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7346111
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Remarks of the President upon signing a proclamation designating Native American Awareness Week, 1976 [Ford Speech or Statement]
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7346111
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document
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Remarks of the President upon signing a proclamation designating Native American Awareness Week, 1976 [Ford Speech or Statement]
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
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1976-10-08
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1976
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Digitized from Box 32 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 8, 1976
OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
(Lawton, Oklahoma)
THE WHITE HOUSE
REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT
UPON SIGNING A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING
NATIVE AMERICAN AWARENESS WEEK, 1976
THE MONTEGO BAY HOTEL
8:10 P.M. CDT
Before signing the Proclamation, I would like
to make some additional remarks.
I would like to say a few words about a very
important issue, No State in the Union has more
residents who are native Americans than the great State
of Oklahoma. No domestic matter has given me greater
pride than my Administration's record of turning about
the discrimination and neglect that all Indians faced
for so many years.
In January of 1975 I signed the Indian Self-
Determination Act, a magna carta for Indian people. Today
we recognize Indian tribal Governments, including those
in Oklahoma, as vital Government organizations in their
own right.
Just a week ago I signed the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act, which authorized significant improved
resources for Indian health delivery care.
I know you are very proudof the fine accredited
hospital here in Lawton, but many Indian hospitals are not
accredited. We must -- and we will -- bring them up to
standards.
In a few minutes I will sign a Presidential
Proclamation declaring October 10 to 16 as Native American
Awareness Week. The Administration support for Indian
programs is not just rhetoric. We back up our words with
action.
Eight years ago the Bureau of Indian Affairs --
its budget was $262 million. Today it is $777 million.
The Indian health budget was $113 million; today, $425
million. Our manpower training budget for Indian people
is four times bigger than it was only four years ago.
The record of support for Indian programs and for the
protection of Indian trust rights is clear and precise.
America wants those policies to continue, and I can assure
you that they will.
MORE
Page 2
Let me say to the Oklahoma delegation, and
Senator Paul Laxalt here from Nevada, as well as the
tribal leaders, and I am delighted to have the oppor-
tunity of participating with them in the signing of
this Proclamation.
There are about one million American Indian
citizens, and some may say this is a very small minority.
I count American Indian people, however, not in numbers
but in the honored place that they hold in our multi-
cultured society and in the future of our nation.
The 215 million of us are keenly concerned
with the one million. The welfare and the progress of
native Americans is high on the agenda of the American
conscience.
My Administration is equally determined that
history is going to continue to be changed, that the
Indian shall no longer be lowest in poverty and slimmest
in opportunity, and we are making those changes now.
I sign this Proclamation as a signal of that
determination and as an invitation to all of my fellow
citizens to reaffirm that our first Americans are among
America's most respected and honored citizens.
Thank you all very much.
END
(AT 8:10 P.M. CDT)