Bill to Help Preserve Native American Languages Clears Important Hurdle

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall welcomed passage in the Senate Indian Affairs Committee of the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Reauthorization Act of 2015 , a bipartisan bill he introduced with all of the other members of the N.M. congressional delegation -- U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and U.S. Reps. Steve Pearce, Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham -- to help protect and restore Native American languages and strengthen Native language education. The bill now must be considered by the full Senate.

Named for the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo master storyteller Esther Martinez, the bill amends the Native American Languages Act of 1990 to improve access to the Native American Languages Program and reauthorize it through 2020. The program provides grants to Native American language educational organizations to help them preserve disappearing Native languages in Indian Country.

"Esther Martinez was one of New Mexico's strongest advocates for preserving Native heritage and language, and I was pleased to join the Indian Affairs Committee in honoring her and recognizing this important issue by passing the legislation we introduced in her name," Udall said. "The Esther Martinez Native American Languages program supports the preservation of Native languages, and helps Native students deepen their connection to their culture and their communities. Native language education has been linked to higher academic achievement among Native youth. Reauthorizing this successful program is an important step toward ensuring all students in Indian Country receive an excellent education, and I will keep working to pass the bill through the full Senate."

Udall's bill includes improvements to the program based on recommendations from Tribes and the administration. It would reduce the size of classes that are eligible for grant funding, and it would allow grants to fund programs for longer periods - up to five years. For example, Native American language nests - which provide childcare and instruction for parents and children up to age 7 - would be eligible to receive grant funding for classes of five or more students (instead of 10 under the current law). And it would change the requirements for Native language survival schools, which aim to help students achieve Native language fluency and provide teacher training and development to support successful language learning. Such schools would be eligible for grants for classes of 10 or more students - rather than 15, as required by the current law.