Providing for the acceptance of a statue of Sarah Winnemucca, presented by the people of Nevada, for placement in National Statuary Hall, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as the Congresswoman from Nevada, I am pleased to support H. Con. Res. 5, which provides for the acceptance of the statue of Sarah Winnemucca, presented by the State of Nevada, for placement in the National Statuary Hall Collection. It also allows for the use of the rotunda of the Capitol on March 9 for a presentation ceremony for the statue.

The Nevada legislature designated Sarah Winnemucca as Nevada's second statue in 2001. The Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs and Nevada's Women's History Project raised the funds necessary to make this statue a reality.

The statue of Sarah Winnemucca will join Nevada's other statue and will be the 99th statue in the overall collection, the eighth statue of a woman, and the fourth statue of a significant American Indian.

Benjamin Victor sculpted the bronze statue of Sarah Winnemucca, which depicts Sarah as a young woman with her hair falling to her waist; a shell flower, for which she was named, in her outstretched right hand; a book under her left arm; and wind fluttering through her dress. The statue encompasses a sense of movement in order to signify the energy that Sarah Winnemucca had throughout her life.

Sarah was born in Nevada in the Northern Paiute Tribe in 1844. She was the daughter of Chief Winnemucca and the granddaughter of Chief Truckee. Sarah's Paiute name meant ``shell flower,'' and according to Nevada folklore, one of Sarah's happiest memories was celebrating the Festival of Flowers every spring when she and all the girls named with flower names would go to see if their flowers that they had been named for were in bloom yet.

By the time Sarah was 14, she had learned five languages, three Indian dialects, English, and Spanish. When she was older, she used these talents as an interpreter for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Army.

Sarah spent her life as a champion of the Paiutes in Nevada and across the country. In 1879 she went on a nationwide speaking tour to teach people about the Indian culture and the difficult life on the Indian reservations. Trying to bridge two seemingly incompatible cultures, Sarah gave more than 400 speeches to publicize the injustices suffered by the Paiutes and met with high officials in the American Government, including President Rutherford B. Hayes, to improve the horrendous conditions of Indians living on the reservations.

Eventually, Sarah received many promises from our government to make improvements for her people. Unfortunately, our government broke those promises, causing many of her own people to lose confidence in her.

On Sarah's East Coast speaking tour, she secured thousands of signatures on a petition calling for the promised allotment of reservation land to individual Paiutes. Congress passed a bill to that end in 1884, but once again our government did not live up to its commitments.

Sarah, however, never gave up. In 1883, this extraordinary woman wrote a book, ``Life Among the Paiutes,'' which was the first book ever published that was written by a Native American woman. Do keep in mind that while she was publishing this book, women were not even allowed to vote in this country. ``In Life Among the Paiutes,'' Sarah wrote about western history from the perspective of the American Indian.

Sarah was also a dedicated teacher to the Paiute children and established Nevada's first school for Indian children called Peabody's Institute near Lovelock, Nevada. Unfortunately, the school closed within 2 years when Federal funding failed to come through.

On October 17, 1891, Sarah died of tuberculosis at the age of 47. Sarah is remembered in Nevada for her dedication

and her strength. She was an author, a teacher, a translator, a negotiator and a spokeswoman for her people. I am proud that Nevada is sharing her legacy with all Americans and international visitors to our Capitol. It is with great pride that I helped sponsor this resolution. The people of the State of Nevada are very proud and very excited about this and are looking forward to the dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this concurrent resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Ohio for yielding me time to rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 5, the Sarah Winnemucca Statue Resolution.

As we have heard this afternoon, in 1864, the same year the State of Nevada entered this Union, the National Statuary Hall was designed and designated as a public gallery to honor notable Americans. Each State was bestowed the honor of sending two statues to this public gallery, depicting citizens who were illustrious for their historic renown or for distinguishing civic and military service.

Today, Mr. Speaker, there are 98 statues from all 50 States, but only seven of which are women who are blessing the halls of this Capitol. So today I rise with great honor to bring H. Con. Res. 5 to the floor, which will allow for Sarah Winnemucca to become the 99th statue and the 8th woman in this hallowed hall.

Sarah Winnemucca, whose Indian name says Shell Flower, has a distinguished history and life story, a story that symbolizes the spirit of American acceptance of diversity.

Sarah was born in 1844, and was the daughter of Chief Winnemucca and the granddaughter of prominent Chief Truckee of the Northern Paiute tribe who led John C. Fremont and his men across the Great Basin to California.

By the age of 14, Sarah had learned to speak five languages, which served her well as a post interpreter at Camp McDermitt in Northeastern Nevada.

In addition, Sarah's autobiography, Life Among the Paiutes, was the first book written by a native American woman. It was Sarah's story of the life and customs of the Northern Paiutes and her struggle for justice for her people.

Her national notoriety as a tireless spokeswoman for the Northern Paiute tribe led her many times to Washington, D.C. itself, where she even pleaded her case in front of then President Rutherford B. Hayes.

However, no other time in Sarah's long history of distinction serves as a better example of her courage and strength than when the Bannock War broke out in 1878. During this time, Sarah, without regard for her own life, rescued some of her own tribe from hostile Indians. Also during this campaign, Sarah served as General Oliver Howard's guide, scout and interpreter. In General Howard's own words he called Sarah ``the most famous Indian woman of the Pacific Coast'' and that ``her name should have a place beside the name of Pocahontas in the history of this country,'' which is exactly what we are doing here today.

It is with Benjamin Victors' artistic talent that he truly captures Sarah Winnemucca's strength, courage and spirit. It will surely be a treat for everyone to witness this magnificent statue.

I would like to thank the work of our Governor and First Lady who were instrumental in facilitating this process, as well as the Nevada's Women's History Project, which raised the necessary private funds to create this statue.

Sarah Winnemucca died in 1891, but her fight for peace, justice and equality for all persons represents the highest values and ideal of this great country even today. Sarah Winnemucca represents Nevada's history with honor, and that is why as both a Nevadan and a U.S. Congressman, I am proud to welcome Sarah Winnemucca into Statuary Hall, so that her spirit will be immortalized in these hallowed halls.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about H. Con. Res. 5, a bill that is presented before Congress by people of the great State of Nevada in order to allow for the placement of our second statue, of Sarah Winnemucca, into National Statuary Hall.

Sarah Winnemucca was born into the Northern Paiute tribe around 1844, as my distinguished colleagues have mentioned this afternoon. Throughout her life, she lived in various parts of Northern Nevada, including Pyramid Lake, McDermitt and Lovelock, Nevada.

Her life came at a time of major historical changes for her people, the Paiutes, and she played a pivotal role in building communications between her people and the settlers while defending the Paiute tribe's rights.

At the time of her birth, the Northern Paiutes and Washoes were the only inhabitants of what is now Northern Nevada. When the settlers started to come through their land, Sarah Winnemucca had to reason between the two very different philosophical views that her family held. Her grandfather, Chief Truckee, welcomed the arrival of his white brothers, whereas her father, Chief Winnemucca, looked upon their arrival with disdain.

Some historians now believe that this inherent conflict between her grandfather and father taught Sarah how to better relate to the new settlers while working to maintain the integrity of the tribe.

Sarah led an incredible life, Mr. Speaker. First introduced to the settlers at the age of six, by the time she was 14, she had acquired five languages, including English and Spanish, a challenge even for today.

By the time Sarah was an adult, immigration had continued to the point where Native Americans started being forced into reservations, ending the days of hunting and gathering for her tribe.

At age 27, Sarah began working as an interpreter at the Bureau of Indian Affairs at Fort McDermitt on the Nevada-Oregon border. As if that was not enough, Sarah even served as an interpreter and scout to the Army, traveling at one point without sleep over 200 miles in 48 hours over all parts of Idaho.

Sarah was a fearless advocate and speaker on behalf of Native American rights throughout the Western United States, Washington D.C., and throughout the Eastern U.S., giving more than 400 speeches on behalf of the Paiutes.

Near the end of her life, Sarah dedicated herself to teaching school to Paiute children and opened a school near Lovelock, Nevada, for Native American children.

Sarah Winnemucca died in 1891 at the age of 47. Although her life was short, she has become a part of Nevada history that will never be forgotten. Sarah is an appropriate tribute to the Silver State, and I am proud to honor her memory as the second representative from Nevada in the National Statuary Hall and in our Nation's Capital, as only the eighth woman ever to be represented.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here today with the other members of our delegation in order to welcome Sarah Winnemucca to our National Statuary Hall. She is an example for all of us to live up to.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 5) providing for the acceptance of a statue of

Sarah Winnemucca, presented by the people of Nevada, for placement in National Statuary Hall, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great honor to rise and welcome Nevada's second statue to the National Statuary Hall Collection, located inside of the United States Capitol. This statue, of Sarah Winnemucca, is a welcome addition.

Sarah Winnemucca was a fascinating and intellectual woman who fought for justice, peace, and equality for all persons. Before she reached her 14th birthday, for instance, she had learned three Indian dialects and the Spanish and English languages. She was an interpreter for the United States Army and the Bureau of Indian Affairs and served as an aide, scout, peacemaker, and interpreter for General Olive O. Howard during the Bannock War of 1878, in Idaho.

In 1883 she became the first Native American woman to publish a book, ``Life Amongst the Paiutes: Their Wrongs and Claims.'' In 1879 she gave more than 300 speeches throughout the United States concerning the plight of her people as a spokeswoman for the Northern Paiute Tribe. She went on to found a nongovernmental school for Paiute children near Lovelock, Nevada, which operated for 3 years and became a model for future educational facilities for Native American children. The people of Nevada should be so proud to have such a noble woman in their history, and we have a couple of Members today from Nevada whom I know are going to talk about that, and also very proud to display her likeness in the Nation's Capitol.

Mr. Speaker, it is most fitting that Nevada's statue of Sarah Winnemucca, who represented the highest ideals of America, be welcomed into the Halls of the United States Congress. I am so please to be here today with the gentlewoman from Nevada and the gentleman from Nevada. And with that, I urge passage of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons), and appreciate his support for this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) and thank him for his support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) for her support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring recognition to one of the most influential Native American women of the late 19th Century, Sarah Winnemucca, whose statue will be accepted into National Statuary Hall this 1st of March 2005. Statuary Hall, a true testament to the great diversity of our Nation's heroes.

Sarah Winnemucca was born to the Northern Paiute tribe in 1844 near the Humboldt River in Western Nevada. At the time of her birth, Northern Paiute and Washos were the only inhabitants of the land.

At the age of six, she was introduced to caucasians and was at first frightened. She did admire their luxuries and culture. As she grew older, her grandfather, as well as many other Paiute, welcomed their ``white brothers.'' By age 14, she knew five languages and became an interpreter for the military.

As she reached maturity, all Native Americans were moved onto reservations and problems for her people began to mount. During the Bannock War on 1878, many Paiute's were held prisoner and their land was taken. In 1880, Sarah traveled to Washington, DC to

plead for the release of the prisoners and the restoration of their land. However, her requests were not granted.

For the remainder of her life, Sarah was dedicated to giving lectures on the East Coast to promote Native American rights. In her lectures, she advocated the idea that her people could and should run their own lives without the interference of Federal authorities. On October 17, 1891, Sarah died of tuberculosis at the age of 47. Just before her death Sarah founded a school for young Indian children in Lovelock, Nevada.

In 1883, she published the first book written by a Native American woman, ``Life Among the Paiutes: Their Wrongs and Claims,'' which gave a Native American viewpoint of settlers in the west. In her book, she wrote of Thocmetony, the name she was given as a young child, and of the legacy for which she aspired, ``Somebody will always admire me; and who will come and be happy with me in the Spirit-land? I shall be beautiful forever there. Yes, she be more beautiful than my shell- flower, my Thocmetony!''

Although it is not the Spirit-land of which she speaks, soon we will all be able to admire her beauty forever in Statuary Hall, and more importantly admire the beauty of her dreams and the work she did to make these dreams a reality.