Russell Begaye: “Pollen from corn is sacred to us. It is used for early morning prayers.”

For these reasons, we strongly advocate that the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act be reauthorized at the proposed $13 million levels for each fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

We respectfully, yet strongly, urge you to reject these proposals and maintain full funding for the Community Health Representative and Health Education programs in the fiscal year 2019 budget.

I am here because 150 years later we must continue to fight to honor our treaty, our landscape, and our cultural patrimony for future generations.

The bill stifles the tribal voice in monument management, and the bill eliminates protection for our cultural patrimony.