PRINTER'S NO. 2111
No. 219 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY GERLACH, MOWERY, THOMPSON, TOMLINSON, BRIGHTBILL,
EARLL, WHITE, CONTI, HART, WAGNER, FUMO, AFFLERBACH, BELAN,
KUKOVICH, O'PAKE, SCHWARTZ, WOZNIAK, HUGHES AND MELLOW,
JULY 10, 1998
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, JULY 10, 1998
A RESOLUTION
1 Proclaiming November 1998 as "Native American Heritage Month" in
2 Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, American Indians and Alaska Natives have played a
4 vital role in the life of our country, and their many
5 contributions have enhanced the freedom, prosperity and
6 greatness of America today; and
7 WHEREAS, In celebrating "Native American Heritage Month," we
8 reaffirm our commitment to remember those contributions and to
9 honor the unique heritage of our continent's first inhabitants;
10 and
11 WHEREAS, This special observance also reflects our continuing
12 commitment to American Indian and Alaska Native tribal
13 governments as an integral part of the social, political and
14 economic fabric of the United States; and
15 WHEREAS, The framers of the Constitution of the United States
16 incorporated Indian nations into the political and legal
17 framework of this country, forever joining the destiny of the
1 tribal nations with that of the American people; and
2 WHEREAS, By this action, our founders charged themselves and
3 future generations with the moral obligation to guard the rights
4 and fundamental liberties of our country's tribal peoples as
5 zealously as we protect the rights of all Americans; and
6 WHEREAS, As we enter the next millennium, we have an exciting
7 opportunity to open a new era of understanding, cooperation and
8 respect among all Americans; and
9 WHEREAS, We must work together to tear down the walls of
10 separation and mistrust and build a strong foundation for the
11 future; and
12 WHEREAS, To accomplish this, we must strengthen tribal
13 governments, improve the quality of education for American
14 Indian and Alaska Native youth, build stable, diversified
15 economies in tribal communities, create high-wage jobs and
16 ensure that all our citizens have the skills, education and
17 opportunities they need to reach their full potential; and
18 WHEREAS, The government-to-government relationship between
19 the tribes and the United States embodies the fundamental
20 American belief that people of widely varied and diverse
21 cultural backgrounds can join together to build a great country;
22 and
23 WHEREAS, Such greatness can be sustained only so long as we
24 honor the ideals and principles upon which America is founded
25 and abide by our commitments to all our people; and
26 WHEREAS, In recognition of America's moral and legal
27 obligations to American Indians and Alaska Natives and in light
28 of the special trust relationship between tribal governments and
29 the United States Government, we celebrate "Native American
30 Heritage Month"; therefore be it
19980S0219R2111 - 2 -
1 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
2 proclaim November 1998 as "Native American Heritage Month" in
3 Pennsylvania and urge all Pennsylvanians and elected
4 representatives at the Federal, State, local and tribal levels
5 to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and
6 activities.
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