2012 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 12-1016 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Gerou, Becker, Levy, Barker, Brown, Coram, Ferrandino, Hamner, Holbert, Joshi, Kerr A., Kerr J., Massey, McNulty, Murray, Pace, Peniston, Priola, Schafer S., Solano, Stephens, Summers, Swerdfeger, Todd, Acree, Baumgardner, Bradford, Conti, Court, Duran, Fields, Fischer, Gardner B., Kagan, Kefalas, Labuda, Lee, Looper, McKinley, Nikkel, Pabon, Ryden, Scott, Singer, Sonnenberg, Soper, Swalm, Szabo, Tyler, Vaad, Vigil, Wilson, Young; also SENATOR(S) Hodge, Lambert, Steadman, Brophy, Cadman, Grantham, Roberts, Aguilar, Bacon, Boyd, Carroll, Foster, Giron, Guzman, Harvey, Heath, Hudak, Jahn, Johnston, King K., King S., Lundberg, Morse, Neville, Newell, Nicholson, Renfroe, Scheffel, Schwartz, Spence, Tochtrop, White, Williams S., Shaffer B. Concerning support for federal legislation (S. 484 and H.R. 3040) to reimburse Colorado for costs of federal mandates associated with the Fort Lewis College Native American Tuition Waiver Program. WHEREAS, In 1910, the United States Congress created a unique connection between Fort Lewis College and Indian Country by giving the State of Colorado title to the Fort Lewis Indian School, previously operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior, on the condition that the school be "held and maintained" by Colorado as a school where Indians are admitted "free of charge for tuition and on terms of equality with white pupils" (Appropriations Act of April 4, 1910, 36 Stat. 274); and WHEREAS, Today, Fort Lewis College is Colorado's public liberal arts college that has, for the past 100 years, provided a tuition-free education to qualifying American Indian and Alaska Native students and was the educational home to 860 American Indian and Alaska Native students from 138 tribes and many states in 2011; and WHEREAS, The State of Colorado has, for the past century, had the distinction of supporting one of only two colleges in the nation that offers to American Indian and Alaska Native students from any federally recognized tribe a tuition waiver and, in the fall of 2011, provided the tuition of 725 American Indian and Alaska Native students who are residents of 35 other states; and WHEREAS, Fort Lewis College awards more undergraduate degrees to American Indian and Alaska Native students than any other four-year institution in the nation, graduates approximately 16% of all American Indian and Alaska Native students nationally, and last year awarded 13.5% of all baccalaureate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees earned by American Indian people; and WHEREAS, The Fort Lewis College Native American Tuition Waiver Program has enabled American Indian and Alaska Native students to access top-quality educational opportunities and academic success, which they might not otherwise have been able to enjoy, and these many students have used this education provided to them for the betterment of their tribes and Indian Country as a whole; indeed, many of today's American Indian leaders are Fort Lewis College graduates or have Fort Lewis College students or alumni in their family; and WHEREAS, Proposed federal legislation, Senate Bill 484 and House of Representatives Bill 3040, would provide funding to help pay for the costs of the federally mandated Native American Tuition Waiver Program only for those American Indian and Alaska Native students who are not residents of the state in which their college is located; and WHEREAS, Nothing in Senate Bill 484 or House of Representatives Bill 3040 would relieve the State of Colorado of its responsibility to reimburse Fort Lewis College for tuition costs for those American Indian and Alaska Native students who are residents of Colorado nor for any tuition costs that exceed the proposed federal funding for American Indian and Alaska Native students who are not residents of Colorado; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-eighth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein: That, in order to properly and fairly support the Fort Lewis College Native American Tuition Waiver Program and to provide for the continued betterment of all American Indian and Alaska Native people, we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, hereby: (1) Encourage Congress to pass Senate Bill 484 and House of Representatives Bill 3040, which would assist the State of Colorado in funding its federal mandate to reimburse the Fort Lewis College Native American Tuition Waiver Program for tuition costs for out-of-state American Indian and Alaska Native students; and (2) Recognize the State of Colorado's responsibility to reimburse Fort Lewis College for tuition costs for those American Indian and Alaska Native students who are residents of the state. Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to the Honorable Ken Salazar, Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior; the Honorable Arne Duncan, Secretary of the United States Department of Education; Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Representative Ron Kline, Chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce; and to each member of Colorado's Congressional delegation. _________________________________________________________ Frank McNulty Brandon C. Shaffer SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Marilyn Eddins Cindi Markwell CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE