National American Indian Heritage Month, 2004

Proclamation 7840 of November 4, 2004

National American Indian Heritage Month, 2004

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

As the first people to call our country home, American
Indians and Alaska Natives have a noble history in this
land and have long shaped our Nation. During National
American Indian Heritage Month, we celebrate our
commitment to respect and preserve the rich Native
American traditions and cultures.

The enduring experiences of tribal communities are a
cherished part of our national story. In September, I
was proud to meet with tribal leaders and celebrate the
opening of the Smithsonian Institution's National
Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall in
Washington, D.C. This new facility stands as a powerful
symbol of the pride and vitality of our Native Peoples.
The museum showcases masterworks of great cultural,
historical, and spiritual significance. Through
exhibits documenting past and present achievements and
hopes for the future, it will introduce generations of
visitors to the strong and living traditions of Native
Americans. As a center for scholarship and learning,
the National Museum of the American Indian will also
advance understanding of the diversity that makes our
Nation great.

My Administration is committed to helping Native
Americans as they build on their proud legacy. With the
funding of my 2005 budget, we will have provided the
Bureau of Indian Affairs with more than $1.1 billion
for school construction and repairs during the past 4
years. To improve education for American Indian and
Alaska Native children, I signed an executive order
establishing an Interagency Working Group to help
students meet the standards set by the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 in a manner that is consistent with
tribal traditions, languages, and cultures. By setting
standards for academic achievement and cultural
learning, Americans in all communities can help their
children realize a brighter future. I also signed an
executive memorandum to all Federal agencies affirming
the Federal Government's continuing commitment to
recognize tribal sovereignty and self-determination. As
they have in the past, tribal governments will maintain
jurisdiction over their lands, systems of self-
governance, and government-to-government relationships
with the United States.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim November 2004 as National
American Indian Heritage Month. I encourage all
Americans to commemorate this month with appropriate
programs and activities and to learn more about the
rich heritage of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand four, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.

(Presidential Sig.)B