[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11176-11181]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 11176]]

          EXPRESSING SENSE OF HOUSE HONORING NATIVE AMERICANS

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 168) expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives that the Nation's schools should honor Native Americans 
for their contributions to American history, culture, and education.
  The Clerk read as follows:




                              H. Res. 168

       Whereas Native Americans have given much to this country;
       Whereas an emphasis on freedom, justice, patriotism, and 
     representative government have always been elements of Native 
     American culture;
       Whereas Native Americans have shown their willingness to 
     fight and die for this Nation in foreign lands;
       Whereas Native Americans honor the American flag at every 
     powwow and at many gatherings and remember all veterans 
     through song, music, and dance;
       Whereas Native Americans honor, through song, the men and 
     women of this country who have fought for freedom;
       Whereas Native Americans love the land that has nurtured 
     their parents, grandparents, and unnamed elders since the 
     beginning of their recorded history; and
       Whereas Native Americans honor the Earth that has brought 
     life to the people since time immemorial: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that the Nation's schools should honor Native 
     Americans for their contributions to American history, 
     culture, and education.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Delaware (Mr. Castle) and the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle).


                             General Leave

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on House Resolution 168.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Delaware?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 168, a resolution 
expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Nation's 
schools should honor Native Americans for their contributions to 
American history, culture and education, offered by my colleague, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Baca).
  As we all will recall, our Founding Fathers benefitted greatly from 
the assistance given to them by Indian tribes early in the 
establishment of our Nation. Many of the basic principles of democracy 
in our Constitution can be traced to practices and customs already in 
use by American Indian tribal governments, including the doctrines of 
free speech and the separation of powers.
  In addition, the early explorers relied heavily on Native Americans 
to help them navigate the New World. Among the most famous of these 
guides is Sacajewea, who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their 
expedition to explore and map the West, and who now graces the obverse 
side of the $1 coin.
  Native Americans also served with distinction in United States 
military actions for more than 200 years, beginning with the American 
Revolution. Specifically, Native Americans fought in the Civil War, the 
Spanish-American War, and World War I. And during World War II, more 
than 44,000 Native Americans out of a total population of less than 
350,000 served in both the European and Pacific theaters of war. In 
addition, another 40,000 Native Americans left their reservations to 
work in ordnance depots, factories, and other war industries.
  The Native Americans' strong sense of patriotism and courage emerged 
once again during the Vietnam era, when more than 42,000 Native 
Americans, more than 90 percent of them volunteers, fought in Vietnam. 
Native American service continues even today with many seeing action in 
Grenada, Panama, Somalia, and the Persian Gulf, often at rates that 
exceed the participation of any other single group of Americans. In 
fact, one out of every four Native American males is a military 
veteran, and many gave their lives even before they were granted 
citizenship in 1924.
  The list of contributions made to our Nation by Native Americans is 
truly impressive. They are recognized for their contributions as 
artists, sculptors, scientists and scholars, and their efforts have 
contributed to our understanding and appreciation of agriculture, 
medicine, music and art. In addition, many of the words in our language 
have been borrowed from Native languages, including the names of the 
rivers, cities and States across our Nation.
  In my home State of Delaware, the Nanticoke tribe of the eastern 
United States holds its annual powwow in Millsboro the first weekend 
after Labor Day, and thousands of people, Indians and others, attend to 
learn more about the Nanticoke and the Linni-Lenape, among others, who 
settled the Delaware River Valley from Cape Henlopen, Delaware north to 
the west side of the lower Hudson Valley in southern New York.
  As we celebrate the culture and contributions of our Native 
Americans, we must also recall with great sadness the suffering they 
endured as a result of past policies and actions. The heritage of the 
Native Americans is intertwined and forever linked with our own 
heritage, and it is appropriate to honor it today.
  Let us now work together with our schools and communities to help 
protect and support the perpetuation of Native American culture and 
community and vote ``yes'' on H. Res. 168.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1100

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I join the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) in 
supporting H. Res. 168, and I commend the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Baca) for authoring this resolution.
  As a teacher of American history, it is important that our schools 
embrace our collective history, including our Nation's history before 
the Mayflower landed. The heritage and customs of my home State of 
Minnesota have been greatly influenced by Native Americans. The name 
Minnesota itself comes from Dakota meaning the waters that reflect the 
sky.
  Native American have strengthened our collective Nation in many ways. 
During World War II, about 400 Navaho tribe members served as code 
talkers for the U.S. Marine Corps. They transmitted messages by 
telephone and radio in their native language, a code that the Japanese 
never broke. Navaho is an unwritten language of extreme complexity, and 
one estimate is that fewer than 300 non-Navahos could understand the 
language at the outbreak of World War II. Navahos demonstrated that 
they could encode, transmit, and decode three lines of message in 
English in just 20 seconds. Machines at that time required 30 minutes 
to do the same job.
  Mr. Speaker, throughout our Nation's history, Native Americans have 
demonstrated that very kind of selflessness and heroism that is sadly 
reflected too little in our history books.
  This resolution does great justice by recognizing the contributions 
of these great people to our Nation's collective history, culture, and 
educational system. I agree with the gentleman from Delaware, as we 
approach our Nation's 200th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase, we 
should gratefully remember and learn the undaunted courage of a Native 
American woman, Sacajawea, who enabled Lewis and Clark to explore the 
land we call home.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this very important 
resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Baca).
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. 
McCollum) for yielding me this time. I appreciate her strong support 
for Native American issues, and the personal interest she has taken in 
this legislation. She is well-informed on the issues, and Congress will 
benefit from her scholar and commitment.
  Mr. Speaker, I sponsored H. Res. 168 to ask schools to honor Native 
Americans for their contributions to American history, culture, and 
education. This resolution is a first step in seeking a Native American 
holiday similar to the legislation I carried in California legislation.
  Native Americans have given so much to this country. Freedom, 
justice, patriotism and representatives of

[[Page 11177]]

government have always been part of their culture. Long before the 
voyage of Christopher Columbus and the development of the first English 
settlement at Jamestown, Native American groups and tribes had 
developed their own language, literature, history, government, dance, 
music, art, agriculture, and architecture. That is why I am proud to be 
a member of the Congressional Native American Caucus.
  Native Americans have shown their willingness to fight and die for 
this Nation in foreign lands. They honor the American flag at every 
powwow and at many gatherings and remember all veterans through song, 
music and dance.
  Native Americans love the land that has nurtured their parents, their 
grandparents, and their elders since the beginning of their recorded 
history. Native Americans honor the Earth that has brought life to 
their people.
  We need to educate and sensitize our Nation to all that Native 
Americans have done for this Nation. We need to take up the cause of 
Native American sovereignty.
  Mr. Speaker, I experienced poverty firsthand as a child, so I 
recognize the hardship that Native Americans have faced for shelter, 
for health, for care, and schooling. Native American reservations have 
a 31 percent rate of poverty, as well as unemployment rates 6 times the 
national average.
  Since we have provided Native Americans with a means of self-
sufficiency, they have been able to provide food, basic health care, 
and modern conveniences that most of us take for granted. They have 
moved people off welfare and reduced unemployment.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution is about justice. It is about schools 
respecting Native Americans; and it is very important when we say 
respecting in schools. When a child goes to school, he or she wants to 
make sure that they are honored and respected with dignity. Many times 
it was very difficult for a Native American to identify that he or she 
was Native American based on the materials that existed.
  This resolution honors Native Americans for their contribution. It 
honors the different tribes that exist throughout our country that we 
recognize as well. There are a combination of tribes, and the history 
in our books do not reveal the many, many tribes and their 
contributions to the land that we love so much. We enjoy the dances, we 
enjoy the music, we enjoy the culture. We enjoy the heritage. This 
resolution is about Americans respecting Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time that we honor and recognize those who have 
given so much to enrich our country; and Native Americans have for 
generations and generations. I salute Native American tribes that have 
worked to make this resolution a reality, and to them I say this is 
just the beginning. We will continue the struggle. Fight the fight. We 
will not stop. We will not rest until there is a Native American 
holiday, and this is the beginning of recognizing our neighbors, people 
who have been here and respecting one another. We owe that to them. We 
owe it to our country.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Members on both sides of the aisle for 
coming forward with this resolution and honoring Native Americans. It 
is important that we recognize the people that were here, the land that 
we enjoy so much, and the land that we take for granted. It is this 
land in America where they have taken that land and made it very 
valuable in each area, whether it is a reservation, whether it is 
contributions back to our communities.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp).
  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 168 expressing 
the sense of the House that the Nation should honor Native Americans 
for their contributions to American history, culture, and education.
  We are privileged to share this country with Native Americans. Their 
contributions to democracy, the arts, agriculture, the environment, and 
many other endeavors are many. American Indians have been active, 
contributing members of society from the beginning of our country to 
the present, including service in our armed forces.
  I am fortunate enough to have the Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe 
located in my district. While historically living, trading, and hunting 
in the southern and midwestern areas of what is today the State of 
Michigan, the tribe now calls the Mount Pleasant area home.
  Today's proud Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe works with the greater 
Central Michigan area to promote education and programs for not only 
Native Americans of the area, but for all community members. The tribe 
works to further the progress of other Indian nations as well by 
working through State and Federal legislation. Being located in the 
middle of Michigan where they have lived for over 100 years and close 
to their historic land base, the members of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian 
Tribe remain focused on the present and future, while still remembering 
the past.
  The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe has contributed to mid-Michigan, the 
State, and the entire country. Their efforts to preserve Native 
American heritage, share their history and help the community make me 
proud to represent them.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. George Miller).
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman 
from Minnesota for managing this legislation on the floor; and I thank 
the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) for bringing this measure to 
the floor. And I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) for 
authoring this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, clearly we have got to make every effort to ensure that 
we teach young children the great extent to which Native Americans have 
influenced this country through their heritage and customs and 
contributions and the positive impact on our development. We must get 
them to fully understand that Native Americans have always emphasized 
the key principles of democracy in their own culture, freedom, justice, 
patriotism, and representative government.
  We must get them to understand the great contributions that 
individual Native Americans have made to this country throughout our 
entire history. At the same time, we must get people to understand that 
all is not well in Native America, if you will. On many of our 
reservations, we have very serious, serious problems, and they are 
problems which must be addressed by this government in its trust 
responsibility to those Native American tribes and nations.
  We must understand that 40 percent of the housing on Indian 
reservations is considered substandard as compared to 5 or 6 percent of 
the housing nationwide. That is an obligation of this government. 
Indian reservations have a 31 percent poverty rate, unemployment is 46 
percent on many reservations.
  Most frightening of all is the fact that U.S. Native Americans suffer 
a death rate of 533 percent higher for tuberculosis, 249 percent for 
diabetes, 627 percent higher for alcoholism, and 71 percent higher for 
influenza and pneumonia.
  Clearly the residents of these reservations, the Native Americans of 
this country, deserve much better care than this. This struggle will be 
played out in the appropriations process in this Congress. It will be 
played out in the budget process between the administration and the 
Congress. But clearly we must meet our obligation to these individuals. 
It is very difficult on one hand to say we must pay them great honor 
for all of their contributions, and then define on the other hand the 
incredible ignoring of the problems, the turning away from the problems 
that beset these very same tribes and peoples.
  If we look in the jurisdiction of this committee, the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce, BIA-funded schools are approximately 
$3,800 per student. That is about half of the national average in other 
public school systems. The only source of funding for those schools in 
most instances because of poverty on the reservation is

[[Page 11178]]

the BIA. Why should Indian children have half of the resources 
dedicated to their education as other children in this Nation?
  We have got to understand also the fact that they go to schools of 
much lesser quality than we would provide for our own children.
  Mr. Speaker, finally the most difficult task in this resolution, the 
education of young children about the contribution of Native Americans 
to American society, these are sovereign Nations. Long before we came 
here, these were the Indian nations of this continent. They were 
conquered in the process of settling America. Treaties were entered 
into that recognized the sovereign nature of these nations. So the 
Indian tribes in the country today are recognition of great nations, 
and they do in fact have their own sovereignty. That was the 
arrangement. Those are the treaty guarantees.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a difficult arrangement as America continues to 
expand and grow; but it is an arrangement that we must honor under the 
law, under the Constitution and under the treaties of this land. We 
must get young people to understand that that is the relationship. In 
fact, in times past when tribal leaders came to the Nation's Capital, 
they were greeted at the State Department as representatives of 
independent Nations.
  Mr. Speaker, that may be the most difficult lesson, not only for the 
school children of this Nation, but for Members of Congress to 
understand the sanctity of that relationship and the importance of 
independence to these Indian tribes.

                              {time}  1115

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Carson).
  Mr. CARSON of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to speak in 
support of House Resolution 168, introduced by the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Baca). I would also like to commend the leadership of 
the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the gentleman from 
California (Mr. George Miller), and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. 
Castle) as well for their great interest in this legislation.
  Recognition by the Nation's schools of the unique role that Native 
Americans have played in American history, culture and education is 
long overdue. In 1994, President Clinton invited all of the tribal 
leaders in America to the White House, and it was the first such 
gathering since the Presidency of James Monroe in the 1820s. Similarly, 
President Clinton was the first President, in 1999, to visit Indian 
country since Franklin Delano Roosevelt did more than 50 years earlier.
  Native Americans have played integral roles in the history and 
culture of the United States, ranging from Maria Tall Chief from my own 
congressional district who was the muse of George Balanchine to 
contemporary novelists like Louise Erdrich, N. Scott Momaday, and James 
Welch.
  The gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) eloquently spoke of the 
contribution to our national security of the Navajo code talkers whose 
contributions to our Nation have only recently been recognized. The 
code talkers, as she pointed out, used a special code based on the 
Navajo language to transmit messages rendering all attempts by the 
Japanese to decipher American battle messages about the time and place 
of attack futile. Of course they were just working on the history of 
American Indians in combat.
  The Choctaw Indians from Mississippi and Oklahoma had also used their 
own language as a code during World War I. About 400 Navajos served 
from 1942 through 1945 as code talkers, taking part in every assault 
that the U.S. Marines undertook in the Pacific theater. One major was 
quoted as saying, ``Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would 
never have taken Iwo Jima.''
  The incredible service of American Indians has certainly not been 
limited to the Navajo Tribe. In the 20th century, five American Indians 
have been among those few soldiers to be distinguished with the Medal 
of Honor, given for military service above and beyond the call of duty. 
Two of those were from Oklahoma, a Cherokee from Oklahoma and a Creek 
as well. Also a Choctaw from Mississippi, a Winnebago from Wisconsin, 
and a Cherokee from the Eastern Band in North Carolina were awarded our 
highest military decoration. As we approach Independence Day, it is 
fitting that we now pass House Resolution 168, considering the critical 
role that Native Americans have played and will play in protecting our 
country and the principles Americans have adhered to since our own 
independence.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).
  Mr. KILDEE. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, as cochair of the Native American Caucus, I am very 
happy to support this resolution. The American Indian, Native 
Americans, occupy a unique position in this country and in the 
Constitution of the United States. You and I have two citizenships: I 
am a citizen of the United States and a citizen of the State of 
Michigan. Native Americans under the Constitution and under the Supreme 
Court decisions have thee citizenships. They are citizens of the United 
States and they have proven that over and over again in our wars; they 
are citizens of the sovereign States in which they live; and they are 
citizens of the sovereign tribes in which they live.
  The Constitution says Congress shall have power to regulate commerce 
with foreign nations and among the several States and with the Indian 
tribes. Those three sovereignties are listed there. John Marshall in 
1832 stated in his Supreme Court decision, the Indian nations had 
always been considered as distinct independent political communities 
retaining their original natural rights. They are a retained 
sovereignty.
  We have an obligation under the Constitution, under the laws, and 
under the interpretation of the Supreme Court to make sure we keep our 
responsibilities to Native Americans.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall).
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, let me recognize the leadership 
of the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) on this and also the 
gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) for their effort.
  I rise today to express my support for H. Res. 168 which sends an 
unequivocal message that our Nation's schools should honor the Native 
American men, women, and children of this country for their lasting 
contributions to American history, culture, and education. It is only 
fitting that we honor them for their unique contribution which is 
evident in every aspect of American history and culture.
  For centuries, Native Americans have experienced untold hardships and 
trials at the hands of many. Yet their contributions to the United 
States and their support for our Nation are without doubt. Native 
Americans have and continue to share with all Americans a profound love 
and respect for this great country.
  In New Mexico, Native Americans account for 9 percent of the State's 
population and in my congressional district, 20 percent. I am proud to 
represent such a large indigenous Native American population.
  With the passage of this resolution, I believe this body is taking an 
important step toward a time when Native American history and culture 
will be embraced and taught in the schools nationwide. I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood).
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota for yielding me 
this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to stand in very strong support of the resolution 
introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) in order for all 
Americans and schools to learn about the role that Native Americans 
have played in American history and culture. I too want to associate my 
remarks to make sure that proper attention is drawn as we celebrate and 
honor

[[Page 11179]]

their activities, that we also educate America about the conditions 
that Native Americans face today.
  I also want to take this opportunity to educate my colleagues about 
other indigenous populations under U.S. jurisdiction. One of the 
features of this debate, this discussion, is that the term Native 
American is primarily synonymous with American Indian, but I also want 
to let the House know that the term Native American, meaning indigenous 
American, also includes Alaska natives, native Hawaiians, American 
Samoans, the Chamorro people from Guam and the Northern Marianas and 
the Carolinian people of the Northern Marianas as well.
  Most Americans consider Native Americans to be limited to the term 
American Indian and Alaska native, but even in Federal legislation we 
acknowledge that the term Native American is broader than that. In 
fact, Federal programs like the Native American Programs Act and the 
Native American Veterans Home Loan Equity Act have included other 
Native Americans, notably Pacific islanders from the territories and 
the State of Hawaii.
  I think part of the problem may arise from our varying political 
status, particularly in the case of the territories. It could also stem 
from the fact that we are geographically so far away from the 
continental United States that it is easy to forget about the entire 
panoply of indigenous Americans that exist under the American flag.
  I want to take the time to point out that in 1993, the House and 
Senate passed S. Con. Res. 44 which expressed the sense of Congress 
that the United States should support the establishment of 
international standards on the rights of indigenous peoples. These 
indigenous people referred to in there included all the people that I 
have mentioned. I stand in strong support of this resolution.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson).
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Matheson).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shaw). The gentleman from Utah is 
recognized for 1 minute.
  Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I speak in 
support of H. Res. 168. I would like to take advantage of this time to 
acknowledge the contributions and history of the Native American 
population in my State of Utah. Five major tribes have roots in Utah: 
the Utes for which my State is named, the Dine or Navajo, the Goshute, 
the Paiute, and the Shoshoni. These great tribes represent very 
different cultural heritages.
  While the Utes and Shoshoni adapted well to the introduction of the 
horse and lived in the northern plains areas of Utah, the Goshute, 
Paiute, and Navajo developed a culture in the desert. Though the 
differences between desert culture and plains culture are great, one 
thing has bound Utah Native Americans and that is the adversity that 
they have faced. With the expansion of the West, these tribes have 
maintained their cultural identity while dealing with great hardship. I 
commend the leadership of these organizations as they continue to find 
ways to help their members and to progress despite the difficulties of 
the past.
  Recently, a book entitled ``A History of Utah's American Indians'' 
was published detailing the history of these people. I commend the work 
involved in this project and thank the Utah State Division of Indian 
Affairs for their leadership in making this book possible.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield the balance of my 
time to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized 
for 2 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, we need to shift our educational focus to 
the proud Native Americans who have endured a long history of struggles 
and hardships and at the same time contributed so richly to the United 
States. In our schools, we can begin to educate children in the 
elementary and secondary grades about the history, culture, traditions, 
language and government of America's own indigenous people. Recently 
setting the pace on the State level is Penobscot Representative Donna 
Loring from Maine. She celebrated the signing of her bill last week 
requiring Maine Native American history and culture to be taught in all 
elementary and secondary schools.
  Mr. Speaker, Native Americans have given much to their country. They 
developed well-tuned techniques for sustainable management of 
ecosystems. They basically pioneered, Mr. Speaker, star and 
constellation knowledge through their tribal religions. Their arts and 
crafts, basketry, pottery, and carving are world renowned. They have 
made significant contributions and knowledge with regard to fishing, 
hunting, and agricultural techniques. Their medicinal knowledge is 
outstanding and is more frequently used today to complement traditional 
medical treatment.
  Mr. Speaker, Native Americans are a proud people who are still here 
today despite over 500 years of struggle. It is time that we begin to 
honor and respect Native Americans for their rich history and 
contributions to the United States, which is what this resolution seeks 
to accomplish. The best place to begin this is in the elementary and 
secondary schools of America.
  Mr. Speaker, finally I want to say that while we are recognizing the 
importance of Native American contributions and history and culture, we 
should also give serious consideration to creating a day of honor for 
America's indigenous people. Now is the time to create a legal public 
Native American holiday.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Delaware for 
yielding me this time, and I thank the authors of this resolution for 
bringing it to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to represent the Sixth Congressional 
District in Arizona, an area in square mileage almost the size of the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Nearly one out of every four of my 
constituents is Native American. I appreciate that designation and that 
distinction. Ofttimes I call the American Indians the first Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I think for too long, in too many ways, the first 
Americans have become the forgotten Americans.
  It was my privilege early in my time in Congress to welcome a member 
of the San Carlos Apache tribe to my district. He was a proud veteran 
of Vietnam. He talked about coming to Washington and seeing the 
different monuments, retracing the names of those with whom he served 
in Vietnam who paid the ultimate price, visiting the Mall and seeing 
the grand memorials to so many different figures in American history. 
Yet that afternoon when he came to my office, he was troubled because 
he said to me, ``Congressman, where's the Indian?''
  Of course to score debating points, I suppose I could have pointed 
out that Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian, is forever memorialized in that 
brilliant scene from Iwo Jima that we see, the Marine Memorial, as the 
flag is raised there on Mount Suribachi. But that was not his point. 
His point was the first Americans have played a vital role in our 
Nation. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, as we check, those who now serve in our 
all-volunteer force, no racial group, no ethnic group answers the call 
to duty more than the first Americans.

                              {time}  1130

  This legislation asks us to help remember people who are too often 
forgotten. I hope on many days at school, children of the elementary- 
and secondary-level students will learn of the code talkers from the 
great Navajo Nation who helped us win the war in the Pacific in World 
War II.
  Yes, Hollywood is prepared to memorialize it in a motion picture 
called ``Wind Talkers,'' but there needs to be a supplement beyond 
entertainment in the classroom. Most of us fail to realize that the 
Navajo Tribal Council, nearly 1 year prior to the Japanese attack on 
Pearl Harbor, passed a resolution asking the United States of America 
to

[[Page 11180]]

enter World War II on the side of the allies because from their vantage 
point in Window Rock, Arizona, in a sovereign nation that transcends 
the boundaries of four of our States, remote in the mindset of many 
Americans but from that distance and from a proud history a sound 
perspective.
  Mr. Speaker, think of the valuable lessons that can be learned from 
the first Americans. I mentioned only what has transpired within the 
last century. This is part and parcel of our heritage, and if we are 
what we learn, if what is passed is prologue, then this is a laudable 
goal and something this House of Representatives should heartily 
endorse and pass overwhelmingly because the first Americans should not 
be forgotten.
  Their legacy of honor not only in armed conflict but in so many 
different endeavors of human experience cannot be treated as some sort 
of novel concept, something that need be shuttled off on the shelf, to 
be thought of almost as trivia. It is central to our American 
experience.
  So I am pleased to endorse this legislation and ask all of my 
colleagues, regardless of political philosophy or partisan 
dispensation, to support it as well.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my sincere thanks to the 
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle). I thank him so much for his help 
in this.
  Today we are taking a step forward just on the House floor with 
providing an educational opportunity for all Americans and for people 
all over the world who visit our Nation's Capitol today to learn more 
about our native Americans and our collective Nation, our one Nation, 
the United States.
  I am just going to, in closing, mention a few States besides 
Minnesota, which I mentioned, that reflect greatly our Native American 
heritage. Minnesota means the waters that reflect the sky. Iowa is the 
Dakota word for beautiful land; Wyoming, a Native American word for 
large prairie; Michigan, a Native American word for great water; 
Nebraska, the Omaha word for flat or broad river; Connecticut, a word 
for long river; Ohio, good river; Oregon, beautiful water; Texas, a 
word for friend; Dakota, the word friend; Missouri, the word for water 
flowing along. We are one Nation, a beautiful Nation, and our Native 
American language reflects that in the names that we have chosen for 
our States.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) 
for her courtesy in managing this and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Baca), who has supported and sponsored it. I obviously urge 
everybody in the House to support the legislation.
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 168, a 
resolution conveying the sense of the House of Representatives that 
America's schools should honor the contributions of native Americans to 
our history, culture, and education.
  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 throughout our 
history. I am a cosponsor of this legislation because our Nation's 
schools present the most opportune situation for young people to 
recognize and appreciate the diverse society in which we live, and 
understand the history that has brought us to where we are.
  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. To strengthen understanding of the issues relating to native 
American history in the State, Wisconsin passed language in the 1989-91 
biennial budget requiring schools teach students about the culture, 
history, sovereignty, and treaty rights of Wisconsin Indian Tribes, as 
well as providing training to teachers on these issues.
  This legislation encourages teachers, administrators, and students 
around the Nation to lead community efforts honoring native American 
contributions to our national history and culture. As a member of the 
native American caucus, I appreciate the focus this resolution puts on 
accomplishments made by schools in teaching social history lessons that 
recognize the role of native Americans, and I am hopeful such efforts 
continue.
  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to voice my support for H. Res. 
168. This resolution would show the House of Representative's 
dedication to respecting the first inhabitants of this great nation by 
calling on our citizenry to honor native Americans for all of their 
accomplishments and contributions to society. American Indians have 
influenced every aspect of American life. It is our duty as Americans 
to recognize and honor the impact that native Americans have had in the 
shaping of our nation.
  By exploring these lands thousands of years prior to any Europeans, 
native Americans were able to develop the techniques and strategies 
necessary to survive on this continent. Without the instruction and aid 
from neighboring native American communities, the Mayflower pilgrims 
and original settlers would not have survived the brutal American 
winters and would have been unable to build the foundation that our 
country is built upon. The legacy of the native American reaches much 
further than the original settlers, however. From the fight for 
independence from Britain to the battlefields of Nazi-occupied Europe, 
native Americans have proven that they will heed a call to arms to 
defend the basic American principles of democracy and freedom. The 
influence of native American culture can be seen throughout America 
today. Great American cities, states, and rivers are still referred to 
today by names granted to them by native Americans hundreds of years 
ago. The proud history of the native American can be found in the 
classrooms of America and the museums of the world. It is time that the 
American people honor our native American brethren for the 
contributions they have provided to our great nation.
  As a descendant of the Cherokee nation, I hold deep feelings of love 
and respect for both the American Indians of the past and the present. 
I understand the true beauty of the native American and recognize first 
hand the troubles and turmoil that have plagued these peoples since the 
introduction of European influence. Unfortunately, the lifestyle of the 
American Indian did not fit with that of the white man and many natives 
suffered and died from relocation and disease sparked by the presence 
of the European. My own ancestors were forced to give up their land and 
livelihood and march from North Carolina to Oklahoma on the infamous 
Trail of Tears. Native Americans have dealt with negative stereotypes 
and stigma for too long. H. Res. 168 is the first step in bringing out 
awareness of the true beauty of native American culture. In conclusion, 
I call on all Americans to show respect and honor to all native 
Americans, as their accomplishments, in all areas, have been major 
influences in the construction of the complete American culture.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 101, which 
recognizes the contributions of Native Americans to American history, 
culture, and education. I represent the Third District of Nebraska and 
a number of Native American communities.
  The history of my state has deep roots in Native American history. 
Before Nebraska was settled by Europeans, 40,000 members of the Pawnee, 
Omaha, Oto, Ponca, Santee Sioux, Dakota Sioux, Oglala Sioux, Cheyenne, 
Potawatome, Arapahoe, Sac, Comanche, Brule, and Fox tribes lived in 
what would become the state of Nebraska. Today, there are approximately 
9,000 Native Americans living in Nebraska, including those who live on 
the Santee, Winnebago, and Omaha reservations.
  As this resolution suggests, Native Americans have richly enhanced 
our country culturally and politically. They deserve the recognition 
this resolution offers. Native Americans have greatly influenced the 
creation of our government and were among the first to implement the 
principles upon which democracy is based, such as freedom of speech and 
separation of church and state.
  In addition to recognizing the contributions of Native Americans to 
American history, culture, and education, today offers an opportunity 
to voice our support for Native American communities and their causes. 
We must increase our support for the Impact Aid program, which supports 
public schools whose tax bases are affected by the presence of the 
federal government. In my Congressional District, the Santee Public 
School, located on the Santee Sioux reservation, depends heavily on 
impact aid funding for general operating expenses. Because Native 
American communities often lack a strong local tax base from

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which to raise revenue, support from the federal government is crucial.
  In addition, we need to focus on ways to improve the quality of life 
for Native Americans, particularly for those living on or near 
reservations. We need to provide support for the Indian Health Service 
so that more Native Americans can receive adequate and timely health 
care. Native Americans have high rates of many physical problems 
ranging from diabetes to alcoholism. In addition, a number of social 
factors impact their communities. High school dropout rates are high, 
and truancy in schools is rampant. Native American communities also 
lack economic resources, and poverty is a serious problem. I don't 
pretend to have the answers that address the challenges faced by some 
Native American communities--including many in my Congressional 
district--but raising awareness of the proud history and culture of 
Native Americans and looking to Native American leadership are two 
excellent places to start.
  This resolution will raise awareness of the proud traditions of 
Native American culture, which have contributed much to the success of 
our country. I am pleased to support this resolution, and I encourage 
my colleagues to do the same.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 168 and 
commend its sponsors for their work in bringing it to the floor today. 
This resolution, which recognizes and honors the contributions of 
Native Americans, is long overdue.
  Mr. Speaker, the contributions of Native Americans have been crucial 
to the history of our nation and of the world and should be recognized. 
Acknowledging that many values of this nation were already widely held 
beliefs and practices among Native Americans and that they are not new 
ideas is an important statement and affirms the fact that Native 
Americans already had civilized and structured societies before the 
introduction of western culture.
  Traditional Native American legal systems have influenced today's 
Democratic ideals. Items such as checks and balances and a voting 
system are overtones of Native American traditional practices of 
government.
  It is only right that we honor and recognize Native American nations 
because they honor and recognize the United States. Many Native 
American Nations have long incorporated symbolic American items, such 
as the American flag, into their traditional ceremonies, but the 
respect and dedication that Native Americans have for this country goes 
way beyond the symbols they show consideration for.
  Their respect and dedication to this land is prevalent in Native 
American stories and cultural practices. Native Americans attitude 
toward the earth and this country's land in particular is highly 
respectful. Their respect for the earth can be seen today in Native 
Americans participation in environmental protection and conservation 
practices. Conservation and land protection practice is important to 
many Natives, especially because many still survive from the resources 
that this land provides. In addition, the land is also the location of 
their origin and the center of many creation stories.
  Hopefully this resolution will be a step in the right direction and 
the history taught in schools will be accurate and complete. In order 
to honor Native Americans accuracy is key in order to provide a 
dimension of history that will enrich the education that people of this 
nation receive. This resolution is a stepping-stone for other 
underrepresented voices to be heard and a chance for other 
unacknowledged history to become known.
  I urge my colleagues to support adoption of this important 
resolution.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shaw). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 168.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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