engagement where and however we can. This 
includes strengthening our relationships and partnerships with 
international indigenous peoples to more fully include their special 
perspective and connectedness in an inextricably interlinked world.

[[Page E261]]

  I strongly urge my colleagues to join with me in passing and enacting 
the Indigenous Diplomacy and Engagement Act.

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