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SAFEGUARD TRIBAL OBJECTS OF PATRIMONY ACT OF 2021
______
speech of
HON. ED CASE
of hawaii
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 2930, the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony (STOP) Act, which I cosponsored, especially as it ensures we fully include Native Hawaiians in all aspects of cultural heritage repatriation.
The STOP Act reauthorizes and makes important improvements to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) to protect the cultural patrimony of our Indigenous communities, including Native Hawaiians, the indigenous peoples of our country who originate in Hawaii. This bipartisan effort, spearheaded by Chair Teresa Leger Fernandez and Ranking Member Don Young of our House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples, on which I also serve, will assist our efforts to ensure the survival of Native artifacts for generations to come.
I also wish to memorialize for the record our committee discussions assuring that Native Hawaiians are directly involved in all cultural heritage repatriation processes mandated by Congress under NAGPRA, including full and direct presence on the NAGPRA Review Committee.
Religious practices of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians are an integral part of their culture, tradition and heritage. They also serve as a basis of Native identity and value systems. Congress has established a long-standing policy under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA) of 1978 (Pub. L. No. 95-
341) and other legislation (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1996) to protect and preserve the inherent right of freedom to believe, express and exercise the traditional religions of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.
Under NAGPRA, a review committee that consists of seven members is appointed by the Secretary of the Interior and tasked with several responsibilities, including consultation with Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, working with the Secretary to develop regulations to carry out NAGPRA and making recommendations regarding future care of repatriated cultural items. At least two of these members must be traditional Indian religious leaders. The use of
``traditional Indian religious leader'' in NAGPRA (25 U.S.C. 3006) is consistent with the policy described in AIRFA (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1996) and includes and should continue to include all traditional Native American religious leaders, including Native Hawaiians, as defined by the term
``Native American'' found at 25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001.
Ensuring the eligibility of any American Indian, Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian traditional religious leader to be nominated to serve on the NAGPRA Review Committee is critical to full implementation of the letter and spirit of NAGPRA and the preservation and safe return of our precious indigenous cultural heritage.
Mahalo.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 208
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