Political Quotes

“I rise in strong support of this amendment introduced by my colleague, Congressman Don Young, to support Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian education. This amendment makes these worthwhile programs eligible for these education funds. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. For many years, Congressman Young has been a leader on issues of importance to the indigenous, aboriginal peoples of the United States. He understands that we have a special trust responsibility to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. The Native Hawaiian Education Act was enacted in 1988 and was last reauthorized in 2002 as a part of the No Child Left Behind Act. Native Hawaiians have historically experienced educational risk factors, such as high rates of poverty and low academic achievement. The modest appropriations provided under the Native Hawaiian Education Act have helped to improve educational opportunities for Native Hawaiian children and remain necessary in reversing low achievement trends. One of the successes of the program has been the flourishing of the Hawaiian language.”