IV
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 539
To encourage the President to establish an advisory commission on tribally
controlled institutions of higher learning.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 21, 1994
Mr. SKEEN (for himself, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. WILLIAMS, Mr. RICHARDSON, Ms.
ENGLISH of Arizona, Mr. FAZIO, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr.
POMEROY, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. SWIFT, Mr. FLAKE, Mr.
HILLIARD, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. OWENS, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. BEREUTER,
Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas, Mr. TEJEDA, Mr. PASTOR, and Mr. BARRETT
of Nebraska) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Education and Labor
RESOLUTION
To encourage the President to establish an advisory commis-
sion on tribally controlled institutions of higher learning.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The House of Representatives finds the following:
(1) The Federal Government has a special trust
relationship and a fiduciary duty to American Indi-
ans and the Federal Government’s Indian education
policies have progressed to a point where Indian
•HRES 539 IH
tribes establish, control, and administer educational
institutions on or near Indian reservations.
(2) There currently exist 29 tribally operated
post-secondary institutions serving over 300 tribes
nationwide and over 16,000 Indian students in 13
States including Arizona, California, Kansas, Michi-
gan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Da-
kota, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, Iowa,
and Nebraska.
(3) Tribally controlled and administered post-
secondary institutions promote tribal sovereignty
and self-determination and promotes individual aca-
demic achievement in culturally sensitive environ-
ments.
(4) Despite the overall improvement of edu-
cational opportunities for American Indians within
the last 20 years, tribally operated post-secondary
institutions remain largely underfunded and Amer-
ican Indians continue to experience the lowest over-
all college attendance rate in the United States.
(5) The efforts of tribally operated post-second-
ary colleges to secure continuing and sufficient fund-
ing, staff and educational resources which are vital
to a successful academic institution have been frus-
trated by the lack of Federal assistance in promot-
•HRES 539 IH
ing the National Education Goals for American Indi-
ans and the lack of awareness of the successful con-
tributions of Tribal colleges to tribal communities
and tribal members.
(6) The participation in federally sponsored
programs by historically black colleges and univer-
sities has been promoted by an Executive order since
the Carter Administration and that order has been
reaffirmed unconditionally by each subsequent ad-
ministration. The Hispanic community has also had
a similar Executive order for several years. The Na-
tion’s 29 tribally controlled institutions of higher
learning have been seeking a similar order.
(7) An Executive order would require no appro-
priation, but would promote the awareness by the
Federal departments of the fact that there exist fully
accredited tribally controlled institutions of higher
learning among the postsecondary educational insti-
tutions in this Nation.
(8) The tribally controlled institutions of higher
learning are not included in many department’s de-
fined program eligibility criteria due solely to the
fact that most departments remain unaware of the
existence and tremendous successes of the institu-
tions.
•HRES 539 IH
(9) Due to the minuscule proportion of the pop-
ulation which American Indians comprise, they re-
main the last minority community which does not
benefit from this unique program, and efforts to in-
clude them within the executive branch have been
overshadowed by issues which confront larger demo-
graphic sectors. A legislative resolution to this defi-
ciency would ensure that this compelling inequity is
addressed expeditiously.
SEC. 2. PRESIDENTIAL ACTION REQUIRED.
(a) ACTION REQUIRED.—The President is urged to
issue an Executive order fostering the advancement of the
National Education Goals for American Indians, promot-
ing Federal assistance for tribally controlled and operated
post-secondary institutions, and establishing an advisory
commission on tribally controlled institutions of higher
learning.
(b) FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION.—Any commission
established pursuant to subsection (a) should be respon-
sible for the development and implementation of policies
and programs designed to achieve an increase in the par-
ticipation by tribally controlled institutions of higher
learning in federally-sponsored programs.
(c) MEMBERSHIP OF COMMISSION.—Any Commis-
sion established pursuant to subsection (a) should be com-
•HRES 539 IH
posed of members appointed by the President, but should
include representatives of tribally-controlled institutions of
higher learning, participating Federal departments, and
agencies, other institutions of higher education and enti-
ties from the private sector, and elected officials.
Æ