WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, American Indians/Alaska Natives/ Native Hawaiians serve at the highest per capita in the Armed Forces compared to any group of Americans, and have served with valor in all the Nation’s wars from the Revolutionary War through the present; and
WHEREAS, an overwhelming number of American Indians/Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians volunteered to serve in the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, there is a bronze statue commonly referred to as the “The Three Servicemen” which recognizes the contribution and sacrifice of the American Soldier, but does not acknowledge American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiians; and
WHEREAS, no statue exists on the National Mall in Washington DC that represents an American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian soldier; and
WHEREAS, American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiians have called for an effort to obtain Congressional authorization to build a statue on the Vietnam Memorial Walk on the National Mall in Washington DC that represents an American Indian; and
WHEREAS, the addition of the monument will recognize the contributions and sacrifices of the American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian during the Vietnam War.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NCAI supports the placement of a statue on the National Mall by the Vietnam Wall in Washington D.C. that honors American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Vietnam veterans; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2012 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at The Cornhusker Hotel from June 17-20, 2012 in Lincoln, Nebraska, with a quorum present.