[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18911]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING ARIZONA NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHT TO VOTE DAY SATURDAY, JULY 
                                14, 2007

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                         HON. HARRY E. MITCHELL

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 11, 2007

  Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor our Native 
American communities, 22 federally recognized Arizona tribal nations, 
representing more than 300,000 community members.
  On June 2, 1924, the United States Congress passed the Indian 
Citizenship Act which guaranteed certain citizenship rights to Native 
Americans, however in Arizona that did not guarantee their right to 
vote.
  Yet as early as 1863, before citizenship was granted, Pima and 
Maricopa warriors were serving in the United States Army protecting 
settlers in the Arizona territory.
  Additionally, while Arizona Native Americans were not considered 
citizens of the United States before World War I, more than 8,000 
Native Americans from Arizona served our country in the United States 
military during World War I.
  In 1928, Peter Porter, a Pima from the Gila River Indian Community, 
courageously filed the initial lawsuit to challenge the denial of 
Native Americans' right to vote yet his efforts were denied by the 
Arizona Supreme Court. The Court argued that Native Americans were 
under federal guardianship.
  In 1940 this distinguished body passed the Nationality Act of 1940, 
reaffirming citizenship of Native Americans, inspiring more than 25,000 
Native Americans to serve in our country in the United States military. 
Yet, they were still being denied the right to vote in Arizona.
  In 1947, two brave Yavapai men, Frank Harrison and Harry Austin, 
filed suit to overturn the 1928 Arizona Supreme Court decision which 
denied Native Americans the right to vote. The acts of these courage 
men, members of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Indian Community, a community 
I am honored to serve and represent in the United States Congress, won 
the landmark case. On July 15, 1948, the 1928 court ruling was 
overturned and Arizona's Native Americans confirmed their right to 
vote.
  Sunday, July 15, 2007, is Arizona Native America Right to Vote Day. 
It is with a great deal of pride that I rise today to honor our Arizona 
Native American community on this very special day. It is also with 
great resolve that I reaffirm my commitment to our Native people, honor 
their sovereignty and urge the United States Congress to honor all 
commitments conferred with our Native American Tribal Nations.

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