Presidential Document2023-22667
Indigenous Peoples' Day, 2023
Primary source
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Published
October 12, 2023
Signed
October 6, 2023
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 196 (Thursday, October 12, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 196 (Thursday, October 12, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 70573-70575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22667]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 196 / Thursday, October 12, 2023 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 70573]]
Proclamation 10649 of October 6, 2023
Indigenous Peoples' Day, 2023
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor the perseverance
and courage of Indigenous peoples, show our gratitude
for the myriad contributions they have made to our
world, and renew our commitment to respect Tribal
sovereignty and self-determination.
The story of America's Indigenous peoples is a story of
their resilience and survival; of their persistent
commitment to their right to self-governance; and of
their determination to preserve cultures, identities,
and ways of life. Long before European explorers sailed
to this continent, Native American and Alaska Native
Nations made this land their home, some for thousands
of years before the United States was founded. They
built many Nations that created powerful, prosperous,
and diverse cultures, and they developed knowledge and
practices that still benefit us today.
But throughout our Nation's history, Indigenous peoples
have faced violence and devastation that has tested
their limits. For generations, it was the shameful
policy of our Nation to remove Indigenous peoples from
their homelands; force them to assimilate; and ban them
from speaking their own languages, passing down ancient
traditions, and performing sacred ceremonies. Countless
lives were lost, precious lands were taken, and their
way of life was forever changed. In spite of
unimaginable loss and seemingly insurmountable odds,
Indigenous peoples have persisted. They survived. And
they continue to be an integral part of the fabric of
the United States.
Today, Indigenous peoples are a beacon of resilience,
strength, and perseverance as well as a source of
incredible contributions. Indigenous peoples and Tribal
Nations continue to practice their cultures, remember
their heritages, and pass down their histories from
generation to generation. They steward this country's
lands and waters and grow crops that feed all of us.
They serve in the United States military at a higher
rate than any other ethnic group. They challenge all of
us to celebrate the good, confront the bad, and tell
the whole truth of our history. And as innovators,
educators, engineers, scientists, artists, and leaders
in every sector of society, Indigenous peoples
contribute to our shared prosperity. Their diverse
cultures and communities today are a testament to the
unshakable and unbreakable commitment of many
generations to preserve their cultures, identities, and
rights to self-governance. That is why, despite
centuries of devastation and turmoil, Tribal Nations
continue to thrive and lead in countless ways.
When I came into office, I was determined to usher in a
new era in the relationship between the Federal
Government and Tribal Nations and to honor the solemn
promises the United States made to fulfill our trust
and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations. That work
began by appointing Native Americans to lead on the
frontlines of my Administration--from the first Native
American Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and
dozens of Senate-confirmed Native American officials to
the over 80 Native American appointees serving across
my Administration and in the Federal courts. I restored
the White House Council on Native American Affairs to
improve interagency coordination and decision-making as
well as the White House
[[Page 70574]]
Tribal Nations Summit to bring together key members of
my Administration and the leaders of hundreds of Tribal
Nations.
Last year, I signed a new Presidential Memorandum that
creates uniform standards for consultation between the
Federal Government and Tribal Nations. And together, we
are making historic investments in Indian Country. That
includes $32 billion from the American Rescue Plan, the
largest one-time direct investment in Indian Country in
American history; more than $13 billion to rebuild
infrastructure, the single largest investment in Indian
Country infrastructure in history; and the biggest
investment ever to combat the existential threat of
climate change, including $700 million dedicated to
climate change response in Native communities.
We are also working to improve public health and safety
for Native Americans. That is why I signed an Executive
Order that helps us respond more effectively to the
epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples.
And when we reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act
last year, I was proud to include historic provisions
that reaffirm Tribal sovereignty and restore Tribal
jurisdiction. I have also requested a $9.1 billion
infusion for Indian Health Services and asked the
Congress to make that funding a mandatory part of the
Federal budget for the first time in our history.
My Administration will also continue using all the
authority available to it, including the Antiquities
Act, to protect sacred Tribal lands. We have already
restored protections for Bears Ears and Grand
Staircase-Escalante in Utah and the Northeast Canyons
and Seamounts National Monument in New England. I have
declared new national monuments at the Camp Hale-
Continental Divide in Colorado, Avi Kwa Ame in Nevada,
and Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni in Arizona to protect
lands that are sacred to so many Tribes. My
Administration has also signed at least 20 new co-
stewardship agreements with Tribes, and we are working
on many more.
As we celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day, may we renew
the enduring soul of our Nation-to-Nation
relationships--a spirit of friendship, stewardship, and
respect.
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 October 9,
2023, as Indigenous Peoples' Day. I call upon the
people of the United States to observe this day with
appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also direct
that the flag of the United States be displayed on all
public buildings on the appointed day in honor of our
diverse history and the Indigenous peoples who
contribute to shaping this Nation.
[[Page 70575]]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
eighth.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2023-22667
Filed 10-11-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 12, 2023.
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