Indian Arts And Crafts Amendments Act Of 2010, H.R. 725

Floor Speech

Indian Arts And Crafts Amendments Act Of 2010, H.R. 725

* Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 725, the Indian Arts and Crafts Amendments Act of 2010.

* Our history has been richly shaped by native cultures, and it is only appropriate we protect these important contributions of Native Americans and other indigenous people. American Indian and Alaska Native arts and crafts are devalued when unscrupulous merchants promote and market products as ``Indian made'' when they are not. To address this problem, Congress passed the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (PL 101-644), which is a truth-in-advertising law that makes it illegal to sell or produce any imitation Indian art or craft.

* Despite these efforts, the sale of counterfeit Indian arts and crafts continues all too often and very few cases are investigated. Those who produce imitation Indian products should be investigated and punished, and the punishment needs to be sufficient to deter this fraudulent practice. These amendments strengthen penalties and allow Federal, State, and local law enforcement to investigate and enforce cases of imitation Indian goods.

* As a member of the House Arts Caucus and of the Congressional Native American Caucus, I value the importance of Indian arts and crafts to the preservation and strength of Native American culture and tradition. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 725.

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