Steve Daines: “Today I rise to congratulate Vance Home Gun, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes from Arlee…”

“Today I rise to congratulate Vance Home Gun, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes from Arlee, Montana. Vance was recently recognized as the 2013 Center for Native American Youth ``Champion of Change'' for his work to preserve the Salish language in his school and his community. I had the opportunity to meet with Vance just last night and learned more about the work he is doing on the Flathead Reservation. Vance was introduced to a Salish language camp by his aunt when he was just 11 years old and has been determined ever since to become a fluent speaker in his tribe's language. He has been working with tribal departments, organizations, and youth groups for the past 6 years to help preserve the Salish language. Vance teaches language classes at high schools and leads an organization that utilizes peer-to-peer methods to teach language and culture. I commend Vance for his commitment to preserving and increasing awareness of this important part of his tribe's culture and history, and I congratulate him on his well-deserved award. Vance Home Gun, well done. ____________________”