WMAL NEWS
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced a bill on Monday that would formally recognize that Native Americans were the original inhabitants of the country.
The legislation would “call on state and local governments to encourage formal land acknowledgments before public or ceremonial events.”
Norton said she is the first member of Congress to introduce this kind of resolution.
“It’s past time for Congress to acknowledge that the land comprising our country was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples known as Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives,” Norton said. “This formal statement recognizes that Indigenous peoples are the original and traditional stewards of a given geographic area, and I hope to convey honor and respect for their connection to their ancestral lands.”
The article specifically refers to Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives as the original inhabitants of the U.S.
You can read the full resolution here.
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