25 U.S.C. § 2501 : US Code - Section 2501: Declaration of policy

Search 25 U.S.C. § 2501 : US Code - Section 2501: Declaration of policy

(a) Recognition
Congress recognizes that the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act [25 U.S.C. 450 et seq.], which was a
product of the legitimate aspirations and a recognition of the
inherent authority of Indian nations, was and is a crucial positive
step toward tribal and community control and that the United States
has an obligation to assure maximum Indian participation in the
direction of educational services so as to render the persons
administering such services and the services themselves more
responsive to the needs and desires of Indian communities.
(b) Commitment
Congress declares its commitment to the maintenance of the
Federal Government's unique and continuing trust relationship with
and responsibility to the Indian people for the education of Indian
children through the establishment of a meaningful Indian self-
determination policy for education that will deter further
perpetuation of Federal bureaucratic domination of programs.
(c) National goal
Congress declares that a national goal of the United States is to
provide the resources, processes, and structure that will enable
tribes and local communities to obtain the quantity and quality of
educational services and opportunities that will permit Indian
children -
(1) to compete and excel in areas of their choice; and
(2) to achieve the measure of self-determination essential to
their social and economic well-being.
(d) Educational needs
Congress affirms -
(1) true self-determination in any society of people is
dependent upon an educational process that will ensure the
development of qualified people to fulfill meaningful leadership
roles;
(2) that Indian people have special and unique educational
needs, including the need for programs to meet the linguistic and
cultural aspirations of Indian tribes and communities; and
(3) that those needs may best be met through a grant process.
(e) Federal relations
Congress declares a commitment to the policies described in this
section and support, to the full extent of congressional
responsibility, for Federal relations with the Indian nations.
(f) Termination
Congress repudiates and rejects House Concurrent Resolution 108
of the 83d Congress and any policy of unilateral termination of
Federal relations with any Indian nation.