,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #abfd  ,,in ,,the ,,house    
,,of ,,representatives  ,december #ae1  
#bjbj,ms4 ,norton submitted the         
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,natural          
,resources  ,,resolution  ,recognizing  
that the land that is now known as the  
,united ,states of ,america was         
originally inhabited by ,indigenous     
peoples known as ,native ,americans1    
,native ,hawaiians1 and ,alaska         
,natives4  ,whereas a land              
acknowledgment is a formal statement    
that recognizes and respects ,indigenous
 peoples as the original and traditional
 stewards of a given geographic area and
 the enduring relationship that exists  
between ,indigenous peoples and their   
ancestral lands2 ,whereas a formal      
statement of a land acknowledgment is a 
proper method to recognize the          
traditions of ,indigenous peoples and   
ancestral land2 ,whereas a land         
acknowledgment is a practice that honors

 and respects contemporary ,indigenous  
peoples' connection to their ancestral  
lands2 ,whereas a land acknowledgment is
 an expression of gratitude and         
appreciation to ,tribes who first       
resided in this country2 ,whereas a land
 acknowledgment serves as a reminder and
 a reflection on the impacts of         
colonialism1 past and present2 ,whereas 
a land acknowledgment recognizes        
,indigenous peoples' voices that have   
been devalued in past contexts2 ,whereas
 a land acknowledgment is a way to show 
both gratitude and appreciation for     
those who were first on the land and    
encourages a broadening of awareness of 
,indigenous peoples2 and ,whereas it is 
encouraged that formal land             
acknowledgments be performed at         
introductions of public and ceremonial  
events3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the
 ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7      
honors the legacy of ,indigenous peoples
 who inhabited the land before the      
establishment of the ,united ,states of 

,america and continue to live in        
relationship with their ancestral       
homelands today1 and recognizes their   
significance and ongoing contributions  
to the ,united ,states2 and  7#b7 calls 
on ,state and local governments to      
encourage formal land acknowledgments1  
whether verbal or written1 before public
 or ceremonial events4