Support for indigenous languages

Press Release

The Native American Language Vitalization Act, which I introduced today, will help ensure Chamorro and Refaluwasch continue to be spoken by future generations in the Marianas. The bill, H.R. 4188, provides up to $20 million annually in grants to Pacific Islander-serving institutions, such as Northern Marianas College, as well as tribal colleges nationwide. Funds may be used to strengthen existing indigenous language programs or start new ones. Schools can also use the money for in-service training for language teachers, and to partner with other organizations to reach students from early childhood through grade 12. Keeping our languages alive is a goal I have worked on over the years with the Public School System, but we must do more at the college level, too, to foster the original languages of the Pacific, Alaska, and Native America.

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