{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-respect-act-signed-into-law", "Rounds\u2019 RESPECT Act Signed into Law", "2022-12-27", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "SD", "Mike Rounds", "R000605", "www.rounds.senate.gov", "rounds", "https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Mike Rounds\u2019 (R-S.D.) bipartisan legislation to repeal discriminatory federal laws targeting Native Americans was signed into law by the president today.\n\nThe Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes (RESPECT) Act will repeal 11 outdated federal laws, including laws that stripped Native American children from their families for the purpose of placing them in \u201cIndian reform schools,\u201d such as the now-infamous Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Rounds first introduced the RESPECT Act in 2016, and has led this legislation in each Congress since.\n\nA full list of laws the RESPECT Act will repeal is available HERE.\n\nThe RESPECT Act is supported by the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen\u2019s Association (GPTCA) and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI).\n\n\u201cI have worked on this common sense, bipartisan legislation since coming to the United States Senate, so I am pleased that it has been signed into law,\u201d said Rounds. \u201cIt\u2019s long overdue to remove these immoral, discriminatory federal laws from our books. Throughout history, Native Americans have been subjected to unfair treatment from our federal government, including the forced removal of their children from their homes. Clearly, there is no place in our legal code for such measures, and it is appalling these laws are still in our federal code. While we cannot rewrite the past, we need to acknowledge it and continue to strive for a more perfect Union.\u201d\n\n\u201cFirst, I\u2019d like to commend and thank Senator Rounds for his sincere intent in sponsoring this legislation,\u201d said J. Garret Renville, Chairman-elect of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. \u201cThe RESPECT Act is a first step in an attempt to better consult and coordinate with Tribal Nations. Historically and symbolically; it is my hope, that it represents a path to improving the long standing inequities in the relationship and dealings between sovereign people, their nations and the United States Government.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank Senator Rounds for spearheading this legislation,\u201d said Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Councilman Christian Skunk. \u201cThe RESPECT Act will ensure going forward the relationship between tribes and the federal government is mended. We know it\u2019s impossible to change the past, but we can choose how we proceed and the RESPECT Act is a step in the right direction.\u201d\n\n\"The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) applauds the passage and signing into law of the Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes Act,\u201d said NCAI President Fawn Sharp. \u201cWhile our history books often ignore the facts, it is no secret that for far too long the U.S. Congress has passed destructive and oppressive laws that by design diminished tribal sovereignty and our political standing of equity and parity with the federal government. This legislation is but one more step in a very long journey ahead toward achieving our vision for a real, just and meaningful government-to-government relationship between sovereign Tribal Nations and the United States.\"\n\n\u201cSenator Rounds\u2019 efforts to repeal these old laws, such as the law still on the books regarding Indian boarding schools that caused tremendous harm to indigenous communities, is a great step towards reconciliation with tribal nations,\u201d said Tamara St. John, archivist for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, who testified on behalf of this bill. \u201cI\u2019m excited to see the RESPECT Act signed into law causing the repeal of these eleven outdated and racist laws. Great work!\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) applauds the passage of the Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes Act and thanks Senator Mike Rounds for his stalwart leadership of this bill,\u201d said COLT Chairman Marvin Weatherwax (Blackfeet National Tribal Business Council). \u201cThe RESPECT Act modernizes federal law to remove inconsistent federal agency consultation policies with tribal nations and their citizens. This act is an important step to restore basic dignities of Native people and honoring the United States\u2019 solemn Trust and Treaty obligations and government-to-government relationship with tribal nations.\u201d\n\nSenators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) are cosponsors of this legislation.\n\nCompanion legislation was introduced in the House on May 12, 2021, by Representatives Tom O\u2019Halleran (D-Ariz.) and cosponsored by Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Tom Cole (R-Okla.).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-respect-act-signed-into-law"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1477300431579351, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}