[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 127, 113th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 9054--OCT. 31, 2013

Proclamation 9054 of October 31, 2013

National Native American Heritage Month, 2013
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
From Alaskan mountain peaks to the Argentinian pampas to the rocky
shores of Newfoundland, Native Americans were the first to carve out
cities, domesticate crops, and establish great civilizations. When the
Framers gathered to write the United States Constitution, they drew
inspiration from the Iroquois Confederacy, and in the centuries since,
American Indians and Alaska Natives from hundreds of tribes have shaped
our national life. During Native American Heritage Month, we honor their
vibrant cultures and strengthen the government-to-government
relationship between the United States and each tribal nation.
As we observe this month, we must not ignore the painful history Native
Americans have endured--a history of violence, marginalization, broken
promises, and upended justice. There was a time when native languages
and religions were banned as part of a forced assimilation policy that
attacked the political, social, and cultural identities of Native
Americans in the United States. Through generations of struggle,
American Indians and Alaska Natives held fast to their traditions, and
eventually the United States Government repudiated its destructive
policies and began to turn the page on a troubled past.
My Administration remains committed to self-determination, the right of
tribal governments to build and strengthen their own communities. Each
year I host the White House Tribal Nations Conference, and our work
together has translated into action. We have resolved longstanding legal
disputes, prioritized placing land into trust on behalf of tribes,
stepped up support for Tribal Colleges and Universities, made tribal
health care more accessible, and streamlined leasing regulations to put
more power in tribal hands. Earlier this year, an amendment to the
Stafford Act gave tribes the option to directly request Federal
emergency assistance when natural disasters strike their homelands. In
March, I signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which
recognizes tribal courts' power to convict and sentence certain
perpetrators of domestic violence, regardless of whether they are Indian
or non-Indian. And this June, I moved to strengthen our nation-to-nation
relationships by establishing the White House Tribal Council on Native
American Affairs. The Council is responsible for promoting and
sustaining prosperous and resilient Native American communities.
As we observe Native American Heritage Month, we must build on this
work. Let us shape a future worthy of a bright new generation, and
together, let us ensure this country's promise is fully realized for
every Native American.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con-




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stitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as
National Native American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to
commemorate this month with appropriate programs and activities, and to
celebrate November 29, 2013, as Native American Heritage Day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
eighth.
BARACK OBAMA