Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the sponsor of the bill, Senator Lincoln, for bringing forth this vital legislation, and urge its favorable consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have no objection to the consideration of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have no objection to the consideration of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have no objection to the consideration of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have no objection to the consideration of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend first the sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca), for bringing forth this very important measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, we have no objection to the consideration of this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, we have no objection to the consideration of this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, we have no objection to the favorable consideration of this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I urge the favorable consideration of this measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to commend the sponsor of this bill, the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo), for bringing forward this most important measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton).

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, the Colorado River Indian Reservation Boundary Correction Act, as amended, will correct a longstanding injustice. In the early part of the 20th century, nearly 16,000 acres of land was stripped from the Colorado River Indian Tribes' reservation in response to heavy lobbying from a private mining company that wanted to open up a silver mine in the lands.

The Tribes were never provided with an opportunity to challenge the decision, nor were they ever compensated for the loss their lands. Subsequent reviews by the Department of Interior concluded that the lands were inappropriately removed from the reservation and should be returned to the Tribes.

This legislation does just that. Almost 90 years after the removal of the land, as amended, it would return that land to the reservation for the possibility of economic development, sacred and cultural importance to the Tribes. And it just strikes me that it is a very fitting bill. Just 1 week ago after the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian, which honors the indigenous people of this continent, this bill also honors our agreements and commitments to the native peoples of this land.

I wish to thank all my colleagues and the leadership within the Committee on Resources and the staff for making this bill a priority for passage this session.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I would like to commend the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo),

the sponsor of this bill, for bringing forth this very important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

(Ms. Bordallo asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the native people of my district and of Arizona to commemorate the opening of the American Indian Museum today in Washington, D.C. This is an historic moment when, at long last, the indigenous people of this continent have a place to call their own on our National Mall and in our national consciousness.

The museum is not a place that will display relics of the past but a living monument to the multitudes of cultures, arts, and languages that exist in the Americas. This museum will be a living legacy to those who have come before and a gift to those who will be born in the future.

This morning I had the honor of seeing the procession of Native American people on our National Mall. Thousands of people from every corner of the continent filled the Mall. They came to make a ceremonial and symbolic journey representing the millions of native people who live and thrive on this continent.

So let us honor our first Americans and let us remember this day as a day where we continue to working and looking forward to extending the support and the respect that the first Americans deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of all the tribal people of my district and of Arizona to commemorate the opening of the American Indian Museum today in Washington, DC. This is an historic moment when at long last the indigenous peoples of this continent have a place to call their own on our National Mall and in our national consciousness.

The museum is not a place that will display relics of the past, but a living monument to the multitudes of cultures, arts, and languages that exist in the Americas. This museum will be a ``living legacy'' to those who have come before, and a gift to those who will be born in the future.

This morning I had the honor of seeing the procession of Native American people on the National Mall. Tens of thousands of people from every corner of this continent filled the Mall. They have come to make a ceremonial and symbolic journey, representing the millions of native people who live and thrive in the Americas.

But, while we honor this monument to our native peoples today we must not forget the ongoing struggle these communities face to retain their dignity in face of poverty, unemployment, lack of access to adequate healthcare, among other issues.

For example, the infant mortality rate is 150 percent greater for Indians than that of White infants. Indians have the highest prevalence of Type-2 diabetes in the world, and are 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. Indians have a life expectancy 5 years less than the rest of the U.S. population.

The United States has a longstanding trust responsibility to provide health care services to American Indian and Alaska Natives. As a society, we can and we must take action to address the disparity and distress many of these communities face.

So on this occasion, I ask my fellow Members of Congress to join me in honoring the opening of the American Indian Museum, and I also ask you to join me in seeking to address some of the difficulties facing our native population in order to truly honor the first Americans.