Presidential Document2021-24121
National Native American Heritage Month, 2021
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 3, 2021
Signed
October 29, 2021
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 210 (Wednesday, November 3, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 210 (Wednesday, November 3, 2021)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 60545-60546]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-24121]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 210 / Wednesday, November 3, 2021 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 60545]]
Proclamation 10302 of October 29, 2021
National Native American Heritage Month, 2021
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
The United States of America was founded on an idea:
that all of us are created equal and deserve equal
treatment, equal dignity, and equal opportunity
throughout our lives. Throughout our history--though we
have always strived to live up to that idea and have
never walked away from it--the fact remains that we
have fallen short many times. Far too often in our
founding era and in the centuries since, the promise of
our Nation has been denied to Native Americans who have
lived on this land since time immemorial.
Despite a painful history marked by unjust Federal
policies of assimilation and termination, American
Indian and Alaska Native peoples have persevered.
During National Native American Heritage Month, we
celebrate the countless contributions of Native peoples
past and present, honor the influence they have had on
the advancement of our Nation, and recommit ourselves
to upholding trust and treaty responsibilities,
strengthening Tribal sovereignty, and advancing Tribal
self-determination.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated
preexisting inequities facing Tribal Nations. Early in
the pandemic, reported cases in the Native American
community were over 3 times the rate of white
Americans; in some States, Native American lives were
lost at a rate 5 times their population share. Even as
they shouldered a disproportionate burden throughout
the pandemic, Tribal Nations have been paragons of
resilience, determination, and patriotism--implementing
key mitigation strategies like testing and prioritizing
the vaccination of Tribal communities at high rates in
order to save lives. Through it all, Tribal Nations
have effectively utilized the tools of Tribal self-
governance to protect and lead their communities,
setting a standard for all of our communities to
follow.
Our Nation cannot live up to the promise of our
founding as long as inequities affecting Native
Americans persist. My Administration is committed to
advancing equity and opportunity for all American
Indians and Alaska Natives and to helping Tribal
Nations overcome the challenges that they have faced
from the pandemic, climate change, and a lack of
sufficient infrastructure in a way that reflects their
unique political relationship.
As a starting point, the American Rescue Plan
represented the most significant funding legislation
for Indian Country in the history of our Nation--the
largest single Federal investment in Native communities
ever, with $20 billion in direct funding to help Tribal
governments combat and emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and my Build
Back Better framework, my Administration is pushing for
strong Tribal participation to help build our Nation's
clean energy future, deploy clean water and high-speed
internet to every home, and invest in Native American
families, businesses, jobs, and communities.
In my first week in office, I also signed a
Presidential Memorandum committing my Administration to
the fulfillment of our Federal trust and treaty
responsibilities, to respect Tribal self-governance,
and to conduct regular, meaningful, and robust
consultations with Tribal Nations on a broad range
[[Page 60546]]
of policy issues. Together, we are implementing a
whole-of-government approach to empower Tribal Nations
in their efforts to achieve political and economic
self-sufficiency, advance climate resiliency, and
protect their territorial sovereignty. To further
elevate the voices of Native Americans in my
Administration, I restarted the White House Council on
Native American Affairs earlier this year. It was among
the proudest honors of my life to appoint one of our
country's most remarkable leaders, Deb Haaland of the
Pueblo of Laguna, to serve as United States Secretary
of the Interior--the first Native American in the
history of our Nation to serve in the Cabinet.
During National Native American Heritage Month, we also
honor our Native Americans veterans and service members
who have courageously served and continue to serve in
our Armed Forces--including the brave Native American
Code Talkers in World War I and World War II. For over
200 years, Native Americans have defended our country
during every major conflict and continue to serve at a
higher rate than any other ethnic group in the Nation.
Because of their selflessness, every generation of
Americans receives the precious gift of liberty--and we
owe each of them and their families a debt of gratitude
for their sacrifice and dedication.
Native American roots are deeply embedded in this
land--a homeland loved, nurtured, strengthened, and
fought for with honor and conviction. This month and
every month, we honor the precious, strong, and
enduring cultures and contributions of all Native
Americans and recommit ourselves to fulfilling the full
promise of our Nation together.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of
the United States of America, by virtue of the
authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2021
as National Native American Heritage Month. I urge all
Americans, as well as their elected representatives at
the Federal, State, and local levels, to observe this
month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and
activities, and to celebrate November 26, 2021, as
Native American Heritage Day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
sixth.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2021-24121
Filed 11-2-21; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F2-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on November 3, 2021.
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