IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 107 

Designating Northwest Coast Art as a rare and valuable national treasure. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 6, 2024 

Mrs. PELTOLA submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Designating Northwest Coast Art as a rare and valuable 

national treasure. 

Whereas Northwest Coast Art has achieved preeminence 

throughout the world as an Indigenous American art 

form, and— 

(1) makes evident to the world an outstanding artistic art form of Indigenous expression; 

(2) is a unifying force, bridging cultural, religious, 

ethnic, and age differences in our diverse society; 

(3) is a true art form of the Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples that scientific evidence reveals evolved over 

a 4,000-year period, dating back to at least 10,000 years 

ago, and is enjoyed and appreciated by the diverse peoples that constitute the Nation; 

(4) has evolved into a multifaceted and complex art 

form based on defined formline designs and protocols 


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•HCON 107 IH 

governing the spatial interrelationships between the 

formline design component that is not replicated among 

any other society and that continues to give birth to and 

to nurture new stylistic formline designs; 

(5) continues to be highly sought after by museums, 

art collectors, and the general public and is exhibited in 

all major national and international museums; 

(6) remains significant to the Northwest Coast Indigenous societies for its cultural and spiritual values; 

(7) has had a historic, pervasive, and continuing influence on other genres of art in the United States; and 

(8) has provided a creative paradigm broadly influential on other contemporary and visual art forms; 

Whereas it is important for the youth of the United States 

to recognize and understand Northwest Coast Art as a 

significant part of their cultural and intellectual heritage; 

Whereas there exists no effective national infrastructure to 

support and preserve Northwest Coast Art; 

Whereas documentation and archival support required by 

such a great art form has yet to be systematically applied 

to Northwest Coast Art; 

Whereas it is in the best interest of the national welfare and 

all of our citizens to preserve and celebrate the unique 

art forms of the United States; 

Whereas the continuing development of new technologies and 

revenues of communications offers formidable possibilities 

as well as challenges to artists and audiences; 

Whereas there is an increasing emphasis on public-private 

partnerships at the cutting edge of support for cultural 

institutions and the arts; and 


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•HCON 107 IH 

Whereas the last decade has seen the passing of significant 

master artists who made definitive contributions to its 

survival and the further development and evolution of 

traditional Northwest Coast Art: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That— 

3 (1) it is the sense of Congress that Northwest 

4 Coast Art is a rare and valuable national treasure 

5 to which we should devote support and any nec6 essary resources to make certain that it is preserved, 

7 understood, and able to be passed down; and 

8 (2) Congress recognizes that Northwest Coast 

9 Art remains a major cultural force in many Indige10 nous communities and contributes to the rich herit11 age and cultural diversity of this Nation and should 

12 be protected under the laws of the United States. 

Æ 


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