IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1551 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States 

should promote respect for and full application of the provisions of 

the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 

consistent with United States law. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 22, 2010 

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA (for himself, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, 

Ms. LEE of California, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. HONDA, Mr. 

GEORGE MILLER of California, and Mr. LEWIS of Georgia) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the United States should promote respect for and full 

application of the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples consistent 

with United States law. 

Whereas, on September 13, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of 

Indigenous Peoples, a landmark declaration outlining the 

rights of the world’s 370,000,000 indigenous peoples in 

70 countries; 

Whereas the Declaration is a non-binding text, which sets out 

the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples, 


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•HRES 1551 IH 

as well as their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, and education, and encourages indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures, and traditions, and pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations; 

Whereas the Declaration prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full and effective 

participation in all matters that concern them, and their 

right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions 

of economic and social development; 

Whereas United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the Declaration’s adoption as ‘‘a historic moment 

when UN Member States and indigenous peoples have 

reconciled with their painful histories and are resolved to 

move forward together on the path of human rights, justice and development for all’’; 

Whereas the Declaration was approved after 143 United Nations Member States voted in favor, 11 abstained and 

four, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United 

States, voted against the text; 

Whereas since the Declaration’s adoption, Australia and New 

Zealand have reversed their positions and now endorse 

the Declaration; 

Whereas in March 2010, the Government of Canada announced it would take steps to endorse the Declaration; 

Whereas indigenous peoples continue to face disproportionate 

and dire poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, inadequate health care, violent crime, and discrimination around the world; 

Whereas in November 2009, President Barack Obama invited 

representatives from each of the 564 indigenous tribes in 


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•HRES 1551 IH 

the United States to attend a White House Tribal Nations Conference; 

Whereas nearly 500 tribal leaders participated in the most 

widely attended White House tribal meeting in United 

States history; 

Whereas President Obama signed a memorandum on November 5, 2009, directing every Federal agency to develop 

plans to implement fully the Executive Order on ‘‘Consultation and Coordination with Tribal Governments’’, 

which mandates that all agencies have an accountable 

process for meaningful and timely input by tribal officials 

in the development of regulatory policies that have tribal 

implications; 

Whereas the United States supports the Initiative for Conservation in the Andean Amazon, a regional program designed to strengthen indigenous efforts to protect and 

conserve the Amazon rainforest; 

Whereas the United States participates fully and actively in 

the Arctic Council, a high-level intergovernmental forum 

comprised of the eight Arctic countries where Arctic indigenous peoples, represented by Permanent Participant 

organizations, have co-equal roles; and 

Whereas in an April 20, 2010, speech at the United Nations 

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Ambassador 

Susan E. Rice, United States Permanent Representative 

to the United Nations, stated that, because ‘‘far more 

must be done—at home and abroad—to tackle [the challenges of indigenous peoples], expand the circle of opportunity, and work with our Native communities to ensure 

they enjoy the security and dignity that all citizens deserve . . . I am pleased to announce that the United 


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States has decided to review our position regarding the 

U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’’: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) the Administration should continue to work 

4 together with partners in indigenous communities 

5 domestically and around the world to provide secu6 rity, prosperity, equality, and opportunity for all; 

7 (2) the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous 

8 Peoples provides an important framework for ad9 dressing indigenous issues globally; 

10 (3) the Administration’s decision to conduct a 

11 formal review of the Declaration on the Rights of In12 digenous Peoples and the United States’ position on 

13 it is welcomed; and 

14 (4) the United States should promote respect 

15 for and full application of the provisions of the Dec16 laration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, con17 sistent with United States law. 

Æ 


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