For Immediate Release
October 11, 2021
Contact:
Manu Tupper or Mike Inacay (Schatz) at press@indian.senate.gov
SCHATZ: HONORING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY A STEP TOWARD JUSTICE
President’s Proclamation Expresses Renewed Commitment to Native Communities
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement on today’s celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Last week, President Biden issued a proclamation to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 2021.
“Indigenous peoples and their diverse communities, languages, and traditional knowledge systems enrich the fabric of our nation’s identity, contribute to our shared American history, and strengthen our scientific understanding of the world around us. Yet, there is an undeniable need to confront, examine, and address historic and ongoing injustices in Native communities,” said Chairman Schatz. “President Biden’s proclamation represents a true sea change in the federal government’s acknowledgement of these injustices and its role in responding to them. I look forward to continuing to work with the administration to uphold our trust and treaty responsibilities to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and empower Native communities with the resources they need to thrive.”
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