Senator Mike Rounds
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has unanimously passed what’s called the RESPECT ACT – it stands for Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes. US Senator Mike Rounds says the RESPECT Act repeals 11 archaic laws that discriminate against Native Americans. For example, laws that removed Native American children from their homes and placed in boarding schools to be taught western civilization.
Rounds is a sitting member on the Indian Affairs Committee. He says even though these laws are no longer enforced, it’s time to acknowledge the historical Injustices.
“Throughout history Native Americans have been subjected to federal laws that are offensive, immoral and outright racist. In many cases these laws are more than a century old and do nothing but continue the stigma of subjugation and fraternalism from that time period. Clearly there is no place in our legal code for such laws. The idea that these 11 laws and the RESPECT Act were ever considered is disturbing, but the fact that these laws remain in our books it at best an oversight.”
In 1924, Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act granting citizenship and the right for first peoples of North America to vote.
The RESPECT Act is supported by the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association and the National Congress of American Indians.