For Immediate Release
April 29, 2021
Contact:
Manu Tupper or Mike Inacay (Schatz) at press@indian.senate.gov
Jacqueline Bisille (Murkowski) at jacqueline_bisille@indian.senate.gov
SCHATZ, MURKOWSKI INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO SUPPORT NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, introduced the Durbin Feeling Native American Languages Act of 2021. This bipartisan legislation marks the 30th anniversary of the Native American Languages Act by ensuring federal efforts meet the goal of respecting and supporting the use of Native languages.
“Congress made a commitment to promote and protect the rights of Native Americans to use their languages over three decades ago when it enacted the Native American Languages Act of 1990,” said Chairman Schatz. “The Durbin Feeling Native American Languages Act will ensure we are living up to that commitment. Our bill will make the federal government more accountable by setting clear goals and asking for direct input from Native communities about how federal resources can be more effectively used to support and revitalize Native languages.”
“I am proud to again join as co-lead in introducing a bill that works to protect Native languages. Our bill will improve interagency coordination and require a survey of federal programs on their work involving Native languages,” said Vice Chairman Murkowski. “With these efforts, Native communities across the country can continue revitalizing and protecting their identity through language. For Indigenous peoples, Native languages are foundational to identity and culture and I will continue supporting policies that help maintain and revitalize Native languages.”
The bill, named after Durbin Feeling, a renowned Cherokee linguist and Vietnam veteran who passed away on August 19, 2020, would review and make recommendations to improve federal agencies’ coordination in support of Native American languages. It would also authorize a federal survey of Native language use and programmatic needs every five years. These surveys will serve as “health checks” to allow Native communities and Congress to target federal resources for Native American languages more effectively.
The bill is supported by the Joint National Committee for Languages – National Council for Languages and International Studies, National Congress of American Indians, National Indian Education Association, National Coalition of Native American Language Schools and Programs, and the Cherokee Nation.
Amanda Seewald, President, Joint National Committee for Languages–National Council for Languages and International Studies:
“The information gathered by engaging Native American communities and Congress will better inform our ongoing advocacy to sustain and revitalize Native American languages and fulfill the promise of NALA across the nation. The coordination directed by The Durbin Feeling Native American Languages Act is necessary to ensure equitable availability and access to resources to empower the learners, teachers, and speakers of Native American languages for generations to come. JNCL-NCLIS thanks Senator Schatz and Senator Murkowski for their continued leadership in support of Native American language revitalization efforts.”
Fawn Sharp, President, National Congress of American Indians:
“Our Native languages are a critical part of our identities and are essential to the sustainability of our cultural and political integrity. The Durbin Feeling Native American Language Act will help ensure Native languages continue to be spoken for generations to come by assessing the current landscape of our Native languages and producing critically important information regarding language vitality, information on unmet needs pertaining to Native language programming, and types of language maintenance and revitalization projects currently being carried out. We thank Chairman Brian Schatz and Vice Chairman Lisa Murkowski for their continuing support for preservation of tribal and indigenous languages.”
Diana Cournoyer, Executive Director, National Indian Education Association:
“Native languages are fundamental to the First American nations, histories, cultures, and traditions. NIEA is thrilled to support legislation that will advance critical resources to assess the current national landscape for native language revitalization, uphold the federal trust responsibility, and expand sovereignty in Native language education.”
Leslie Harper, President, National Coalition of Native American Language Schools and Programs:
“Native American Language revitalization efforts are a complex weaving of strategies to build living, thriving languages. Data collection is a critical strategy to map changes as we move toward healthy language futures. Just as there are hundreds of unique Native American Languages across the country, there are many unique stages of action across the wide field of Native American Language revitalization. The Durbin Feeling Native American Language Act can provide an opportunity for local settings to link strategies to actions and ensure that Congress delivers resources to the areas that Native American Language revitalizers tell us are needed. NCNALSP appreciates the prioritization of Native American Language revitalization initiatives and we look forward to working with members to support this bill’s passage.”
Chuck Hoskin, Jr., Principal Chief, Cherokee Nation:
“Today only about 2,000 people can speak Cherokee fluently. Preserving and revitalizing the Cherokee language rank among my highest responsibilities. For decades, Durbin Feeling led the effort to not only save and preserve the Cherokee language, but breathe new life into the Cherokee language. We owe it to Durbin’s legacy to carry on his work and continue to advocate for Native language revitalization efforts. I commend Chairman Schatz and Vice Chairman Murkowski for reintroducing this important legislation.”
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