National Advisory Council on Indian Education Improvement Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 5355) to ensure that the National Advisory Council on Indian Education includes at least 1 member who is the president of a Tribal College or University.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 5355

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``National Advisory Council on Indian Education Improvement Act'' or the ``NACIE Improvement Act''. SEC. 2. NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON INDIAN EDUCATION.

By not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act and notwithstanding any other provision of section 6141 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7471), the President shall ensure that the National Advisory Council on Indian Education established under such section includes at least one member who is a president of a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)).

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Ms. FOXX. 5355.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 5355, the National Advisory Council on Indian Education Improvement, or NACIE, Act.

NACIE is the Department of Education's Tribal advisory group, composed of 15 members who are appointed by the President.

NACIE advises the Secretaries of both the Education Department and the Department of the Interior on programs serving Tribes and members.

Currently, there is no requirement that a Tribal college or university, TCU, president sit on the board. As a result, the Education Department's Tribal consultation sessions often do not provide the opportunity for TCU leaders, who are the prominent leaders in Tribal post-secondary education, to provide direct input.

S. 5355 requires at least one of NACIE's members be the president of a TCU. In doing so, the legislation would give TCUs a seat at the table when discussing Tribal education.

Simply put, this bipartisan legislation ensures TCUs have a voice in decisions that directly impact Native-American students.

Strengthening our Nation's post-secondary education system means supporting all types of colleges and universities. Today, we can take an important step to strengthen TCUs, which play an important role in serving students and expanding the opportunities for skills and a post- secondary education in communities across America.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, TCUs provide an important doorway to postsecondary education for many American students.

TCUs know best what their students and communities need. S. 5355, the National Advisory Council on Indian Education Improvement (NACIE) Act, will give TCUs a seat at the table during the decisionmaking process.

This will not only ensure that Native-American students are better served, but it will also ensure that taxpayer resources will be used more efficiently and effectively.

TCUs provide an important doorway to postsecondary education for many students. This bipartisan legislation will help strengthen that voice and the voice of the postsecondary education leaders who deserve to share their unique experiences and guidance with the rest of NACIE.

Mr. Speaker, before I yield back my time, I will take a few minutes to reflect on my time leading the Education and the Workforce Committee.

First, I applaud the committee's ranking member, Bobby Scott. You wouldn't think a Democrat with two Harvard degrees would have much in common with a Republican who grew up without running water or electricity and was the first in her family to go to college, but we are both realists who want to get things done.

We are passionate about the committee's issues. It has been a pleasure to work alongside Bobby.

Our colleagues have heard us say this before, but we both share the sentiment that you can disagree without being disagreeable.

Let me say something about the work of the committee it was my honor to lead for two terms.

My family grew up poor, but my parents always believed in the power of education and hard work. My work on the committee has centered on ensuring those who grew up like me can accomplish anything they set their minds to and that education can help them do it.

Unfortunately, students and parents have been living through an education nightmare characterized by massive learning loss, attacks on parental rights, a leftist takeover of curricula, and plummeting confidence in our education system.

To put our students on a path to success, I have worked with my colleagues to pass the Parents Bill of Rights, fight for school choice, protect women's sports, push for lower college costs and more accountability, and promote strong workforce development programs.

The committee has also fought attempts by the Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board to push all workers into unions and extend the Federal Government's control over the workforce.

Additionally, we have worked to protect the retirement savings of workers and retirees, save private insurance and increase healthcare affordability, protect small businesses, allow flexible work arrangements, and expand worker choice.

We have been busy, Mr. Speaker.

Of course, I can't talk about the committee's work without talking about my passion for accountability. As elected Representatives, it is our duty to hold the Federal Government to the highest standard of accountability so that hardworking taxpayer dollars are used effectively and efficiently.

When we push for answers, parents are no longer left in the dark, lawmakers are better informed when it comes time to consider legislation, and American taxpayers see where their hard-earned money is going.

None of the work accomplished by the committee was done by me alone. I was bolstered at every turn by the support and efforts of my colleagues. More importantly, I had the incredible talent of a dedicated staff.

Mr. Speaker, when I first came to Congress, I heard Members on the floor saying all these fabulous things about their staff, and it was hard for me to envision at the beginning how important the staff could be, but I have certainly come to understand that as the chair of the committee. To all of the staff, I say thank you, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Congressman Scott's comments very much. We have worked together very well. Now I urge my colleagues to vote for S. 5355, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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