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                                                        <h1 class="title single-title">Senate Indian Affairs Committee Staff to Host Native Language Listening Session</h1>
                                                                                                                        
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                                                                        <span class="theauthor"> by <a rel="nofollow" href="http://nativenewsonline.net/author/staff/" title="Posts by Native News Online Staff">Native News Online Staff</a></span> /
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                                                                        <span class="thetime">16 Apr 2014<br>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i style="line-height: 1.5em;">“Preserving
 Native languages will strengthen Indian culture and increase student 
confidence.” – U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Chair, Senate Committee on 
Indian Affairs</i></div>

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<div><b>MISSOULA, MONTANA </b>– The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs 
will be hosting a public listening session on Native language 
revitalization in Indian country at the University of Montana on 
Thursday, April 17, 2014.</div>


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<div>Senior staff from the Committee will be present to listen and discuss
 how Native language instruction is helping children in tribal 
communities.</div>


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<div>The hearing comes on the heels of Chairman Senator Jon Tester’s 
introduction of the Native Language Immersion Student Achievement Act, 
which establishes a grant program to fund Native language programs 
throughout Indian country.</div>


<div id="attachment_6109" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://nativenewsonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/800px-PayneFamilyNAC.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6109" alt="Payne Family Native American Center - University of Montana" src="http://nativenewsonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/800px-PayneFamilyNAC-300x168.jpg" height="168" width="300"></a>
<div class="wp-caption-text">Payne Family Native American Center – University of Montana</div>
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<div>“We are racing against the clock to save and revitalize our sacred 
Native American languages,” Senator Tester commented. “Preserving Native
 languages will strengthen Indian culture and increase student 
confidence – leading to greater academic achievement and a stronger 
economy.”</div>


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<div><b>Committee staff will hear from a panel of experts and then take public comment. </b></div>


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<div><b>WHAT:</b></div>


<div>Listening Session on Native language revitalization in Indian country</div>


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<div><b>WHEN: </b></div>


<div>Thursday, April 17, 2014<br>

5:00 – 7:00 pm</div>


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<div><b>WHERE:</b></div>


<div>University of Montana<br>

Payne Family Native American Center<br>

Missoula, Montana</div>

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<div><font size="2">Local Contact:</font><br>



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<div>Rosalyn LaPier (Blackfeet/Métis)<br>

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<div>Faculty </div>


<div>Environmental Studies Program</div>


<div>Jeannette Rankin Hall, Rm. 016</div>


<div>University of Montana</div>


<div>Missoula, MT  59812</div>


<div>406-243-6787</div>

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