[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 173 (Wednesday, December 22, 2010)] [Senate] [Page S11031] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] REMEMBERING DR. HELEN MAYNOR SCHEIRBECK Mrs. HAGAN. Mr. President, last weekend the Nation lost Dr. Helen Maynor Scheirbeck--a great civil rights leader and a passionate advocate for American Indian rights. Born in Lumberton, NC, as a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe, Dr. Scheirbeck's passing is a true loss for the Lumbee and the greater American Indian community. A champion for American Indian sovereignty, Dr. Scheirbeck worked constantly throughout her incredibly prolific career to enable future generations of Indian leaders to build healthier and better-educated communities. In her early work on Capitol Hill, Dr. Scheirbeck served on the staff of North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin, then chair of Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Rights. This work helped lay the foundation for the historic 1968 Indian Bill of Rights that extended constitutional rights and protections to American Indians nationwide. Similarly, Dr. Scheirbeck's efforts to organize the 1962 Capitol Conference on Poverty helped to ensure that Indian communities were a focus of the nationwide war on poverty. Her commitment to self-determination and individual responsibility is further exemplified by Dr. Scheirbeck's work to empower tribal leaders to govern and educate their communities. Working on behalf of the Carter administration, Dr. Scheirbeck's leadership was instrumental in realigning Federal policies to support Indian sovereignty. Most notably, her efforts helped to ensure the passage of the Indian Education Act of 1975 and the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, which have enabled Indian leaders to provide better educational opportunities for current and future generations. Working throughout her life to provide a forum for Indian leaders in our Nation's Capital, Dr. Scheirbeck was instrumental in establishing the National Museum of the American Indian. As Assistant Director in the early years of the museum, Dr. Scheirbeck guided the Office of Education and its program in cultural arts. In so doing, she sought to bring the experience of the American Indian to the National Mall and to demonstrate the applicability of Indian education models to educators throughout the world. Finally, much of Dr. Scheirbeck's life was devoted to the cause of recognition for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Her life's work helped reverse the Federal Government's efforts to terminate relationships with American Indian tribes. Sadly, though, Dr. Scheirbeck's own Lumbee Tribe still bears the burden of this unfortunate policy, and she fought throughout her life to provide the Lumbee with the full recognition that they so deserve. While Dr. Scheirbeck did not live to see this dream become a reality, her life and work have helped to sustain the drive for Lumbee recognition for decades. Dr. Helen Maynor Scheirbeck's presence and contributions throughout Indian Country are irreplaceable, and her tireless efforts on behalf of American Indians throughout the country will continue to inspire future Indian leaders for generations to come.____________________