IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 589 

Calling on the Secretary of Education to work with stakeholders to immediately eliminate race-based Native logos, mascots, and names from State 

educational institutions, and calling on State educational institutions 

and national sports franchises to cease the unsanctioned use of such 

logos, mascots, and names. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 13, 2023 

Mr. PALLONE (for himself and Ms. NORTON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the Secretary of Education to work with stakeholders to immediately eliminate race-based Native logos, 

mascots, and names from State educational institutions, 

and calling on State educational institutions and national 

sports franchises to cease the unsanctioned use of such 

logos, mascots, and names. 

Whereas, based on article I, section 8, of the United States 

Constitution, treaties, Federal statutes, and court decisions, the United States has a unique historical and legal 

relationship with the American Indian and Alaska Native 

peoples, which serves as the basis for the Federal Government’s trust responsibility and obligations to the 

American Indian and Alaska Native peoples; 


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•HRES 589 IH 

Whereas there are 574 federally recognized Indian Tribes in 

the United States, with some 40 percent of Indian Tribes 

located in the State of Alaska; 

Whereas Indian Tribes have principal responsibility for lands 

and people within their jurisdictions; 

Whereas this responsibility extends to educating their American Indian and Alaska Native students and providing 

adequate educational facilities in which the students can 

learn; 

Whereas kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools all 

over the Nation use words and symbols representing their 

schools that are harmful to Native Americans; 

Whereas nationally, more than 1,900 kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools inappropriately use such 

harmful names or nicknames, and these names or symbols often become mascots and are used at athletic games 

for mascot characters, chants, and other antics; 

Whereas, although these school communities do not intend 

disrespect toward Native Americans, that is the end result of allowing these harmful terms to continue in educational institutions; 

Whereas there have been national sports teams that have recognized that their mascots were racist and harmful to 

Native American communities; 

Whereas there has been scientific research conducted to determine the harmful effects of these ‘‘Native’’ sports 

mascots on our Native youth; 

Whereas multiple academic studies over the last few decades 

have found that American Indian and Alaska Native high 

school and college students had a consistent, negative reaction to stereotypical mascots because these images and 


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•HRES 589 IH 

names remind Native youth of the limited ways in which 

others see them, which in turn restricts how they see 

themselves, and, importantly, the self-esteem of non-Native youths rose when presented with the same images; 

and 

Whereas the American Psychological Association has determined that these representations also undermine the ability of Native Nations and peoples to portray themselves 

accurately as distinct and diverse cultures, and that 

stereotypical images are a dominant culture’s prejudiced 

representations of a racial or ethnic minority group: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the House of Representatives condemns all 

3 racism and discrimination; 

4 (2) the Secretary of Education should work 

5 with Tribal Nations, Native American groups, public 

6 kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools, 

7 and other stakeholders, to immediately eliminate 

8 race-based Native logos, mascots, and names from 

9 State educational institutions across the United 

10 States, especially those receiving Federal funds; and 

11 (3) the House of Representatives calls for State 

12 educational institutions and national sports fran13 chises to cease the unsanctioned use of such race14 based Native logos, mascots, and names in the effort 

15 to overcome these stereotypes and raise the self-es16 teem of Native students so they have the same opVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:02 Jul 14, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR589.IH HR589

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•HRES 589 IH 

1 portunity as their non-Native peers to achieve aca2 demically without discrimination. 

Æ 


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