H.R. 5518 (101^st): Native American Language Act

8/3/1990--Introduced.

Native American Language Act - States that it is U.S. policy to: (1) promote the rights and freedom of Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American languages; (2) allow exceptions to teacher certification requirements for Federal or federally funded programs for instruction in such languages when such requirements hinder employment of qualified Native American language teachers and to encourage State and territorial governments to make similar exceptions; (3) encourage and support the use of such languages as a medium of educational instruction; (4) encourage State and local education programs to work with Native American parents, educators, and governing bodies to implement programs to put this policy into effect; (5) recognize the right of such bodies to use such languages as a medium of instruction in all schools funded by the Secretary of the Interior; (6) recognize the right of such bodies, States, and U.S. territories and possessions to take action on, and give official status to, their Native American languages for purposes of conducting their own business; and (7) encourage all appropriate institutions of elementary, secondary, and higher education to include such languages in their curricula and to grant the same full academic credit for competency in such languages as for foreign languages to fulfill foreign language entrance or degree requirements. Declares that the right of Native Americans to express themselves through their languages shall not be restricted in any public proceeding, including publicly supported education programs. Requires the President to direct Federal agency heads to: (1) evaluate their policies and procedures to determine and implement changes needed to bring them into compliance with this Act; and (2) evaluate the laws they administer and make recommendations to the President on amendments needed to bring such laws into compliance with this Act. Directs the President to report such recommendations to the Congress. Provides that this Act shall not be construed as precluding the use of Federal funds to teach English to Native Americans.