December 9, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 196 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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ESTHER MARTINEZ NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES PROGRAMS REAUTHORIZATION ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 196
(House of Representatives - December 09, 2019)
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[Pages H9378-H9380] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ESTHER MARTINEZ NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES PROGRAMS REAUTHORIZATION ACT Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 256) to amend the Native American Programs Act of 1974 to provide flexibility and reauthorization to ensure the survival and continuing vitality of Native American languages. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: S. 256 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act''. SEC. 2. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES GRANT PROGRAM. Section 803C of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2991b-3) is amended-- (1) in subsection (b)(7)-- (A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking ``10'' and inserting ``5''; and (B) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ``15'' and inserting ``10''; and (2) in subsection (e)(2)-- (A) by striking ``or 3-year basis'' and inserting ``3-year, 4-year, or 5-year basis''; and (B) by inserting ``, 4-year, or 5-year'' after ``on a 3- year''. SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES PROGRAM. (a) In General.--Section 816(e) of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2992d(e)) is amended by striking ``such sums'' and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting ``$13,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024.''. (b) Technical Correction.--Section 816 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2992d) is amended in subsections (a) and (b) by striking ``subsection (e)'' each place it appears and inserting ``subsection (d)''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona. General Leave Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on the measure under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arizona? There was no objection. Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support S. 256, the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act. The United States has a trust responsibility to support indigenous peoples in this country. The survival of indigenous peoples' languages is fundamental to the success of Native communities and the survival of traditional Native cultures. The history of the United States tells us about the deliberate efforts to eliminate indigenous peoples' languages and cultures through forced assimilation, boarding school forced attendance, treaties that have not been honored, and promises not kept. According to UNESCO, 74 Native languages stand to disappear within the next decade. Scholars project that only 20 Native languages will be spoken by the year 2050. The linguistic and cultural genocide is real and demands action. The Esther Martinez language program has been a tool that was created to address this stark reality. This language program is named in honor of a New Mexico Tewa teacher and storyteller, Esther Martinez, who is known and honored for her dedication and efforts in revitalizing her people's language. The Esther Martinez Initiative funds immersion programs that are successful in preserving and revitalizing Native languages, both to indigenous communities, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students. Today, grants provided under Esther Martinez' program have empowered Native communities to establish language immersion programs that are successfully reviving Native languages and improving Native economies. This grant has been used to develop curriculums rooted in Native language based on traditional values and beliefs in subject areas that obviously include language, mathematics, science, and social studies. Esther Martinez grants also support children's books in Native languages, the development of language assessment tools, and the intergenerational programs to support regular use of Native language with children at home. Importantly, they also provide funding to train Native language teachers to use the language immersion curriculum developed by the Tribe and/or school. The powerful link between language and identity for Native people is essential in the development of successful students and communities. These language immersion programs have proven to be the best model for developing fluent speakers and successful students. S. 256 reauthorizes the Esther Martinez program for $13 million annually, increases the maximum duration of the grant, and reduces the number of program enrollees needed to qualify for a grant. The survival of Native languages is fundamental to the success of Native communities and the survival of traditional Native cultures. I would like to thank my colleagues Representative Lujan and Senator Udall for leading the effort, and for the support of Representative Haaland. I urge my colleagues to support S. 256, the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Greetings, my relative, in Lakota is ``How mitakuye.'' I am honored to join the chairman, my colleague from Arizona, to usher this important legislation through the House after its passage through the Senate. Now, South Dakota and Arizona both have rich Native American history and culture, and we are here tonight to celebrate, to cherish, and, yes, to sustain that culture. The Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act was introduced in 2006 by my friend Heather Wilson, who was a Congresswoman from New Mexico before she moved to South Dakota. This reauthorization of her bill will empower [[Page H9379]] Native American Tribes to continue teaching languages like Lakota and Dakota to future generations. Let there be no mistake. There is pressing need for this work. Fewer than 1 percent of Lakota and Dakota Native Americans are fluent in either of those languages. That means there are just 2,000 Lakota and Dakota fluent speakers in the world. We are losing those speakers too quickly because of old age, and their ranks have declined by 65 percent in the last 15 years. Unfortunately, it is not just Lakota and Dakota that are threatened. There are 175 Native languages spoken in this country today, and there are estimates that, 30 years from now, fewer than 20 will be spoken. Why does this matter? Why do we care? Why are we gathered here tonight for such a just cause? It is because, Mr. Speaker, as we all know, language is the lifeblood of culture. Language opens a doorway for all of us, a doorway into understanding of peoples, into understanding their past, and maybe, most interestingly, understanding their future. That is powerful insight. Now, for example, Lakota-speaking Native Americans may say, ``mitakuye oyasin,'' which means, we are all related. But this, to me, is the most fascinating part about this, Mr. Speaker, you wouldn't just say that when you are around people with whom you are related. You would say that in a broader group of people, to demonstrate an interconnectedness, part of a larger family, that we have similar values and dreams and fears; there is a human condition. Now, English doesn't quite have a phrase like that. The fact that Lakota does tells us a lot about the Lakota people. This program, these dollars, are having an impact in Indian Country. For years, Lakota was, along with dozens of other Native languages, designated as ``severely threatened.'' Its status was recently changed to a ``reawakening language.'' That is an acknowledgment that projects funded by this program, projects that are working today in communities in South Dakota like Eagle Butte and Porcupine, are making a difference. So, Mr. Speaker, I would say thank you, ``pilamaye yelo.'' I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan), a leader in this effort on this legislation. {time} 1715 Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act. With the passage of this legislation, Congress has made monumental progress to affirm Native communities honoring their heritage by speaking the languages gifted to them by their creators. Today, we recognize the only existing Federal Native language education grant programs. These programs give our first Americans crucial support to protect their languages from extinction. Today is a historic moment, a blessing, and I want to offer thanks to the people who made this achievement possible. We owe our deepest gratitude to Esther Martinez of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, who ensured Tewa is spoken across New Mexico. Her passion for her culture and tradition is what brought us together today. To the educators who work every day to ensure Native languages are here for future generations, thank you. I thank my colleague Senator Tom Udall, who has made reauthorization of these programs a top priority for more than a decade and successfully secured passage of the legislation in the U.S. Senate. I would also like to recognize Congressman Grijalva, Mr. Speaker, for his leadership on behalf of Tribes and Native peoples. I am deeply grateful for my colleagues Congresswomen Haaland and Torres Small, Chairmen Young and Cole, Congresswomen McCollum and Gabbard, and Chairman Scott for joining together to ensure this legislation had its day on the House floor. I thank and recognize all the Pueblo, Apache, and Navajo leaders from New Mexico, including those in the gallery today. With the permission of her family, I am honored to celebrate the legacy that Esther Martinez and her Pueblo have shared with the world. New Mexico boasts a rich history and diversity that includes 23 Native Nations and seven indigenous language groups found nowhere else on Earth. Esther Martinez, a master educator and linguist, dedicated her life to the Tewa language, which today is spoken across six northern Pueblos in my district and in Hopi-Tewa in Arizona. As a child whose first language was Tewa, Mrs. Martinez attended a government-run Indian boarding school where nearly everything that made her a Pueblo woman was banned, including her language. Her experience is not unique. Generations of Native families had their children torn from their arms, bound for schools that forced English and Western education on Native students. Despite living through a period of overt racism with Federal policies aimed at exterminating Native culture, Mrs. Martinez defied the odds by returning to Ohkay Owingeh. She raised her children and family to speak the Tewa dialect. Esther went on to teach many more as a linguist, a schoolteacher, and the director of bilingual education for her Pueblo. Her legacy lives on in the sounds of Tewa being spoken in her community. Her son Tony and daughters Marie and Josephine are raising their children and grandchildren with Tewa in their homes. Her daughter Mercedes is a regular attendee at adult language classes taught by one of Esther Martinez' proteges. Esther Martinez' grandson, former Lieutenant Governor Matthew Martinez, a doctor of American studies and American Indian studies, advances his culture at Santa Fe's Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. He is also teaching Tewa to his youngest son. Today, we pass this legislation knowing that it will help Native communities protect their languages for generations to come. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from referencing occupants of the gallery. Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, for 46 years, the 120,000 Alaskan Natives in our country have had a champion working for them, fighting for them, advocating for them. He is the dean of this House and the former chairman of the Indian Affairs Subcommittee. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young.) (Mr. YOUNG asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. YOUNG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Johnson has done a great job. That was a great presentation. I am very proud of him. Each person who has spoken on this legislation really put it in context about the Esther Martinez program started in 2006. I happened to be a cosponsor of that bill. I watched it pass and become a reality, and it has worked. What we are doing is reauthorizing a program that allows a culture to be retained through languages. In Alaska, we have 20 Native languages and 40-some dialects. As the gentleman said, we lost that for a long period of time. Language is what keeps the culture together. It is important for the past, important for the present, and important for the future. The University of Alaska has a program, the Alaska Native Language Center, which has worked very well since the 1970s. We were well ahead with this program, and we want to continue it. We have an innovative Alaska Native Cultural Charter School in Anchorage that teaches Yupik to all the students so there is an exchange, not just Native, but between other races, so they understand the language. I believe this is one of the best programs that we are able to achieve. The funding probably is still inadequate, but it is a continuation of good work by this Congress. I thank each one of you who has been participating in this, especially Representative Lujan. I am a little bit [[Page H9380]] concerned, if I may. I don't want to speak about the other body, but we know who it is. They have taken Mr. Lujan's bill and sort of put their name on it, but we will forgive them because we will get it done. This is good legislation. I also would like to thank Representative Price, who co-chairs the American Languages Caucus with me. Again, congratulations. This is good legislation. The chairman has done well, and let's continue to act. Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum). Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 256, the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act. There are many critical needs in Indian Country, and the Federal Government has an obligation to fulfill our trust and Tribal responsibilities. This commitment includes reauthorizing the Esther Martinez Immersion grants so that Congress ensures Indian students have the opportunity to study, learn, and speak their Tribal languages. The National Congress of American Indians says it best: A language ``encompasses and expresses a worldview shaped by centuries, in some cases tens of thousands of years of experience, knowledge, practices, spiritual beliefs, and relationships between a people, its neighbors, and its environment, which cannot be replicated in any other tongue.'' Language is paramount to one's identity. The gift of language allows a person to carry their culture from their ancestors to the present and on to the next generation to come. Esther Martinez grants have empowered Tribes to establish immersion programs, making it possible for more Tribal communities to maintain their Native languages and pass along centuries-old cultural heritage. These grants will benefit not only Native American Tribal Nations across the country but also Native Hawaiians, Native Alaskans, and Pacific Islander communities, giving them the ability to protect and rejuvenate indigenous languages. Without urgent action to reauthorize these grants, too many communities risk losing the Native languages of their ancestors. As chair emeritus of the Native American Caucus, I have worked to increase funding for Esther Martinez programs, and I will continue to make Native languages and their preservation and education a priority. Mr. Speaker, as the 116th Congress moves forward, we must prioritize our Federal trust and treaty obligations. We must do so in a way that respects Native culture and strengthens Native communities. Reauthorizing the Esther Martinez Native American Language Preservation Act brings us one step closer to this goal. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, and in the words of the Ojibwe, ``miigwech.'' Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. We are not here in this body to reauthorize feel-good programs. We are gathered here tonight not to reauthorize a feel-good program but to authorize a program that works, that makes a difference. The evidence is clear. Students who participate in these programs, they do learn language skills. They also are more likely to graduate high school. They are more likely to have high academic achievement. They are more likely to be successful in their communities. That is what the data tells us. We cannot let up now. These programs are working in a variety of States and a variety of communities. If we want a robust and healthy Native American culture in this country, we need to have a healthy and robust Native American language environment in this country. The Esther Martinez Native American Language Preservation Act is important, a critical component of that framework, of that environment. I ask my colleagues, I beseech them tonight, to reauthorize this program that is doing so much good throughout our country. I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. My Speaker, I thank my colleagues across the aisle and, in particular, Mr. Young, my friend from the committee. When I first came to Congress, this is one of the first bills that he sponsored. I was very proud to vote for it then, and I encourage all of my colleagues today to be very proud to vote for it now. The reauthorization is $13 million, and it is an amount of money that goes very far in Indian Country, an amount of money that many could argue should be more, but the point today is to reauthorize. By reauthorization and seed money, which is so important to the Native youth and children, I think we make a statement as a Congress that we, too, join in reaffirming the revitalization, the preservation of both language and culture among the first Americans in this country. We say to them that what they bring as persons, as a Tribe, as a people is vital, too, and enriches the fabric of this Nation of ours. I am proud to be here. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill. It is a good piece of legislation that does good work and will continue to do good work. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 256. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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