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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 62 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       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.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Heritage 
Day Act of 2007''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Congress finds that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Native Americans are the descendants of the 
        aboriginal, indigenous, native people who were the original 
        inhabitants of and who governed the lands that now constitute 
        the United States;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Native Americans have volunteered to serve in 
        the United States Armed Forces and have served with valor in 
        all of the Nation's military actions from the Revolutionary War 
        through the present day, and in most of those actions, more 
        Native Americans per capita served in the Armed Forces than any 
        other group of Americans;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Native American tribal governments developed 
        the fundamental principles of freedom of speech and separation 
        of governmental powers that were a model for those that form 
        the foundation of the United States Constitution;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) the Founding Fathers based the provisions of 
        the Constitution on the unique system of democracy of the Six 
        Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, which divided powers among 
        the branches of government and provided for a system of checks 
        and balances;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Native Americans have made distinct and 
        significant contributions to the United States and the rest of 
        the world in many fields, including agriculture, medicine, 
        music, language, and art, and Native Americans have 
        distinguished themselves as inventors, entrepreneurs, spiritual 
        leaders, and scholars;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Native Americans should be recognized for 
        their contributions to the United States as local and national 
        leaders, artists, athletes, and scholars;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) nationwide recognition of the contributions 
        that Native Americans have made to the fabric of American 
        society will afford an opportunity for all Americans to 
        demonstrate their respect and admiration of Native Americans 
        for their important contributions to the political, cultural, 
        and economic life of the United States;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) nationwide recognition of the contributions 
        that Native Americans have made to the Nation will encourage 
        self-esteem, pride, and self-awareness in Native Americans of 
        all ages;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) designation of the Friday following 
        Thanksgiving of each year as Native American Heritage Day will 
        underscore the government-to-government relationship between 
        the United States and Native American governments;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (10) designation of Native American Heritage Day 
        will encourage public elementary and secondary schools in the 
        United States to enhance understanding of Native Americans by 
        providing curricula and classroom instruction focusing on the 
        achievements and contributions of Native Americans to the 
        Nation; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (11) the Friday immediately succeeding 
        Thanksgiving Day of each year would be an appropriate day to 
        designate as Native American Heritage Day.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE 
              DAY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Development of Model Educational Curricula.--
Educational institutions are encouraged to develop model educational 
curricula, in consultation with Native American governmental leaders, 
for purposes of recognizing a Native American Heritage Day, emphasizing 
the contributions of Native Americans to the United States and the 
world, including--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the historical and constitutional status of 
        Native American tribal governments as well as the present day 
        status of Native Americans;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the cultures, traditions, and languages of 
        Native Americans; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the rich Native American cultural legacy that 
        all Americans enjoy today.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Celebration of Native American Heritage Day.--Congress 
encourages the people of the United States, as well as Federal, State, 
and local governments and interested groups and organizations to 
observe a Native American Heritage Day with appropriate programs, 
ceremonies, and activities.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Heritage Day Act of 
2008''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) Native Americans are the descendants of the aboriginal, 
        indigenous, native people who were the original inhabitants of 
        the United States;
            (2) Native Americans have volunteered to serve in the 
        United States Armed Forces and have served with valor in all of 
        the Nation's military actions from the Revolutionary War 
        through the present day, and in most of those actions, more 
        Native Americans per capita served in the Armed Forces than any 
        other group of Americans;
            (3) Native Americans have made distinct and significant 
        contributions to the United States and the rest of the world in 
        many fields, including agriculture, medicine, music, language, 
        and art, and Native Americans have distinguished themselves as 
        inventors, entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, and scholars;
            (4) Native Americans should be recognized for their 
        contributions to the United States as local and national 
        leaders, artists, athletes, and scholars;
            (5) nationwide recognition of the contributions that Native 
        Americans have made to the fabric of American society will 
        afford an opportunity for all Americans to demonstrate their 
        respect and admiration of Native Americans for their important 
        contributions to the political, cultural, and economic life of 
        the United States;
            (6) nationwide recognition of the contributions that Native 
        Americans have made to the Nation will encourage self-esteem, 
        pride, and self-awareness in Native Americans of all ages;
            (7) designation of the Friday following Thanksgiving of 
        each year as Native American Heritage Day will underscore the 
        government-to-government relationship between the United States 
        and Native American governments; and
            (8) designation of Native American Heritage Day will 
        encourage public elementary and secondary schools in the United 
        States to enhance understanding of Native Americans by 
        providing curricula and classroom instruction focusing on the 
        achievements and contributions of Native Americans to the 
        Nation.

SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE DAY.

    Congress--
            (1) designates Friday, November 28, 2008, as ``Native 
        American Heritage Day''; and
            (2) encourages the people of the United States, as well as 
        Federal, State, and local governments, and interested groups 
        and organizations to observe Native American Heritage Day with 
        appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities, including 
        activities relating to--
                    (A) the historical status of Native American tribal 
                governments as well as the present day status of Native 
                Americans;
                    (B) the cultures, traditions, and languages of 
                Native Americans; and
                    (C) the rich Native American cultural legacy that 
                all Americans enjoy today.

                                                       Calendar No. 926

110th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                             H. J. RES. 62

                          [Report No. 110-435]

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION

To honor the achievements and contributions of Native Americans to the 
                 United States, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             July 31, 2008

                       Reported with an amendment
```