[EDLING:218] US: Near Doubling of Native Language Program Funding

[Francis M. Hult]

Tanasi Journal

House Appropriations Subcommittee Recommends Near Doubling of Native Language 
Program Funding 


New funds targeted at Native American language nests, language survival 
schools, and language restoration programs.

The House Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House 
Appropriations Committee met Thursday, June 7, 2007, to mark up the FY 2008 
Labor, HHS appropriations bill. Included in the mark-up was an increase in 
funding for Native American Programs in HHS, from $44 million to $47 million, 
with the extra $3 million targeted at implementation of language immersion and 
restoration programs authorized by the recently passed Esther Martinez Native 
American Languages Preservation Act of 2006. 

Currently less than 10 percent of the ANA budget is spent on language programs, 
with only 1 percent spent on immersion programs. The new funds would increase 
total funding for ANA language programs from the current level of approximately 
$4 million to a new level of approximately $7 million.

This day may well mark the turning point in our efforts to halt the dramatic 
decline in Native languages and, indeed, to commence their revitalization,? 
said Ryan Wilson (Oglala Lakota), President of the

National Alliance to Save Native Languages. President Wilson added,

?Although the National Alliance sought a $10 million boost, this new funding 
will definitely jump-start a lot of critical programs and is a great increase 
in a tough budgetary environment.?

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