Native American Language Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

23 October 1989

Last action

11 May 1990 · Referred

Status

Referred to the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary and Vocational Education.

Summary

Native American Language Act - States that it is U.S. policy to: (1) promote the rights and freedom of Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American languages; (2) allow exceptions to teacher certification requirements for Federal or federally funded programs for instruction in such languages when such requirements hinder employment of qualified Native American language teachers and to encourage State and territorial governments to make similar exceptions; (3) encourage and support the use of such languages as a medium of educational instruction; (4) encourage State and local education programs to work with Native American parents, educators, and governing bodies to implement programs to put this policy into effect; (5) recognize the right of such bodies to use such languages as a medium of instruction in all schools funded by the Secretary of the Interior; (6) recognize the right of such bodies, States, and U.S. territories and possessions to take action on, and give official status to, their Native American languages for purposes of conducting their own business; and (7) encourage all appropriate institutions of elementary, secondary, and higher education to include such languages in their curricula and to grant the same full academic credit for competency in such languages as for foreign languages to fulfill foreign language entrance or degree requirements. Prohibits States and U.S. territories or possessions from outlawing the use of such languages where spoken or within present or former Indian reservations. Requires the President to direct Federal agency heads to evaluate their: (1) policies and procedures to determine changes needed to bring such policies and procedures into compliance with this Act and to expedite such action to make the changes identified; (2) laws and make recommendations on amendments needed to bring such laws into compliance with this Act. Directs the Secretary to make such changes in the programs of all schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to incorporate Native American language programs within one year of the enactment of this Act.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

23 October 1989
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Source: IntroReferral
23 October 1989
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
14 November 1989
Reported
Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Source: Committee
7 March 1990
Calendars
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 476.
Source: Calendars
7 March 1990
Reported
Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported to Senate by Senator Inouye with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 101-250.
Source: Committee
7 March 1990
Reported
Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported to Senate by Senator Inouye with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 101-250.
Source: Committee
3 April 1990
Passed
Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
3 April 1990
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
4 April 1990
Introduced
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Source: IntroReferral
4 April 1990
Floor
Received in the House.
Source: Floor
11 May 1990
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary and Vocational Education.
Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Engrossed in Senate · — · Download file
Introduced in Senate · — · Download file
Referred in House · — · Download file
Reported to Senate · — · Download file

Documents

7 official files

Reported to Senate (text)

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Reported to Senate (text)
Reported to Senate · EN
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Referred in House (text)
Referred in House · EN
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Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN
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Engrossed in Senate (text)
Engrossed in Senate · EN
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Passed Senate amended
summary · EN · 3 April 1990
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Reported to Senate with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 7 March 1990
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Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 23 October 1989
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Related records

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Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/101st-congress/senate-bill/1781
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/101/s/1781
us · 101-s-1781 · source updated 21 July 2025