WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper joined senate colleagues to introduce legislation to recognize the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The bill would replace any mention of “Columbus Day” in all federal laws and regulations with “Indigenous Peoples’ Day”.
“Each year, Indigenous People’s Day is an important, albeit painful, reminder – both of the rich cultures and varied histories of Tribes and of the terrible injustices they’ve suffered at the hands of the federal government,” said Hickenlooper. “Recognizing Indigenous People’s Day at the federal level is the next step in facing this painful past and moving forward together.”
In the Senate, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Martin Heinrich, Ben Ray Luján, Alex Padilla, Tina Smith, Tim Kaine, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley, Tammy Baldwin, Brian Schatz, Mazie Hirono, Bernie Sanders, and Cory Booker.
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