Welcome to FCNL’s Native American Legislative Update! NALU is a monthly newsletter about FCNL’s Native American policy advocacy and ways for you to engage members of Congress.
Opportunities for Advocacy After August Recess
The Senate and House are in recess for August. Members of Congress have returned to their home districts to connect with constituents and prepare for the election season. We in DC welcome this break from the hectic summer season as we prepare to advocate when Congress reopens!
When Congress resumes in early September, we will begin the final advocacy sprint before the Nov. 5 elections. Congress will have an extremely limited time to work. It will be focusing on necessary legislation for government operations, such as appropriations, or funding bills. That means September is a key month for congressional advocacy!
This month, we’re highlighting the many opportunities for advocacy related to the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act (H.R. 5444, S. 1723).
On September 30, our friends in Canada will commemorate the Orange Shirt Day as the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, a federal holiday. In the US, it is only the Orange Shirt Day. Canada’s Indigenous advocates and their allies worked hard for the recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
In the United States, Orange Shirt Day serves as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to ensure truth and healing. Unlike Canada, the US government does not recognize the day as a holiday. It has not even apologized for the harms of the boarding school era.
Ways You Can Get Involved
1. Get Educated
Learn more about the history of Indian Boarding Schools through the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, FCNL’s key partner in this work.
You can reach out to your local meeting or yearly meeting to learn more about Quaker involvement in Indian Boarding Schools. Towards Right Relationships and Decolonizing Quakers have gathered much of this information.
You can track our journey by reading FCNL’s legislative ask and our regular blog posts. This monthly NALU newsletter will also help you keep abreast of Native American issues.
2. Reach out to your legislators
Congress must hear our voices in support of this bill. FCNL staff lobbying together with constituent advocacy can make real change on Capitol Hill. You can email and call your legislator through our website. Make sure you follow up with the office; consistent advocacy is key.
3. Organize your community
Now that you’ve acted, work with others in your community to fight for truth and healing. While we’re working on federal accountability, beginning the process in our own communities is key.
If your local meeting or church has not adopted a minute on Indian Boarding Schools, that’s a good place to start. You can drop by your legislator’s local office to share the importance of passing H.R. 5444 or S. 172. Or you can set up a meeting with local candidates running in November to discuss the legislation.
Every day without a Truth and Healing Commission is another day that the survivors of boarding schools and their communities are left without answers or acknowledgement for the suffering inflicted on them by the U.S. government.
September is crucial for grassroots advocacy in support of truth, justice, and healing.
