III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 316 

Recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and celebrating the 

heritages and cultures of Native Americans and the contributions of 

Native Americans to the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 31, 2017 

Mr. HOEVEN (for himself, Mr. UDALL, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. THUNE, Ms. 

HEITKAMP, Mr. WYDEN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. DAINES, Mr. LANKFORD, 

Ms. HIRONO, Mr. MORAN, Mr. HELLER, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. KING, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. 

ROUNDS, Mr. TESTER, Ms. STABENOW, and Mr. HEINRICH) submitted 

the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and 

celebrating the heritages and cultures of Native Americans and the contributions of Native Americans to the 

United States. 

Whereas, from November 1, 2017, through November 30, 

2017, the United States celebrates National Native 

American Heritage Month; 

Whereas National Native American Heritage Month is an opportunity to consider and recognize the contributions of 

Native Americans to the history of the United States; 


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Whereas Native Americans are descendants of the original, 

indigenous inhabitants of what is now the United States; 

Whereas the Bureau of the Census estimated that, in 2010, 

there were more than 5,000,000 individuals of Native 

American descent in the United States; 

Whereas Native Americans maintain vibrant cultures and traditions and hold a deeply rooted sense of community; 

Whereas Native Americans have moving stories of tragedy, 

triumph, and perseverance that need to be shared with 

future generations; 

Whereas Native Americans speak and preserve indigenous 

languages, which have contributed to the English language by being used as names of individuals and locations throughout the United States; 

Whereas Congress has consistently reaffirmed the support of 

the United States of tribal self-governance and self-determination and the commitment of the United States to 

improving the lives of all Native Americans by— 

(1) enhancing health care and law enforcement resources; and 

(2) improving the housing and socioeconomic status 

of Native Americans; 

Whereas the United States is committed to strengthening the 

government-to-government relationship that the United 

States has maintained with the various Indian tribes; 

Whereas Congress has recognized the contributions of the Iroquois Confederacy and the influence of the Iroquois 

Confederacy on the Founding Fathers in the drafting of 

the Constitution of the United States with the concepts 

of— 

(1) freedom of speech; 


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(2) the separation of governmental powers; and 

(3) the system of checks and balances between the 

branches of government; 

Whereas, with the enactment of the Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–33; 123 Stat. 

1922), Congress— 

(1) reaffirmed the government-to-government relationship between the United States and Native American 

governments; and 

(2) recognized the important contributions of Native 

Americans to the culture of the United States; 

Whereas Native Americans have made distinct and important 

contributions to the United States and the rest of the 

world in many fields, including the fields of agriculture, 

medicine, music, language, and art; 

Whereas Native Americans have distinguished themselves as 

inventors, entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, and scholars; 

Whereas Native Americans have served with honor and distinction in the Armed Forces and continue to serve in the 

Armed Forces in greater numbers per capita than any 

other group in the United States; 

Whereas the United States has recognized the contribution of 

the Native American code talkers in World War I and 

World War II, who used indigenous languages as an unbreakable military code, saving countless lives in the 

United States; and 

Whereas the people of the United States have reason to 

honor the great achievements and contributions of Native 

Americans and their ancestors: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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1 (1) recognizes the month of November 2017 as 

2 ‘‘National Native American Heritage Month’’; 

3 (2) recognizes the Friday after Thanksgiving as 

4 ‘‘Native American Heritage Day’’ in accordance with 

5 section 2(10) of the Native American Heritage Day 

6 Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–33; 123 Stat. 1923); 

7 and 

8 (3) urges the people of the United States to ob9 serve National Native American Heritage Month and 

10 Native American Heritage Day with appropriate 

11 programs and activities. 

Æ 


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