[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 185 (Tuesday, November 19, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H9049-H9052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2019, the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Haaland) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Native American 
Heritage Month. And as part of this acknowledgment, I wish to state 
that we are on Indian land. The Nacotchtanks, known for trading right 
here throughout the Chesapeake area, were the original inhabitants of 
the land we are standing on right now.
  I am a proud member of the Pueblo of Laguna in the great State of New 
Mexico. My mother raised me to be a Pueblo woman, and as such, I have 
an obligation to my people and the quest of all Native American 
communities to safeguard our cultures and traditions and do all I can 
to ensure that our people have a government that lives up to its trust 
obligations.
  Trust obligations were promises made to all of our Tribes in exchange 
for the tens of millions of acres of land that became the United States 
of America. As a child, I was taught to value our open space, our land, 
our water, and animals.
  In spite of the tremendous hardships my grandparents faced through 
their experiences in living through the Indian boarding school era, the 
assimilation era, and being at the forefront of moving our people into 
the modern era, I am here to advocate for the issues and policies that 
will offer a clean planet and opportunities now and for future 
generations.
  I am the product of generations of people who planted and harvested 
since time immemorial. My ancestors cared for the land, respected our 
air and our water, and passed down those responsibilities to their 
future generations.
  It is because of my people and the first people on this continent 
that we stand here today on this floor. In fact, our Constitution was 
largely influenced by the Iroquois Confederacy. Tribes here on the East 
Coast had official relationships with the crowned heads of Europe.
  When we talk about Native American history, we must recognize that 
Native American history is American history, and throughout this 
history, our ancestors held fast to a belief that our people would 
endure.
  We are reminded of our resilience by people like: Joy Harjo, from the 
Muscogee Creek Nation, the first Native American poet laureate in our 
country's history, named just this year.
  Our colleague, Sharice Davids, my sister, as one of the first Native 
American women elected to Congress in our country's history.
  Ruth Anna Buffalo, is a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara 
Nation from North Dakota, a State legislator who is fighting to end the 
crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and to make her State 
more equitable for its indigenous citizens.
  Tommy Orange, a Cheyenne and Arapaho award-winning writer from 
Oakland.
  Tatanka Means, a Navajo actor and activist, and so many more.
  This month is set aside to celebrate the contributions that Native 
Americans have made to our country and to recognize that there is so 
much more that the Federal Government must do to ensure that Native 
nations have every opportunity afforded to every American, which 
includes healthcare, education, public safety, housing, and economic 
development.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer).
  Mr. KILMER. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Haaland, not just 
for giving me some time to speak, but for being such a terrific leader 
and being such an important voice, both for her district, and for 
people all over this country.
  She, along with Sharice Davids, are two superstars of the freshman 
class who have been just terrific in adding their voices to this body.
  I also want to recognize Gwen Moore who has just been a tremendous 
champion on behalf of Native Americans and has been a real leader on 
issues like the Violence Against Women Act and has made a tremendous 
amount of progress for Native Americans throughout this country.
  As was mentioned, November marks Native American Heritage Month, a 
time to honor the first Americans. I am proud to represent 11 Tribes 
that have called my region home since time immemorial.
  Each of these sovereign nations has their own unique culture and 
tradition and stories that add important threads to the fabric of our 
Nation.
  I think about some of the most extraordinary moments that I have had 
as a Representative:
  Visiting with the Quinault Indian Nation along with the U.S. 
Commission on Civil Rights, and having conversations about some of the 
civil rights challenges, not just facing the Quinault Nation, but 
Native peoples throughout this country.
  Visiting the Makah Tribe during Makah Days, and going on a hike with 
the then-chairman of the Tribe, going out to the northwestern tip of 
the continental United States. My daughter was with us and she asked 
the Tribal chair: ``Is this the end of the world?''
  And he said, ``We consider it the beginning of the world.''
  Visiting the Quileute Tribe and participating in their festival out 
in La Push, which is one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
  Visiting with the Hoh Tribe and celebrating a water project that that 
Tribe had led the way on and touring with their Tribe and seeing some 
amazing assets and also seeing some of the real challenges that they 
have.
  Just recently visiting the Chehalis Tribe, seeing some of their 
enterprises and seeing the value of the work that they do, how much it 
contributes to the local economy there, and how much it means to their 
ability to provide services to their Tribal members.
  Visiting the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and visiting their ancestral 
lands and seeing the dam removal project that occurred there that is 
giving new birth to the environment there in that region.
  Visiting with multiple generations of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, 
visiting their leaders and hearing about the important role that 
fishing and shellfish growing has meant for their Tribe for generations 
and generations.
  Visiting the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe just this past year and 
hearing about some extraordinarily innovative work that they are doing 
to try to reduce recidivism in our criminal justice system and give 
people a second chance.
  Sitting down just this past year for lunch with the leaders of the 
Skokomish Tribe in a beautiful Tribal center and hearing about some of 
the challenges that their Tribe faces and some of the opportunities 
that they have.
  Visiting with the Squaxin Island Tribe, visiting their child 
development center and seeing the investments that they are making in 
kids and in future generations.
  Developing a friendship with the Suquamish Tribe with their chairman, 
Leonard Forsman, who has come into this Chamber for the State of the 
Union, who has beaten me in basketball, and hearing him speak 
passionately about treaty obligations.

[[Page H9050]]

  I could talk about others, the Tulalip Tribe that recently hosted an 
important conversation about protecting Puget Sound and honoring Billy 
Frank Jr.
  Madam Speaker, the Snoqualmie Tribe, from your district, visited with 
me just today. That is a Tribe that is very important in our region, 
and in their ancestral homelands is where I almost proposed to my wife 
before I chickened out.
  These communities have shown us the importance of caring for iconic 
natural resources like salmon and shellfish that are found throughout 
the Pacific Northwest and have fought to protect our land and waters, 
not just for themselves, but for future generations.
  They have shown all of us the importance of honoring and respecting 
the role of our elders, and never forgetting the time-honored 
traditions that are passed down.
  They have defended our freedom by putting on the uniform of the 
United States military. They play a key role in driving our local 
economies.
  This month, Native American Heritage Month, reminds us that we have 
an opportunity to build a foundation of cooperation as partners to 
secure a brighter future for Tribes, not just in the Pacific Northwest, 
but all around this country.
  Unfortunately, the Federal Government has failed to uphold the 
promises made to these communities far too often. So, today, as we mark 
Native American Heritage Month, I want to affirm my commitment, and I 
think all of my colleagues want to affirm their commitments, to 
ensuring that the Federal Government honors its treaty and trust 
obligations.
  I am grateful that earlier today the House Natural Resources 
Committee held an oversight hearing on the recent U.S. Commission on 
Civil Rights report called: ``Broken Promises: Continuing Federal 
Funding Shortfall for Native Americans.''
  A couple of years back I called on the Commission on Civil Rights to 
produce this report, to give Congress a roadmap for how to meet its 
treaty and trust obligations for Indian Country. I am proud to see 
Congress taking concrete steps to address the recommendations outlined 
in this report.
  The decisions we make today should be with an eye toward how they 
will affect our children seven generations into the future. So I want 
to invite those at home and my colleagues to join us in celebrating the 
history and culture of our Tribes and all Tribes around this country.
  Let's recommit to working with our Tribal partners to make a brighter 
future for all.
  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin 
(Ms. Moore), my friend and colleague.
  Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New Mexico for 
yielding.
  I am so very pleased to join my colleague, Deb Haaland, as one of the 
first Native American women--it is about time--to join this body in 
celebrating Native American Heritage Month.
  It is fitting here in November, as we think about Thanksgiving, to 
celebrate Native American Heritage Month, considering the welcoming of 
foreigners to this land first inhabited by the Native peoples.
  This month really allows us the opportunity to formally remember the 
great contributions that Native Americans have made, and they continue 
to make to bridge our communities and to improve our Nation.
  All you have to do is walk right down the street to the Smithsonian 
National Museum of the American Indian to just get a glimpse of the 
many ways that Native Americans have contributed to the fabric of our 
Nation, despite the many hardships, the broken promises, and trials 
they have faced.

                              {time}  1645

  Indeed, as you walk through that museum, you will see the dozens and 
dozens and dozens of documentation of the treaties that have been 
executed and violated in this country.
  But the rich culture and heritage of Native Americans have still come 
through all of these hardships. They have been an indelible and 
undeniable impact on the American way of life. I am reminded of that 
every single day in my community.
  In fact, I hail from Wisconsin, where Earth Day was inaugurated by 
the late, great Senator Gaylord Nelson because, indeed, one of the 
things we have learned in Wisconsin from our Native community is to 
have stewardship over our environment, one of the legacies of the 
Native peoples.
  My home State is proudly home to 11 federally recognized Native 
American Tribes, and I am so proud of the many contributions that these 
Tribes have made to the cultural and economic richness of my State. In 
fact, the city of Milwaukee, which I represent, has a name that is 
derived from some of the Native brothers and sisters who inhabited the 
region: the gathering place by the water, the beautiful land, or the 
pleasant land. In fact, the host committee from the Democratic National 
Convention is called the Good Land Committee.
  These Tribes have helped refine and strengthen our State. In my home 
city of Milwaukee, the Forest County Potawatomi Foundation has not 
shied away from helping to address some of the most intractable 
problems facing our communities, including high unemployment, access to 
basic and higher education, ensuring better access to healthcare, and 
reducing health disparities, among other things.
  I am so inspired by the dedication of the Forest County Potawatomi to 
invest in Milwaukee and to give a helping hand to those serving the 
most vulnerable in the broader community, from young children to 
seniors in our community.
  In my life as an elected official, first at the State level and now 
in Congress, I have had so many wonderful friends and allies in the 
Tribal community. As a matter of fact, I grew up in a community where I 
had many friends, and I learned so many things from my Native friends.
  I am extremely honored to now serve in this body with the first 
Native American women--what a difference one session makes--who have 
been elected to this body and to be able to work across the aisle, even 
before they arrived, with concerned colleagues with Native backgrounds, 
such as Mr. Cole and Mr. Young, on legislation to address the needs of 
Native Americans.
  Madam Speaker, I want to take just a few seconds, if the gentlewoman 
from New Mexico will indulge me, to reinforce my commitment to the 
first peoples of this Nation. As they are citizens of this Nation, I 
want to remind the body that Native people are dual citizens. Because 
of their treaty rights--and it is in the Constitution--they are 
sovereign nations, and we ought to double down on our efforts of the 
Federal Government to fully live up to these trust obligations.
  Unfortunately, the history of our country is not the same as our 
aspirations. Our country's policies toward our Tribal communities is 
not a proud one. It actually is quite horrifying, which is why 
remembering, commemorating, and celebrating our Native brothers and 
sisters is so important, in order to remember the great things but also 
to remind us of where we have fallen short so that we learn from our 
past and that our history never repeats itself.
  You have heard some of the things that my sister Deb Haaland has 
talked about here. She talked about the abrogation of families and 
moving Native American people into assimilation programs. Part of that 
legacy has come to pass because we have not protected the sanctity of 
our Tribal obligations, respected sovereignty, and promoted the 
political, economic, and social self-determination for Native American 
communities. This is of paramount importance if we are not to repeat 
the same negative legacy.
  As we celebrate this month, let us rededicate ourselves to the 
numerous bills and initiatives that can help make a difference to our 
Native brothers and sisters. Let this not be just some moment, some 
little 5 minute or Special Order talking about how wonderful Native 
Americans are.
  One of our key legislative priorities this year is a strong 
reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. For too long, non-
Native men could assault Native American women with impunity. The 
Violence Against Women Act that passed the House earlier this year, 
sitting over in the Senate graveyard, would take more steps to end this

[[Page H9051]]

scourge by empowering Native law enforcement and Native courts to 
protect Native American women and children from domestic violence.
  The need for affordable housing in Indian Country cannot be 
overstated. Some of the poorest and most remote communities in this 
country are Native American communities. Native American elders and 
children are living in deteriorated housing with mold and structures 
that cannot protect them against the harsh environment.
  NAHASDA, the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act, provides Tribal governments the ability to provide 
safe and affordable housing to Tribal communities that is consistent 
with their status as sovereigns. We need to stop punting and finally 
undertake a real reauthorization to unlock the potential of these 
programs to improve housing for all Native Americans. I continue to 
work with House and Senate colleagues to find a path forward so we can 
finally have this program reauthorized.
  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida 
(Ms. Mucarsel-Powell).
  Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, each November, we take time to 
reflect upon the lasting contributions of Native Americans in our 
country. The rich traditions and history of indigenous peoples shaped 
our Nation's democracy and cultural fabric long before the writing of 
the Constitution.
  Today, they continue to impact all facets of American life and have 
endured despite centuries of injustices. We must remain mindful of our 
past failures while moving forward to build a peaceful, mutually 
sustainable relationship between our government and Tribal nations.

  At home, in Florida's 26th Congressional District, it is an immense 
privilege to work with the Miccosukee Tribe in Florida. The Miccosukee 
people are dedicated to the protection of their homeland, the Florida 
Everglades, and have been a crucial partner in the fight for clean 
water and the restoration of the natural flow of water from the 
Kissimmee River to the Florida Bay.
  I am proud to have the Miccosukee Tribe in my district, and I am so 
grateful for their vital participation in the protection and the 
prosperity of south Florida. As our country faces new challenges, we 
should strive to include indigenous voices in our national 
conversation.
  This month, let's commit to honoring the legacy of Native nations and 
celebrating the indispensable contributions of the first Americans.
  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. 
Case).
  (Mr. CASE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I deeply appreciate my friend and colleague 
from New Mexico leading this Special Hour and yielding me time to join 
in recognizing November as Native American Heritage Month, a time for 
us to reflect on and celebrate the rich histories and diverse cultures 
of our Nation's indigenous peoples.
  It is said that cultural heritage is the sum total of the unique ways 
of living of a culture handed down from generation to generation, be 
they customs, practices, places, objects, artistic expressions, 
language, and values, all amounting to a distinct identity and 
integrity as a people.
  By that measure, most Americans have some familiarity with the rich 
cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the continental United 
States and Alaska. It is indeed gratifying to listen to my colleagues 
speak of the rich diversity within our continental United States, from 
New Mexico to Florida to Washington and Wisconsin.
  As we celebrate the heritage, identity, and integrity of these great 
peoples this month, I want to highlight that of another indigenous 
peoples of our country, the Native Hawaiians.
  Because of Hawaii's geographical distance from the U.S. mainland and 
our unique history with the United States, most Americans are not aware 
of the almost 600,000 among us who identify, in whole or in part, as 
Native Hawaiian. Some 50 percent still live in my home State of Hawaii, 
and I am deeply humbled to represent a native group with such a deep 
and rich heritage all its own.
  Today's Kanaka Maoli are descendants of the original voyagers who 
made the incredible journey from Kahiki, today's Tahiti and the 
Marquesas, somewhere around 1,500 years ago, a full 1,000 years before 
the universally recognized indigenous peoples of New Zealand, the 
Maori, arrived in Aotearoa.
  By the arrival of the West through Captain Cook in 1778, Native 
Hawaiians had already long developed, practiced, and handed down a 
truly unique cultural heritage, from their own language, dance, and 
music to customs and practices, values, and religion. They were truly 
their own people, in every sense of the word.
  However, like virtually all other indigenous peoples throughout our 
country and world, the Kanaka Maoli endured cultural marginalization 
and discrimination to the point that, by the middle of the 20th 
century, their cultural heritage was at risk for extinction, as has 
happened with most other indigenous cultures throughout our history.
  Beginning in the mid-1960s, though, a renewed interest in traditional 
Hawaiian arts and culture began to emerge, driving deep cultural pride 
and resurgence. The ranks of prominent Native Hawaiians include figures 
such as George Na'ope, a kumu hula who, with others, brought back the 
study and practice of ancient hula. I had the honor of presenting 
``Uncle George'' as a 2006 National Heritage Fellow here, our Nation's 
highest honor in folk and traditional arts.
  The Hawaiian language itself had virtually disappeared after 
statehood. But in 1982, a small group of Hawaiian language educators 
came together and formed the Punana Leo preschools, which focused on 
nurturing a new generation of Native Hawaiian speakers through 
education in the Native Hawaiian language, the Olelo. The first school 
was established in 1984 in Kekaha, Kauai. Today, there are many such 
schools and thousands of Native Hawaiian language speakers.
  Another ancient practice prominent in the Hawaii renaissance was the 
art of Polynesian voyaging. Hundreds of years had passed since the last 
voyage, and the ancient ways of navigating had been lost. But in 1975, 
the Polynesian Voyaging Society built the Hokule'a, a traditional 
outrigger canoe first captained by Elia Kawika David Ku'ualoha, whose 
mission was to follow in the footsteps of Native Hawaiians and sail 
unaided across Polynesia.
  Today's voyaging canoes sail freely across the Pacific and even 
around the world in the ancient ways, an amazing symbol of cultural 
recovery.
  These kanaka are just a few of the tens of thousands of Native 
Hawaiians and others who simply decided that the rich cultural heritage 
of the indigenous peoples of Hawaii would not die but would be carried 
forward into generations to come. Their stories, and the story of all 
Native Hawaiians, should not be left unrecognized by this Congress, 
either today or in the laws of our country focused on indigenous 
peoples.
  I am honored to recognize them and their special contributions and 
legacy to our great country and to join all of my colleagues who 
advocate so forcefully for our indigenous peoples.
  Madam Speaker, again, ``mahalo nui loa,'' thank you very much, to the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico for bringing us together to celebrate 
Native American Heritage Month. May all Americans reflect on the 
diverse cultural legacy gifted to all of us by all indigenous peoples 
of our Nation.

                              {time}  1700

  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, this Native American Heritage Month, let 
us pay honor and respect to those who came before us. Let us never 
forget the genocide and racism that is so much of our history. Let us 
all work together to ensure that the future for the Native Americans 
and Native Hawaiians in our country is as promising as it is for any 
American living here currently.


                             General Leave

  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H9052]]

  

                          ____________________