That’s a suggestion Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, who first sponsored the Native American Apology resolution back in 2004 with then Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo. It took until last fall, however, to get the resolution passed. I’s since been signed by President Barack Obama.

Now, reports Indian Country Today’s Gale Courey Toensing, here, Brownback wants some public acknowledgment of the importance of the occasion. His remarks to Toensing came earlier this month during National Indian Gaming Association’s annual Indian Gaming Trade Show & Convention, where Brownback was a guest speaker.

“I’ve been pushing the administration to have a major public ceremony, but they aren’t taking it on yet,” he tells her:

Brownback hoped tribal leadership would put forward an effort in the form of resolutions from the National Congress of American Indians, the United South and Eastern Tribes and NIGA urging Obama to have “a very public ceremony, invite the tribal leadership to be there and then the country knows about it. We passed it, but nobody knows about it. It isn’t like it didn’t happen, because it did, but you need to bring the resolution to the country. The words have been stated and now it is law,” Brownback said.

In late February, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, urged Obama to publicly acknowledge the Native American Apology Resolution.

“This apology deserves national recognition and public acknowledgment. To give true hearing to the apology, we respectfully request that you hold a White House ceremony with tribal leaders to formally issue the apology to Native peoples. We also look forward to additional steps in an action plan that will help to right the past wrongs,” the FCNL said

A similar letter from NCAI is circulating, as well as one from Brownback and other lawmakers.

Gwen Florio

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