IIA 

Calendar No. 926 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. J. RES. 62 

[Report No. 110–435] 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 14, 2007 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs 

JULY 31, 2008 

Reported by Mr. DORGAN, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

To honor the achievements and contributions of Native 

Americans to the United States, and for other purposes. 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Native American Her5 itage Day Act of 2007’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 


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1 (1) Native Americans are the descendants of 

2 the aboriginal, indigenous, native people who were 

3 the original inhabitants of and who governed the 

4 lands that now constitute the United States; 

5 (2) Native Americans have volunteered to serve 

6 in the United States Armed Forces and have served 

7 with valor in all of the Nation’s military actions 

8 from the Revolutionary War through the present 

9 day, and in most of those actions, more Native 

10 Americans per capita served in the Armed Forces 

11 than any other group of Americans; 

12 (3) Native American tribal governments devel13 oped the fundamental principles of freedom of 

14 speech and separation of governmental powers that 

15 were a model for those that form the foundation of 

16 the United States Constitution; 

17 (4) the Founding Fathers based the provisions 

18 of the Constitution on the unique system of democ19 racy of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, 

20 which divided powers among the branches of govern21 ment and provided for a system of checks and bal22 ances; 

23 (5) Native Americans have made distinct and 

24 significant contributions to the United States and 

25 the rest of the world in many fields, including agriVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:34 Aug 01, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\HJ62.RS HJ62

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1 culture, medicine, music, language, and art, and Na2 tive Americans have distinguished themselves as in3 ventors, entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, and schol4 ars; 

5 (6) Native Americans should be recognized for 

6 their contributions to the United States as local and 

7 national leaders, artists, athletes, and scholars; 

8 (7) nationwide recognition of the contributions 

9 that Native Americans have made to the fabric of 

10 American society will afford an opportunity for all 

11 Americans to demonstrate their respect and admira12 tion of Native Americans for their important con13 tributions to the political, cultural, and economic life 

14 of the United States; 

15 (8) nationwide recognition of the contributions 

16 that Native Americans have made to the Nation will 

17 encourage self-esteem, pride, and self-awareness in 

18 Native Americans of all ages; 

19 (9) designation of the Friday following Thanks20 giving of each year as Native American Heritage 

21 Day will underscore the government-to-government 

22 relationship between the United States and Native 

23 American governments; 

24 (10) designation of Native American Heritage 

25 Day will encourage public elementary and secondary 


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1 schools in the United States to enhance under2 standing of Native Americans by providing curricula 

3 and classroom instruction focusing on the achieve4 ments and contributions of Native Americans to the 

5 Nation; and 

6 (11) the Friday immediately succeeding 

7 Thanksgiving Day of each year would be an appro8 priate day to designate as Native American Heritage 

9 Day. 

10 SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIVE AMERICAN HERIT11 AGE DAY. 

12 (a) DEVELOPMENT OF MODEL EDUCATIONAL CUR13 RICULA.—Educational institutions are encouraged to de14 velop model educational curricula, in consultation with 

15 Native American governmental leaders, for purposes of 

16 recognizing a Native American Heritage Day, emphasizing 

17 the contributions of Native Americans to the United 

18 States and the world, including— 

19 (1) the historical and constitutional status of 

20 Native American tribal governments as well as the 

21 present day status of Native Americans; 

22 (2) the cultures, traditions, and languages of 

23 Native Americans; and 

24 (3) the rich Native American cultural legacy 

25 that all Americans enjoy today. 


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1 (b) CELEBRATION OF NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE

2 DAY.—Congress encourages the people of the United 

3 States, as well as Federal, State, and local governments 

4 and interested groups and organizations to observe a Na5 tive American Heritage Day with appropriate programs, 

6 ceremonies, and activities. 

7 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

8 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Native American Herit9 age Day Act of 2008’’. 

10 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

11 Congress finds that— 

12 (1) Native Americans are the descendants of the 

13 aboriginal, indigenous, native people who were the 

14 original inhabitants of the United States; 

15 (2) Native Americans have volunteered to serve 

16 in the United States Armed Forces and have served 

17 with valor in all of the Nation’s military actions from 

18 the Revolutionary War through the present day, and 

19 in most of those actions, more Native Americans per 

20 capita served in the Armed Forces than any other 

21 group of Americans; 

22 (3) Native Americans have made distinct and 

23 significant contributions to the United States and the 

24 rest of the world in many fields, including agri25 culture, medicine, music, language, and art, and NaVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:34 Aug 01, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\HJ62.RS HJ62

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1 tive Americans have distinguished themselves as in2 ventors, entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, and scholars; 

3 (4) Native Americans should be recognized for 

4 their contributions to the United States as local and 

5 national leaders, artists, athletes, and scholars; 

6 (5) nationwide recognition of the contributions 

7 that Native Americans have made to the fabric of 

8 American society will afford an opportunity for all 

9 Americans to demonstrate their respect and admira10 tion of Native Americans for their important con11 tributions to the political, cultural, and economic life 

12 of the United States; 

13 (6) nationwide recognition of the contributions 

14 that Native Americans have made to the Nation will 

15 encourage self-esteem, pride, and self-awareness in 

16 Native Americans of all ages; 

17 (7) designation of the Friday following Thanks18 giving of each year as Native American Heritage Day 

19 will underscore the government-to-government rela20 tionship between the United States and Native Amer21 ican governments; and 

22 (8) designation of Native American Heritage 

23 Day will encourage public elementary and secondary 

24 schools in the United States to enhance understanding 

25 of Native Americans by providing curricula and 


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1 classroom instruction focusing on the achievements 

2 and contributions of Native Americans to the Nation. 

3 SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE 

4 DAY. 

5 Congress— 

6 (1) designates Friday, November 28, 2008, as 

7 ‘‘Native American Heritage Day’’; and 

8 (2) encourages the people of the United States, as 

9 well as Federal, State, and local governments, and in10 terested groups and organizations to observe Native 

11 American Heritage Day with appropriate programs, 

12 ceremonies, and activities, including activities relat13 ing to— 

14 (A) the historical status of Native American 

15 tribal governments as well as the present day 

16 status of Native Americans; 

17 (B) the cultures, traditions, and languages 

18 of Native Americans; and 

19 (C) the rich Native American cultural leg20 acy that all Americans enjoy today. 


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Calendar No. 926 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. J. RES. 62 

[Report No. 110

–435] 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

To honor the achievements and contributions of 

other purposes. Native Americans to the United States, and for 

JULY 31, 2008 

Reported with an amendment 


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