A resolution recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States.

III 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 148 Recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 30, 2023 Mr. THUNE (for Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. BENNET, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Ms. CANTWELL, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. DAINES, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. HICKENLOOPER, Mr. HOEVEN, Mr. KAINE, Mr. KELLY, Mr. KING, Mr. LUJA´N, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. PADILLA, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. ROUNDS, Ms. SMITH, Mr. TESTER, Ms. WARREN, and Ms. HIRONO)) submitted the following reso- lution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of Amer- ican Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States. Whereas the United States celebrates National Women’s His- tory Month every March to recognize and honor the achievements of women throughout the history of the United States; Whereas an estimated 4,718,255 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women live in the United States; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •SRES 148 ATS Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women— (1) have helped shape the history of their commu- nities, Tribes, and the United States; (2) have fought to defend and protect the sovereign rights of Native Nations; and (3) have demonstrated resilience and courage in the face of a history of threatened existence, constant remov- als, and relocations; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women contribute to their communities, Tribes, and the United States through military service, public service, and work in many industries, including business, edu- cation, science, medicine, literature, and fine arts, includ- ing Pablita ‘‘Tse Tsan’’ Velarde, a Santa Clara Pueblo artist and painter whose art work depicted traditional Pueblo life and preserved Pueblo stories and knowledge, and whose paintings were commissioned for display at Bandelier National Monument; Whereas, as of 2023, more than 4,400 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women bravely serve as members of the United States Armed Forces; Whereas, as of 2023, more than 20,800 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women are veterans who have made lasting contributions to the United States military; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women broke down historical gender barriers to en- listment in the military, including— (1) Laura Beltz Wright, an Inupiat Eskimo sharp- shooter of the Alaska Territorial Guard during World War II; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •SRES 148 ATS (2) Minnie Spotted Wolf of the Blackfeet Tribe, the first Native American woman to enlist in the United States Marine Corps in 1943; and (3) Marcella LeBeau of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, a decorated veteran who served as an Army com- bat nurse during World War II and received the French Legion of Honour for her bravery and service; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States, including Lori Ann Piestewa, a member of the Hopi Tribe who was the first Native American woman to be killed in action while serving on foreign soil and the first woman in the United States military to be killed in the Iraq War in 2003; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have contributed to the economic development of Native Nations and the United States as a whole, in- cluding Elouise Cobell of the Blackfeet Tribe, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, who— (1) served as the treasurer of the Blackfeet Tribe; (2) founded the first Tribal-owned national bank; and (3) led the fight against Federal mismanagement of funds held in trust for more than 500,000 Native Ameri- cans; Whereas, as of 2020, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women own an estimated 161,500 busi- nesses; Whereas, as of 2020, Native women-owned businesses employ more than 61,000 workers and generate over $11,000,000,000 in revenues; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •SRES 148 ATS Whereas American Indian and Alaska Native women have opened an average of more than 17 new businesses each day since 2007; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have made significant contributions to the fields of medicine and health, including— (1) Susan La Flesche Picotte of the Omaha Tribe, who is widely acknowledged as the first Native American to earn a medical degree; and (2) Annie Dodge Wauneka of the Navajo Nation, who— (A) advocated for better public health, edu- cation, and living conditions on the Navajo Nation leading to her becoming 1 of the first female council members for the Navajo Nation in 1951; and (B) was the first Native American to receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have contributed to important scientific ad- vancements, including— (1) Floy Agnes Lee of the Santa Clara Pueblo, who— (A) worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II; and (B) pioneered research on radiation biology and cancer; (2) Native Hawaiian Isabella Kauakea Yau Yung Aiona Abbott, who— (A) was the first woman on the biological sciences faculty at Stanford University; and VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •SRES 148 ATS (B) in 1997, was awarded the Gilbert Morgan Smith medal, the highest award in marine botany from the National Academy of Sciences; and (3) Mary Golda Ross of the Cherokee Nation, who— (A) is considered the first Native American en- gineer of the National Aeronautics and Space Ad- ministration; (B) helped develop spacecrafts for the Gemini and Apollo space programs; and (C) was recognized by the Federal Government on the 2019 1 dollar coin honoring Native Ameri- cans and their contributions; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have achieved distinctive honors in the art of dance, including Maria Tallchief or Wa-Xthe-Thon-ba of the Osage Nation, who— (1) was the first major prima ballerina of the United States and was a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center; and (2) was recognized by the Federal Government on the 2023 1 dollar coin with her sister Marjorie Tallchief of the Osage Nation, Yvonne Chouteau of the Shawnee Tribe, Rosella Hightower of the Choctaw Nation, and Moscelyne Larkin of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Okla- homa and the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, col- lectively known as the ‘‘Five Moons’’, for the legacy they left on ballet; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have accomplished notable literary achieve- ments, including Northern Paiute author Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins, who wrote and published 1 of the VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 6 •SRES 148 ATS first Native American autobiographies in United States history in 1883; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have regularly led efforts to protect their tra- ditional ways of life and to revitalize and maintain Native cultures and languages, including— (1) Esther Martinez, a Tewa linguist and teacher who developed a Tewa dictionary and was credited with revitalizing the Tewa language; (2) Mary Kawena Pukui, a Native Hawaiian scholar who published more than 50 academic works and was considered the most noted Hawaiian translator of the 20th century; (3) Katie John, an Ahtna Athabascan of Mentasta Lake, who was the lead plaintiff in lawsuits that strengthened Native subsistence fishing rights in Alaska and who helped create the alphabet for the Ahtna lan- guage; and (4) Edith Kenao Kanaka‘ole, a Native Hawaiian lan- guage and cultural practitioner who— (A) founded her own hula school, Ha¯lau o Kekuhi; (B) helped develop some of the first courses in Hawaiian language and culture for public schools and colleges; and (C) was recognized by the Federal Government on the 2023 quarter honoring her significant con- tributions and accomplishments perpetuating Native Hawaiian culture and arts; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have excelled in athletic competition and cre- VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 7 •SRES 148 ATS ated opportunities for other female athletes within their sport, including Rell Kapoliokaehukai Sunn, who— (1) was ranked as longboard surfing champion of the world; and (2) co-founded the Women’s Professional Surfing Association in 1975, the first professional surfing tour for women; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have played a vital role in advancing civil rights, protecting human rights, advocating for land rights, and safeguarding the environment, including— (1) Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich, Tlingit, a member of the Lukaa.a´di clan in the Raven moiety with the Tlingit name of aagal.aat, who— (A) helped secure the passage of House Bill 14, commonly known as the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945 (H.B. 14, Laws of Alaska. 17th Regular Ses- sion, Territorial Legislature. Feb. 16, 1945), in the Alaska Territorial Legislature, the first anti-dis- crimination law in the United States; and (B) was recognized by the Federal Government on the 2020 1 dollar coin honoring Native Ameri- cans and their contributions; (2) Zitkala-Sa, a Yankton Dakota writer and advo- cate, whose work during the early 20th century helped advance the citizenship, voting, and land rights of Native Americans; and (3) Mary Jane Fate, of the Koyukon Athabascan vil- lage of Rampart, who— (A) was the first woman to chair the Alaska Federation of Natives; (B) was a founding member of the North Amer- ican Indian Women’s Association; and VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 8 •SRES 148 ATS (C) was an advocate for settlement of Indige- nous land claims in Alaska; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have succeeded as judges, attorneys, and legal advocates, including— (1) Eliza ‘‘Lyda’’ Conley, a Wyandot-American law- yer and the first Native woman admitted to argue a case before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1909; and (2) Emma Kailikapiolono Metcalf Beckley Nakuina, a Native Hawaiian who served as the first female judge in Hawaii; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women are dedicated public servants, holding impor- tant positions in the Federal judicial branch, the Federal executive branch, State governments, and local govern- ments; Whereas American Indian and Alaska Native women have served as remarkable Tribal councilwomen, Tribal court judges, and Tribal leaders, including Wilma Mankiller, who— (1) was the first woman elected to serve as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation; (2) fought for Tribal self-determination and the im- provement of the community infrastructure of her Tribe; and (3) was recognized by the Federal Government on the 2022 quarter honoring her legacy of leadership for Native people and women; Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women have also led Native peoples through notable acts of public service, including— VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 9 •SRES 148 ATS (1) Kaahumanu, who was the first Native Hawaiian woman to serve as regent of the Kingdom of Hawaii; and (2) Polly Cooper, of the Oneida Indian Nation, who— (A) walked from central New York to Valley Forge as part of a relief mission to provide food for the Army led by General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War; and (B) was recognized for her courage and gen- erosity by Martha Washington; Whereas the United States should continue to invest in the future of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women to address the barriers those women face, including— (1) access to justice; (2) access to health care; and (3) opportunities for educational and economic ad- vancement; and Whereas American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- ian women are the life givers, the culture bearers, and the caretakers of Native peoples who have made precious contributions, enriching the lives of all people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) celebrates and honors the successes of 2 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai- 3 ian women and the contributions those women have 4 made and continue to make to the United States; 5 and 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 10 •SRES 148 ATS (2) recognizes the importance of providing for 1 the safety, and upholding the interests of American 2 Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR148.ATS SR148 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB