U & D

Do you know about S.1200 Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008? This Bill has passed the US Senate and is on its way to the House (which means it should get on the docket eventually…)

The major purpose of the Bill is the yearly renewal, for budgetary purposes, of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Amendments are, hopefully, to improve Indian Health Care. This particular version of carries an important Amendment, the first on the list:

S.Amdt.3893 – To acknowledge a long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the Federal Government regarding Indian tribes and offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States.

Both of Maine’s Senators voted in favor of the Bill. Senators Obama and McCain missed the vote. [Senator Obama has since spoken and written about the importance of the legislation].

There is more interesting language in the Bill as passed. I may be misreading what I have found online (at OpenCongress – you may need to set up a free account to view the Bill), but it looks to me like this is also part of the Bill:

(Sec. 301) Recognizes the relationship Indian Tribes have with the United States.
Honors Native Peoples for their stewardship and protection of land.
Recognizes that there have been years of official depredations, ill-conceived policies, and the breaking of covenants by the federal government regarding Indian Tribes.
Apologizes to all Native Peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by U.S. citizens.
Urges the President to acknowledge the wrongs of the United States against Indian Tribes.
Encourages state governments to work toward reconciling relationships with Indian Tribes.

It is time to write our Representatives, encouraging them to support the Bill, to bring it to the floor, and especially to support Amendment 3893. This would be a good activity for students – also meets MLR relating to participation in the Democratic process. Find a list of Maine’s Representatives at Member Search by State (when I tried it, the link to ME did not work – so you might have to scroll down). It does not look like the Bill is on the current list of “listed bills.” Hmm. Maybe students can make a difference before Election Day.