[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16053-16054]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             NATIONAL TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WEEK

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 605, submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 605) designating the week beginning 
     November 26, 2012 as National Tribal Colleges and 
     Universities Week.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. LEVIN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any related 
statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 605) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 605

       Whereas there are 37 tribal colleges and universities 
     operating on more than 75 campuses in 15 States;
       Whereas tribal colleges and universities are tribally or 
     federally chartered institutions of higher education and 
     therefore have a unique relationship with the Federal 
     Government;
       Whereas tribal colleges and universities serve students 
     from more than 250 federally recognized Indian tribes;
       Whereas tribal colleges and universities offer students 
     access to knowledge and skills grounded in cultural 
     traditions and values, including indigenous languages, which 
     enhance Indian communities and enrich the United States as a 
     whole;
       Whereas tribal colleges and universities provide access to 
     high quality higher education opportunities for American 
     Indians/

[[Page 16054]]

     Alaska Natives, and other individuals living in some of the 
     most rural and economically depressed areas in the United 
     States;
       Whereas tribal colleges and universities are accredited 
     institutions of higher education that effectively prepare 
     students to succeed in a global and highly competitive 
     workforce;
       Whereas tribal colleges and universities have open 
     enrollment policies that have resulted in 17 percent of 
     students at tribal colleges and universities being non-
     Indians;
       Whereas tribal colleges and universities are simply and 
     effectively providing access to quality higher education 
     opportunities to residents of reservation communities and the 
     North Slope;
       Whereas the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, 
     the national organization established in 1973 by tribal 
     colleges and universities, will be celebrating its 40th 
     anniversary as the collective spirit and unifying voice of 
     tribal colleges and universities of the United States; and
       Whereas the mission and achievements of tribal colleges and 
     universities deserve national recognition: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week beginning November 26, 2012, as 
     ``National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week''; and
       (2) calls on the people of the United States and interested 
     groups to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies, 
     activities, and programs to demonstrate support for tribal 
     colleges and universities.

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