<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"><DIV> <DIV><SPAN class="335403801-08122006"><FONT face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">You may not have seen the latest news release but the language bill passed in the Senate<SPAN class="470024601-08122006"> Dec. 6 </SPAN> and is on the way to the President for signature. He has 10 days <SPAN class="470024601-08122006"> once it is received in the White House </SPAN>to sign or veto so it is important to contact/write the White House. There is no time to write so you need to call, email, or fax the White House.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class="335403801-08122006"><FONT face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class="335403801-08122006"><FONT face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"><STRONG><FONT color="#003399" size="4">Contacting the White House </FONT></STRONG><BR> <TABLE> <TBODY><TR><TD valign="top" colspan="2"><BR><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#003399" size="2"><B>Mailing Address </B></FONT><BR><BR><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif" size="2">The White House<BR>1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW<BR>Washington, DC 20500 <BR><BR></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD width="275"><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#003399" size="2"><B>Phone Numbers </B></FONT><BR><BR><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif" size="2">Comments: 202-456-1111<BR>Switchboard: 202-456-1414 <BR>FAX: 202-456-2461<BR><BR></FONT></TD><TD valign="top"><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#003399" size="2"><B>TTY/TDD</B></FONT> <BR><BR><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif" size="2">Comments: 202-456-6213<BR>Visitors Office: 202-456-2121</FONT> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#003399" size="2"><B>E-Mail </B></FONT><P>Please send your comments to <A href="mailto:comments@whitehouse.gov">comments@whitehouse.gov</A>. Due to the large volume of e-mail received, the White House cannot respond to every message. For further up-to-date information on Presidential initiatives, current events, and topics of interest to you, please continue to use the White House website. <BR><BR><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif" size="2">Vice President Richard Cheney: <A href="mailto:vice_president@whitehouse.gov">vice_president@whitehouse.gov</A></FONT> </P></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class="335403801-08122006"><FONT face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class="335403801-08122006"><FONT face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class="335403801-08122006"><FONT face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class="335403801-08122006"><FONT face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class="335403801-08122006"><FONT face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">From NIEA:</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class="335403801-08122006">National Indian Education Association<BR>110 Maryland Avenue, N.E.<BR>Suite 104<BR>Washington, D.C. 20002<BR>P: (202) 544-7290 / F: (202) 544-7293 <BR><BR>December 7, 2006<BR>Broadcast #06-070<BR><BR>H.R. 4766 is on the way to the President for signature!!!! <BR><BR>Last night (December 6th) at approximately 8:45pm, the Senate passed H.R. 4766, the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Act of 2006, by unanimous consent</SPAN></DIV><BLOCKQUOTE dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV id="AOLMsgPart_0_e7cf7035-6869-4c64-88a3-33034cddb5bb"><DIV><BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #a0c6e5 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: tahoma,sans-serif"><BR><BR> <CENTER> <TABLE cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" border="0"> <TBODY><TR><TD colspan="3"><A href="http://www.niea.org/" target="_blank"><IMG src="http://www.niea.org/images/emailblast/header.jpg" border="0" nosend="1"></A></TD></TR><TR><TD bgcolor="#ede2c2"></TD><TD bgcolor="#ede2c2"><BR><BR>National Indian Education Association<BR>110 Maryland Avenue, N.E.<BR>Suite 104<BR>Washington, D.C. 20002<BR>P: (202) 544-7290 / F: (202) 544-7293 <BR><BR>November 30, 2006<BR>Broadcast #06-068<BR><BR><B>ACTION ALERT ON H.R. 4766, THE ESTHER MARTINEZ NATIVE LANGUAGES PRESERVATION ACT OF 2006- CALLING ON HELP FROM OKLAHOMA</B> <BR><BR>NIEA is still working hard to pass the H.R. 4766, the Esther Martinez Native Languages Preservation Act of 2006 during the lame duck session. When Congress returned from the election recess, NIEA and Native American Code Talkers Samuel Tso (Navajo), Keith Little (Navajo) and Merrill Sandovil (Navajo) met with several Senate offices to discuss H.R.4766 and request removal of the current hold placed on the bill. We are asking for your help, particularly tribes, schools, educational groups, and religious organizations in Oklahoma to weigh in with Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) expressing your support of H.R. 4766 and requesting him to lift his hold. Congress will return from their Thanksgiving break on December 4th and are expected to adjourn for the year the same week so there is little time left to pass H..R. 4766 this session. <BR><BR>H.R. 4766 is a House bill that was introduced by Representatives Heather Wilson (R-NM) and Rick Renzi (R-AZ). Before Congress recessed at the end of September, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4766 on suspension on a bi-partisan basis. If Senator Coburn lifts his hold, then the Senate can pass the bill on the unanimous consent calendar when it re-convenes next week to wrap up its legislative business for the 109th Congress. <BR><BR>Essentially, H.R. 4766 would provide assistance to on-going heritage language restoration efforts through a current authorized discretionary Native language grant program at the Administration for Native Americans at the Department of Health and Human Services. This bill is needed to provide a focus on grants that help create Native language fluency as opposed to other kinds of language grants. The bill does not create a new program. Instead, it simply varies the uses of grant funds in a current program. Further, the bill does not alter English proficiency requirements contained in current law. Instead, the bill simply provides additional opportunities to preserve Native languages. <BR><BR>Please find below below a sample letter to send to Senator Coburn. <BR><BR>Senator Coburn’s office phone number is (202) 224-5754 and fax number is (202) 224-6008. Please fax a copy of any letters sent to (202)544-7293 so that NIEA can keep track of them. <BR><BR>November________, 2006 <BR><BR>The Honorable Tom Coburn, M.D. United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 <BR><BR>Dear Senator Coburn: <BR><BR>I am writing to urge your support for Senate passage during the lame duck session of H.R. 4766. This legislation, which would amend an existing Federal Native language program to provide a broader range of language training options, passed the House on the suspension calendar and is under consideration for passage by unanimous consent in the Senate. We understand that you have raised concerns about the bill. <BR><BR>Native languages are not spoken anywhere else in the world; and, if they are not preserved, then they will disappear forever. Unfortunately, Native American languages are disappearing at an alarming rate. Language scholars estimate that there were approximately 300 languages spoken in North America prior to the arrival of Columbus. Some project that only 20 indigenous languages will remain viable by the year 2050. <BR><BR>H.R. 4766 would help to preserve Native languages by allowing for increased opportunities for students, both young and old and Native and non-Native, to learn a Native language. The federal government should support the preservation of Native languages. After all, Native languages are one of the treasures of this country’s heritage and history. Native American languages have contributed to the rich fabric of what makes our country so great. For example, many states, cities, towns, streets, rivers, and other geographical places in our country are Native words. It would be a shame to continue to lose the languages from where these words are derived. <BR><BR>Also, another reason that the federal government should play a role in preserving Native languages is due to the federal government’s much-criticized assimilation policies in the 1950’s and 1960’s, which is one of the main reasons that Native American languages are dying out. During that time, the federal government followed a policy to eradicate Native languages by harshly forbidding the speaking of Native languages at Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. The architect of this policy summed up the policy as “Kill the Indian . . . and save the man.” Now these children are adults and have not taught their children their Native languages, given their experiences at these schools. <BR><BR>It is well-proven that individuals who participate in programs such as those provided for in H.R. 4766 realize many positive gains from learning a new language. Further, in learning a Native language, these individuals learn about the history of the community in which they live and gain a better appreciation for it. <BR><BR>I urge you to work for quick passage of this legislation in the lame duck session of the 109th Congress. Thank you for your consideration of this request. <BR><BR>Sincerely, <BR><BR>---------------------------------------<BR>If you would like to be removed from our list-serve, please send your request to <A href="javascript:parent.ComposeTo('niea@niea.org', '');">niea@niea.org</A>.<BR><BR></TD><TD bgcolor="#ede2c2"></TD></TR><TR><TD colspan="3"><A href="http://www.niea.org/" target="_blank"><IMG src="http://www.niea.org/images/emailblast/footer.jpg" border="0" nosend="1"></A></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></DIV> <DIV class="AOLPromoFooter"> <HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"> <A href="http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615326657x4311227241x4298082137/aol?redir=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eaol%2Ecom%2Fnewaol" target="_blank"><B>Check out the new AOL</B></A>. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>