WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, today issued the following statement on the passing of President George Herbert Walker Bush, 41st President of the United States:
“President Bush lived his life in service to the country he loved,” Hoeven said. “With his passing, America, and the world, have lost a dedicated public servant and diplomat.”
“President Bush ushered in a new era of collaboration and understanding of the Native peoples in this nation. He signed many pieces of legislation into law which recognized tribal sovereignty, promoted tribal cultures and languages, reformed public safety, enhanced natural resources, including land restoration, and facilitated job creation. President Bush’s legacy will live on through these laws and we thank him for his service and leadership in promoting an enduring and meaningful government-to-government relationship between the United States and Indian tribes,” Hoeven concluded.
During his presidency, President Bush signed the following pieces of legislation into law which benefitted Indian Country.
During the 101st Congress:
H.R.498 – Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act (Public Law No: 101-379)
H.R.881 – Coquille Restoration Act (Public Law No: 101-42)
H.R.932 – Puyallup Tribe of Indians Settlement Act of 1989 (Public Law No: 101-41)
H.R.2006 – Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (Public Law No: 101-644)
H.R.3703 – To authorize the Rumsey Indian Rancheria to convey a certain parcel of land. Public Law No: 101-630)
H.R.5237 – Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Public Law No: 101-601)
H.R.5308 – Fort Hall Indian Water Rights Act of 1990 (Public Law No: 101-602)
H.R.5367 – Seneca Nation Settlement Act of 1990 (Public Law No: 101-503)
H.J.Res.577 – To authorize and request the President to proclaim the month of November 1990, and thereafter as “Native American Indian Heritage Month” (Public Law No: 101-343)
S.666 – A bill to enroll twenty individuals under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. (Public Law No: 101-378)
S.978 – National Museum of the American Indian Act (Public Law No: 101-185)
S.1096 – A bill to provide for the use and distribution of funds awarded the Seminole Indians in dockets 73, 151, and 73-A of the Indians Claims Commission. (Public Law No: 101-277)
S.1747 – Ponca Restoration Act (Public Law No: 101-484)
S.1813 – A bill to ensure that funds provided under section 4213 of the Indian Alcohol and Substances Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1986 may be used to acquire land for emergency shelters. (Public Law No: 101-272)
S.1846 – A bill to make miscellaneous amendments to Indian laws, and for other purposes. (Public Law No: 101-301)
S.2075 – Indian Environmental Regulatory Enhancement Act of 1990 (Public Law No: 101-408)
S.2167 – Native American Languages Act (Public Law No: 101-477)
S.2203 – Zuni Land Conservation Act of 1990 (Public Law No: 101-486)
S.3084 – Fallon Paiute Shoshone Indian Tribes Water Rights Settlement Act of 1990 (Public Law No: 101-618)
S.J.Res.218 – A joint resolution to designate the week of December 3, 1989, through December 9, 1989, as “National American Indian Heritage Week”. (Public Law No: 101-188)
During the 102nd Congress:
H.R.848 – To authorize the establishment of a memorial at Custer Battlefield National Monument to honor the Indians who fought in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and for other purposes. (Public Law No: 102-201)
H.R.972 – To make permanent the legislative reinstatement, following the decision of Duro against Reina (58 U.S.L.W. 4643, May 29, 1990), of the power of Indian tribes to exercise criminal jurisdiction over Indians (Public Law No: 102-137)
H.R.1476 – San Carlos Indian Irrigation Project Divestiture Act of 1991 (Public Law No: 102-231)
H.R.2032 – Nez Perce National Historical Park Additions Act of 1991 (Public Law No: 102-576)
H.R.2144 – Advisory Council on California Indian Policy Act of 1992 (Public Law No: 102-416)
H.R.3370 – To direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a study and make recommendations to the Congress regarding the feasibility of establishing a Native American cultural center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Public Law No: 102-196)
H.R.3394 – Tribal Self-Governance Demonstration Project Act (Public Law No: 102-184)
H.R.4026 – Zuni River Watershed Act of 1992 (Public Law No: 102-338)
H.R.4437 – To authorize funds for the implementation of the settlement agreement reached between the Pueblo de Cochiti and the United States Army Corps of Engineers under the authority of Public Law 100-202. (Public Law No: 102-358)
H.R.5122 – Jicarilla Apache Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law No: 102-441)
H.R.5566 – To provide additional time to negotiate settlement of a land dispute in South Carolina. (Public Law No: 102-339)
H.R.5686 – To make technical amendments to certain Federal Indian statutes. (Public Law No: 102-497)
H.J.Res.509 – To extend through September 30, 1992, the period in which there remains available for obligation certain amounts appropriated for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the school operations costs of Bureau-funded schools. (Public Law No: 102-316)
S.374 – Aroostook Band of Micmacs Settlement Act (Public Law No: 102-171)
S.1193 – Technical Amendments to Various Indian Laws Act of 1991 (Public Law No: 102-238)
S.1530 – Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (Public Law No: 102-477)
S.1607 – Northern Cheyenne Indian Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 1992 (Public Law No: 102-374)
S.1720 – Navajo-Hopi Relocation Housing Program Reauthorization Act of 1991 (Public Law No: 102-180)
S.1773 – A bill to extend for a period of 31 days the legislative reinstatement of the power of Indian tribes to exercise criminal jurisdiction over Indians. (Public Law No: 102-124)
S.2044 – Native American Languages Act of 1991 (Public Law No: 102-524)
S.2184 – Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992 (Public Law No: 102-259)
S.2481 – Indian Health Amendments of 1992 (Public Law No: 102-573)
S.J.Res.172 – A joint resolution to authorize and request the President to proclaim each of the months of November 1991 and 1992 as “National American Indian Heritage Month”. (Public Law No: 102-123)
S.J.Res.217 – A joint resolution to authorize and request the President to proclaim 1992 as the “Year of the American Indian”. (Public Law No: 102-188)
S.J.Res.222 – A joint resolution to designate 1992 as the “Year of Reconciliation Between American Indians and non-Indians”. (Public Law No: 102-279)
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