Whereas currently over 200 municipalities and 17 States celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday of October;

Whereas Columbus Day is a Federal holiday, established by order of President Roosevelt in 1937, and is officially recognized by some cities and States around the country on the second Monday of October;

Whereas Columbus Day does not currently provide an opportunity to reflect on the stories and perseverance of the Indigenous People of lands that are now part of the United States;

Whereas, prior to Western contact, Indigenous Peoples lived and flourished in the lands that are now part of the United States for thousands of years;

Whereas the Western contact of the lands that are now part of the United States led to the suppression, forced assimilation, and genocide of Indigenous Peoples and their cultures;

Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes and values the vast contributions made to the United States by Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, science, philosophy, arts, and culture;

Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes its responsibility to honor the history, traditions, and cultural contributions of the Indigenous Peoples of the United States; and

Whereas the second Monday in October would be an appropriate date to designate as Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Now, therefore, be it