Congressman Pearce's Resolution to Stop Illegal Sale of Tribal Items Passes House

Statement

Yesterday evening, the House passed H. Con Res. 122, the Protection of the Right of Tribes to Stop the Export of Cultural and Traditional Patrimony (PROTECT Patrimony) Resolution:

"Our history shapes our future and we must fight to preserve it. New Mexico is home to numerous tribal entities and their culture and religion are deeply embedded in what it means to be New Mexican. Not only must we honor this rich culture and history, we must fight to protect it by preventing the illegal theft and sale of tribal cultural items.

"These sacred items should not be for sale to the highest bidder. My resolution calls on the federal government to work with our nation's tribal entities to combat, on a global sale, the theft, illegal possession, transfer, sale, and export of these cultural items. We have a responsibility to put a stop to this practice and I thank all of my colleagues for supporting this effort, as well as the tribal leaders who have worked to bring awareness to this issue," said Congressman Pearce.

Source