[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 23048-23053]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT AMERICANS SHOULD TAKE TIME DURING 
    NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH TO RECOGNIZE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND 
                  CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY NATIVE PEOPLES

  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 270) expressing the sense of 
Congress that Americans should take time during Native American 
Heritage Month to recognize the many accomplishments and contributions 
made by native peoples.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 270

       Whereas Native Americans were the original inhabitants of 
     the lands that now constitute the United States of America;
       Whereas Native American governments developed the 
     fundamental principles of freedom of speech and separation of 
     powers in

[[Page 23049]]

     government, and these principles form the foundation of the 
     United States Government today;
       Whereas Native American societies exhibited a deep respect 
     for the Earth and its resources, and such values are widely 
     held today;
       Whereas Native Americans have served with valor in every 
     American conflict, from the Revolutionary War to the war 
     against terrorism, often serving in greater numbers, 
     proportionately, than the population of the Nation as a 
     whole;
       Whereas Native Americans have made distinct and important 
     contributions to the United States and the rest of the world 
     in many fields, including agriculture, medicine, music, 
     language, and art;
       Whereas Native Americans deserve to be recognized for their 
     individual contributions to American society as artists, 
     sculptors, musicians, authors, poets, artisans, scientists, 
     and scholars;
       Whereas November has been declared Native American Heritage 
     Month because it is traditionally the month when Native 
     Americans harvested their crops and is generally a time of 
     celebratory feasting and giving thanks; and
       Whereas, now, more than ever, Americans of all origins, 
     faiths, and beliefs need to come together as a Nation in 
     support of our people, our common values, and our republican 
     principles: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of Native American 
     Heritage Month, and
       (2) encourages Federal, State, local, and tribal 
     governments; interested groups and organizations; and the 
     American people to honor and recognize the accomplishments, 
     contributions, and heritage of Native Americans with 
     appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. 
Rahall) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  As we gather here, returning from our Thanksgiving recess, I think it 
is especially important to pause and consider the contributions made by 
native peoples, by the first Americans, to our unique constitutional 
Republic. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, I am honored to represent the Sixth 
Congressional District of Arizona. At the outset of the formulation of 
this sixth district, nearly one quarter of the constituency is Native 
American.
  Especially at this time in our history, when once again the winds of 
war blow across our planet, and our Nation is involved in protecting 
our constitutional Republic, it is worth noting that more than any 
other ethnic or racial group, Native Americans answer the call to duty 
in our Nation's Armed Forces. Indeed, the contributions of many have 
been highlighted. Just a few months ago, our Commander in Chief joined 
us here at the Rotunda of the Capitol to memorialize and recognize the 
Navajo code talkers, those so vital to our victory in the Pacific 
theater.
  I think of Ira Hayes, and what would now be the Gila River Indian 
community, then simply noted as a Pima Indian, one of those proud 
Marines who raised our Nation's flag during the battle of Iwo Jima, 
forever memorialized in the Marine Memorial.
  It is incumbent on each of us to recall not only the actions of today 
but what has transpired in our past, all of it, including what every 
schoolchild learns of the first Thanksgiving, and the real contribution 
of the first Americans to those European settlers and their survival 
and their recognition of a new start in a new land.
  In passing this legislation, the House of Representatives will 
encourage Federal, State, local and tribal governments, as well as all 
the American people, to join us in honoring and recognizing the 
accomplishments, contributions, and heritage of our Nation's Native 
Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of the pending resolution to recognize the 
accomplishments and contributions of American Indians and Alaskan 
Natives during this month designated as National American Indian 
Heritage Month.
  Native Americans continue to honorably contribute and serve our 
Nation in virtually every field imaginable, including medicine, 
education, the arts, the justice system, and scientific research. 
Tribal members have valiantly fought in every American military action 
from the Revolutionary War and continue today in the war against 
terrorism and elsewhere around the world. It is right that we honor 
their work and contributions.
  If this Congress truly wants to honor Native Americans, however, we 
need to do it by honoring our treaties and past commitments made to 
them. The Federal Government took control as legal trustee of Indian 
trust lands, promising to protect the lands, produce and collect 
revenue derived from them, and invest and manage all revenue. We have 
failed miserably in this task, and we continue to pile bad policy upon 
bad policy, leaving proper management of some 1,500 tribal and over 
300,000 individual Indian trust fund accounts hanging in limbo.
  The mismanagement of Indian trust funds dates back almost 100 years 
and only gets worse with each passing day. The Reagan administration 
listed this as one of the top five Federal liabilities. Yet today, the 
Department of the Interior cannot tell us if the accounts have the 
correct money in them, if the money is invested correctly, or even if 
the names of the accounts are correct.
  Just last week, the Secretary of the Interior announced she was going 
to create a brand new agency to deal with trust funds. Unfortunately, 
this decision was made without consulting with the account holders or 
the Congress. In fact, details of this brand new agency are almost 
nonexistent, so we do not know if this is a good answer or just another 
hastily thrown together concept.
  I want to impress upon my colleagues that this is not just some 
messed up pile of Federal funds. These are funds, billions of dollars, 
belonging to Indian tribes and American Indians who depend on these 
revenues to pay rent and buy medicine and foods.
  Imagine if our banks sometimes correctly deposited our income into 
our accounts and sometimes did not, but then could not tell us what 
they did with the money or denied ever receiving it. Imagine if the IRS 
lost billions of dollars slated to be refunded to taxpayers. Imagine if 
the Department of Transportation sent billions of highway trust fund 
dollars to the wrong States. Imagine if billions of dollars of Social 
Security checks owed to senior citizens in each of our districts were 
unaccounted for. These events would make the front page of every 
newspaper in the Nation and would quickly be reconciled.
  I say that if we truly want to honor Native Americans, it is 
incumbent upon the Federal Government to restore the word ``trust'' 
when it comes to the management of tribal trust assets once and for 
all.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support the pending resolution, but I 
would be much more proud if this Congress would put some muscle behind 
the idea of honoring Native Americans, not just this month but every 
month, by ensuring that the Federal Government's trust responsibilities 
to these people is being honored.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  My friend from West Virginia, Mr. Speaker, encapsulates a problem 
with which this government has been dealing for nearly a century. 
Indeed, my good friend from Michigan joined me in cochairing a task 
force dealing with the disposition of these trust funds; and I would 
hope that, for the record, we would show, as we articulated some years 
ago, that this problem has been one sadly of bipartisan neglect.
  Indeed, a circuit court judge found a previous Secretary of the 
Interior in contempt as well as a Secretary of Treasury, and I think 
that has extended to other administrations. So, yes, we welcome the 
opportunity in a nonpartisan fashion to solve this legitimate problem.
  As I have often reflected, Mr. Speaker, when we come to this floor, 
we may line up on different sides of the aisle,

[[Page 23050]]

we may have an R or a D beside our names, but there are really only two 
types of people who serve in the Congress of the United States, those 
who represent what we now call Indian country, and those who represent 
what was once Indian country.
  So in that nonpartisan spirit, I look forward to working with the 
gentleman from West Virginia.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. 
Cannon), who occupies one quarter of the Four Corners area.
  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank my colleague from Arizona 
for bringing forward this resolution, and I would also like to 
associate myself with his comments in respect to the trust funds and 
the problems in administering those that have existed for a very long 
period of time, and which I believe this administration is trying to 
resolve and we want to support them in doing that.
  I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 270. This 
resolution expresses the sense of Congress that Americans should take 
time during the month of November to recognize the various 
accomplishments and contributions made by Native Americans. While many 
of my colleagues will take this opportunity to speak of the many 
accomplishments and contributions of Native Americans, I would like to 
mention one particular area in which Native Americans have made an 
important and often overlooked contribution to our country, and that is 
in their continued willingness to serve and sacrifice in the defense of 
our country.
  Native Americans have participated with distinction in the United 
States military actions for more than 200 years. From the Revolutionary 
War to the American Civil War, to Vietnam, to the Persian Gulf, Native 
Americans have showed a continued willingness to serve. In each of 
these conflicts, Native Americans have served with valor, patriotism, 
and courage.
  As a proportion of the population, Native Americans have sent more of 
their sons to war than any other ethnic group. One estimate is that 
over 12,000 American Indians fought in World War I. In World War II, 
more than 44,000 American Indians, out of a total Native American 
population at that time of less than 350,000, served with distinction 
in both Europe and the Pacific theaters of war.

                              {time}  1815

  Today, there are nearly 190,000 Native American military veterans. 
Indeed, history shows that Native Americans have disproportionately 
shouldered the military burden of this country. At the bare minimum, 
this legacy of service and sacrifice deserves our utmost respect and 
honor.
  One of the most striking examples of Native American military service 
can be found in the history of the World War II Navajo code talkers.
  The Navajo Code Talkers Program was established in September, 1942. 
The idea came from Philip Johnston, the son of a missionary to the 
Navajos and one of the few non-Navajos who spoke their language 
fluently. Johnston, reared on the Navajo reservation, was a World War I 
veteran. He knew the military's search for a code that would withstand 
all attempts to decipher it.
  He believed the Navajo language answered the military requirement for 
an indecipherable code because Navajo is an unwritten language, it is 
complex, and has no alphabet or symbols. It is only spoken only on the 
Navaho lands of the American Southwest. One estimate is that less than 
30 non-Navahos, none of them Japanese, could understand the language at 
the outbreak of World War II.
  During the 3 years the Navajo code talkers participated in the war, 
Japanese intelligence was able to break almost every U.S. Army code and 
Army Air Corps code, but not once was it able to break the Navajo code.
  Eventually, over 400 Navajo Marine code talkers served in World War 
II. These code talkers participated in every assault the Marines took 
part in from late 1942 to 1945. After the war, many military officials 
admitted battles such as Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Peleliu 
would have been lost without the Navajo code talkers.
  Long unrecognized because of the continued value of their language as 
a security classified code, the Navajo code talkers of World War II 
were recently honored for their contributions to our Nation's defense 
in Washington, D.C. Their patriotism, resourcefulness, and courage also 
have earned them the gratitude of all Americans.
  As a representative of Utah's Congressional Third District, I 
represent at least six Indian tribes. They include the Northwestern 
Shoshone, the Goshutes, the Paiutes, the Utes, the White Mesa or 
Southern Utes, and the Navajos. I feel that these tribes, as well as 
the descendents of the Navajo code talkers and all other Native 
American veterans, deserve our respect and appreciation.
  Mr. Speaker, I support House Concurrent Resolution 270.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
  Mr. Speaker, to respond to the gentleman from Arizona, I want to work 
closely with the gentleman on this issue. I am sorry if he got 
defensive, but I cannot see in my remarks where I was partisan. Perhaps 
I should have spoken a little slower when I said the mismanagement of 
Indian trust funds dates back almost 100 years. I do not believe that 
the gentleman's party has been in power that long, and it covers a 
number of administrations. It gets worse with each passing day.
  I further said, the Reagan administration, and perhaps I should have 
added ``to its credit,'' listed this as one of the top five Federal 
liabilities. If the gentleman interpreted my remarks as being partisan, 
I regret that misinterpretation of my remarks.
  I have written the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) under whose 
jurisdiction all Indian issues come directly before our full committee 
and requested a hearing on this and look forward to participating with 
the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), who 
has long been an advocate for Indian tribal rights.
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Congressional Native 
American Caucus, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 270, a resolution that expresses a sense of Congress that 
Americans should take time during Native American Heritage Month to 
recognize the many accomplishments and contributions made by Native 
American peoples.
  I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth), who serves as 
Republican co-chair and co-founder of the Congressional Native American 
Caucus, for introducing this important resolution, and I am proud to be 
a cosponsor with him.
  Mr. Speaker, honoring the accomplishments and contributions of Native 
Americans is long overdue. In July, as many of us stood in the Rotunda 
and saw the President present the Congressional Gold Medal to those who 
did so much and who suffered so much.
  I am convinced, Mr. Speaker, that my brother, Kenneth Kildee, would 
have been killed in the South Pacific were it not for the Navajo code 
talkers. It is time that we express our gratitude to all Native 
Americans for contributions that they have made during times of war and 
conflict.
  Native Americans serve in the United States armed services in greater 
numbers, proportionately, than the population of the Nation as a whole. 
Mr. Speaker, Native Americans play a vital role in this country by 
making many significant contributions in many fields, including 
science, medicine, math, law, agriculture, music, language, literary 
works and art.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States works with the tribal governments on a 
government-to-government basis, recognizing their sovereignty. We must 
increase the quality of health care of Native Americans, improve 
employment opportunities, boost economic development on Indian 
reservations, and develop better educational opportunities for Indian 
students. We must do these things so that the generations to come will 
have a brighter future.
  I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

[[Page 23051]]

  Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the gentleman from West Virginia and the 
gentleman from Michigan for their constructive remarks and thank them 
very much for their diligence in days past and their promise of 
diligence in the days ahead as we deal with the challenges we confront.
  Mr. Speaker, as I heard the gentleman from Michigan think about the 
unique contributions of Native Americans not only in his home State but 
in mine as well, I am struck by the comment of one of my constituents 
in my first term who came here to Washington to visit not only his 
congressman but to see the monuments memorializing the contributions of 
so many. This particular gentleman was a veteran of the Vietnam 
conflict.
  He was mindful of the fact that Ira Hayes appeared in the Marine 
Memorial, but at the end of his time in the immediate vicinity of the 
mall, he said, ``I just have one question, Congressman: Where is the 
Indian?''
  That question challenges us today on a myriad of legislation with 
which we deal, as we recognize sovereign rights, as we deal with, as 
the gentleman from West Virginia pointed out, with a century-old 
dilemma of trust funds that administrations of both parties have tried 
to deal with, and Congress even employing a task force, which I 
mentioned earlier. Today we stand and say let us take an important step 
to recognize our first Americans and their contributions, and that is 
the intent that we join today and that is the spirit on which we 
endeavor to move this sense of Congress resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. 
Simpson).
  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for introducing this 
legislation, recognizing the contributions of Native Americans to our 
society.
  When I grew up, the place I lived, the southern border, was on the 
Fort Hall Indian Reservation, and I worked many years on the Fort Hall 
Indian Reservation, working on farms with Native Americans, and I came 
to respect the Native Americans for the contributions they have made to 
our society.
  When I became Speaker of the House in Idaho, I realized I did not 
know enough about Native American history and what they had contributed 
to our society; and so I started studying them. In Idaho, we have the 
Nez Perce tribe, which I am sure many Members have heard the name Chief 
Joseph who was one of the true leaders of the American Indians, the Nez 
Perce tribe; the Coeur d'Alene tribe; the Shoshone-Bannock tribe down 
where I came from. Sacajawea was Shoshone. They contributed much to our 
society.
  Mr. Speaker, we need to do all we can to make sure that Americans are 
aware of the contributions that Native Americans have made to our 
society. As has been mentioned by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon), 
they have contributed to our defense probably more than any other 
ethnic group that there is. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Benefits 
of the Committee on Veterans Affairs, I know of the contributions that 
they have made and that we have to keep our commitments to our veterans 
and to our Native Americans.
  I compliment the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) for his 
introduction of this resolution, and I encourage all Americans to take 
some time to study what contributions have been made by Native 
Americans and how they have really influenced our society for the good. 
We should strive to make sure that we do not lose that individuality 
that these Native Americans represent.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to first commend the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and the gentleman from Utah and the 
gentleman from Connecticut for their sponsorship of this legislation. I 
wish I had known, I would have been more than happy to have been an 
original cosponsor of this legislation.
  I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 270 which 
expresses the sense of Congress that Americans should take time during 
Native American Heritage Month to recognize the contributions made by 
this country's first Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I have come to this floor numerous times over the past 
13 years to speak in support of Native Americans. In 1993, the 103rd 
Congress passed and the President signed into law House Joint 
Resolution 271 which I sponsored. This resolution designated the month 
of November in the years 1993 and 1994 as National Indian Heritage 
Month. I would have liked to have seen the designation made permanent. 
However, since that time our government has continued each November to 
recognize the traditions and accomplishments of Native Americans.
  In some ways I feel we have gone full circle in recognizing the 
benefits and wisdom of the earliest residents of this land. For 
instance, the Native Americans all understood the value of respecting 
the land, the rivers, the mountains, the seas, the oceans and all 
things that live around us. As European culture took over North 
America, I think we did not realize how much an impact western 
civilization would have on the land and the cultures of the indigenous 
people throughout the Western Hemisphere. Slowly over the past 40 
years, we have been gaining some of that respect again. Through the 
passage of legislation such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water 
Act, our Nation has taken some action to improve the environment 
throughout our country.
  With the passage of scores of bills designating national park and 
wildlife refuges as heritage areas, we are preserving special places 
within our borders. Visits to these designated areas are increasing 
faster than the growing population. This is a further indication of our 
appreciation of that which Native Americans have held sacred.
  Today most people feel they are environmentalists, and the transition 
we have gone through in this country to get to that point has had a 
significant impact on our actions as a government and as individuals.
  Even with this change in thinking, Mr. Speaker, I wish we would have 
done more to help today's Native Americans. After taking land from the 
Indians in the country's formative years and forcing tribes to move to 
land not of their choosing, we still have problems in Indian country. 
Recent statistics reflect the poverty rate at over 26 percent, well 
above the average of our country, and median household income is well 
below the average of the country.
  The Census Bureau released some statistics last month which I find 
interesting, Mr. Speaker. The opportunity for Americans to choose more 
than one ethnicity in the 2000 census resulted in 4.1 million Americans 
saying they are at least part Native Alaskan or American Indian. This 
more than doubled the number who indicated that they were Native 
Americans in the year 1990.

                              {time}  1830

  California and Oklahoma had the greatest numbers of Native Americans 
living within their boundaries, with over 1 million residents between 
the two States and 19 percent of Alaska's population indicated they 
were at least part American Indian or native Alaskan. I am sure part of 
the increase as reported in the 2000 census is caused by the ability of 
Native Americans to select more than one race on the census forms, but 
I believe part of this increase is also attributed to an increased 
sense of pride among Native Americans and their willingness to 
acknowledge their heritage. Our Nation's Native Americans continue to 
support our armed services by enlisting and also serving as officers in 
the military and have done so with valor and distinction.
  How ironic, Mr. Speaker. We have just celebrated our national 
Thanksgiving with emphasis on the tribulations of the early Pilgrims, 
but so little is said that the Pilgrims would have starved to death if 
it had not been for the kindness and hospitality of the Native 
Americans who taught these early Europeans how to grow corn and to eat 
and prepare many other varieties of fruits and vegetables unknown to 
the Pilgrims or the first Europeans. Yes, let us give thanks to Divine 
Providence

[[Page 23052]]

for all the blessing we have received from Him as was the case with the 
early Pilgrims, but we should also give thanks and some sense of 
appreciation how our Native American people taught and literally 
demonstrated their sense of compassion and concern for their fellow 
man. Native Americans did not need to be taught the parable of the Good 
Samaritan, or who is my neighbor.
  History has not dealt kindly with our Nation's treatment of our first 
Americans: the trails of many tears; our contradictory policies of 
first kill all the Indians; then the policy of assimilation as if by 
some means of osmosis Native Americans were then to be integrated and 
be part of mainstream America; then the policy of nonrecognition of 
Native Americans, that is, terminate the existence of any tribal 
nation. Still yet, our government has now established an administrative 
and regulatory process that has made it almost impossible to grant 
Federal recognition of a Native American tribe.
  Mr. Speaker, for the past several years I have tried earnestly to 
work with our colleagues to congressionally mandate the process of 
Federal recognition of Native American tribes. The gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. McIntyre) and I have introduced H.R. 1175 to better 
streamline the process. I want to thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. 
Hansen) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) for their 
support and leadership to conduct a hearing in the short while to come.
  Yes, let us support this legislation in recognition of the 
contributions of our first Americans. I commend the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for 
their leadership and cochairmanship of our Native American Caucus. Our 
Native American community asks only to be treated fairly and 
opportunities to be economically self-sufficient.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from American 
Samoa, who is no stranger to the good people of Arizona and has 
accompanied me there to work on various Native American housing issues. 
I thank him for that even as I yield 3 minutes to another good friend 
who joins me on the Committee on Ways and Means, the gentleman from 
Oklahoma (Mr. Watkins).
  Mr. WATKINS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and also the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. 
Kildee) for his work in behalf of Native Americans.
  As was indicated, the State of California and the State of Oklahoma 
have the greatest number of Native Americans. In fact, Oklahoma has the 
highest percentage of Native Americans since we are a lot smaller State 
to say the least; but we have the highest percentage of Native 
Americans, which we are very proud of because Oklahoma stands for ``red 
man.'' With this population, I know from my personal experience in my 
area which used to be very dominant, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. 
Kildee) knows where it is, down by Durant and Bryan County. I grew up 
in Bennington, Oklahoma. I was the only non-Native American on the 
baseball team, I was the only non-Indian on the basketball team because 
all of us were brothers and sisters together in that community. It was 
predominantly Native American Choctaws.
  I am also proud to be the grandfather of two Creek grandchildren and 
one Cherokee grandchild in my family, and so we have had very much a 
family discussion about some of the concerns and problems over the 
years. The Native Americans in many ways have been forgotten. Many of 
my friends and Native Americans, I have sat with them and talked long 
hours. All they want is an opportunity. In their socioeconomic 
conditions, we know they have a tremendous problem in alcoholism and 
drugs. We need to make sure we work in these areas to try to help them 
overcome their problems. They are increasing the opportunities in 
health. We all know they have made great contributions in the military. 
I think the gentleman from Arizona mentioned this and others. They are 
usually some of the first ones there to volunteer because they feel 
very strongly about their native land as Native Americans.
  Let me say, I have wanted to try to help build the kind of jobs, 
opportunities so they can have real jobs. I have had pending before 
this Congress and we are asking it be extended, section 168(j) of the 
Tax Code which accelerated depreciation. That piece of legislation 
works, 168(j) and 45(a), which gives tax credits for hiring Native 
Americans. Many companies are locating so Native Americans can be 
employed. If we want something to help stimulate the economy, if we 
want something to help stimulate the economic conditions for a group of 
people that has the worst economic conditions, I ask this Congress to 
move forward and to extend at least a year those two provisions of the 
Tax Code.
  I want to thank again my two colleagues whom I greatly admire for 
their tremendous work and role in bringing this to recognize November 
as Native American Heritage Month. We need to all be doing a great deal 
more to try to build opportunities for the Native American people.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Inslee), a member of our Committee on Resources.
  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, I wish my colleagues could have been with me 
in Spokane, Washington, yesterday at the National Congress of American 
Indians. You would have felt the same honor that I felt when folks 
walked up and did an introduction of their service to America in 
virtually every war in the last century, from every tribe in the United 
States. It took a long time because there were a lot of veterans who 
gave of themselves individually truly as American patriots in numbers 
perhaps greater than the rest of our population. It really was a moving 
experience. I appreciate my colleagues bringing this resolution to the 
floor to note our respect for this part of the American fabric.
  But I must tell you, having listened to some of the concerns of those 
Americans yesterday in Spokane, I am disappointed in the sense of the 
numerous times where this House in the last 10 months has failed to 
honor our commitment to these Americans. Let me just mention four ways.
  Number one, just the other day, the administration issued an edict 
that it was going to recreate an organizational structure to deal with 
this trust fund problem without any consultation at all with the people 
who will be affected by this major change in organization, the people 
that have these millions of dollars in trust. They never even picked up 
the phone to talk to tribal leaders about this issue. What type of 
government-to-government relationship is that? This resolution does not 
speak to that issue.
  Secondly, we have tribal members who have land resources that are 
tremendously affected by our energy policies. I was up in Alaska in the 
Arctic Village meeting with the Gwich'in people leadership about the 
Arctic drilling controversy. They pleaded with the U.S. House not to 
drill in the Arctic because they think it could endanger the caribou 
runs which their entire tribe depends on for sustenance. So what did 
the House do? We ignored their rights, we decided to drill anyway, 
abusing their long, long history of their relationship with the caribou 
herds. A second transgression.
  Third, contract support payments. Uncle Sam has a statutory 
commitment to contribute to the tribes contract support costs to 
administer health care plans. But have we fulfilled that commitment in 
the last 10 months? No, we have not. Another unfilled promise after 2 
or 3 centuries of abuse of these peoples.
  Fourth, and this is one that we are going to continue to have debate 
on in the Committee on Resources, I am afraid. There are efforts in 
this House that folks now want to intrude on sovereignty on issues 
regarding taxation. We have already seen efforts now to create an 
impediment of the working relationship of tribes with States in dealing 
with taxation issues, rather than allowing tribes to work on a good-
faith basis with States.

[[Page 23053]]

  So I must come to the well to applaud the makers and my colleagues 
for expressing the sentiments and the good feelings and good tidings we 
have for this part of community, but let us do more than give these 
people good tidings. Let us give them respect and legislation and solve 
these problems.
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 270, a 
resolution expressing the sense of Congress that Americans should take 
time during Native American Heritage Month to recognize the many 
accomplishments and contributions made by native peoples.
  As our Nation enters into the 21st century, it is important that we 
recognize the elements that have shaped our history and our culture. 
The contributions made by Native Americans represent a significant 
aspect of American heritage, not only in a cultural sense, but also in 
the sacrifices, dedication, and patriotism displayed by Native 
Americans throughout our history.
  In my home state of Wisconsin, there are 11 federally recognized 
tribes representing close to 50,000 American citizens. In addition, a 
large number of Wisconsin cities, counties, lakes, and rivers hold 
names representative of the strong Native American heritage in the 
area. This rich history in Wisconsin is also illustrated through Native 
American educational programs in public schools and many cultural 
celebration events. Indeed, the common values of many Wisconsin 
communities reflect Native American heritage including a deep respect 
for land, air, and water resources, agriculture, and history.
  This legislation encourages Americans to celebrate Native American 
Heritage Month and honor Native American contributions to our national 
history and culture. As a member of the Native American Caucus, I 
appreciate the emphasis this resolution puts on Native American 
Heritage Month, and I am hopeful such efforts continue.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Isakson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
270.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________