Amending Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 325) to amend the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act to extend the deadline for a report by the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 325

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. ALYCE SPOTTED BEAR AND WALTER SOBOLEFF COMMISSION ON NATIVE CHILDREN REPORT.

Section 3(f) of the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act (Public Law 114-244; 130 Stat. 987) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``3 years'' and inserting ``5 years''.

Mr. Speaker, S. 325, introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, provides a 2-year extension for the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children to publish its report and make policy recommendations for Federal, State, and Tribal programs that serve Native children.

Native children experience severe health and socioeconomic disparities compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the United States due to the cycles of intergenerational trauma. It is the Federal Government's trust responsibility to provide for the health and well-being of Native children. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed much of the Commission's essential work.

Passage of S. 325 will grant the Commission an extension of time and ensure that the report best addresses the needs of Native children through much-needed expertise and cultural wisdom.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished Senator from Alaska, Senator Murkowski, for introducing and championing this critically important legislation, as well as my dear friend and Committee on Natural Resources colleague, Don Young, for leading the House companion bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 325, and I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank the leadership of the dean of the House, Mr. Young, on this, and Senator Murkowski for the Native children.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source