# 117-s-989: Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2022

117-s-989, Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2022, is a 117th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (D-HI); status became_law; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-01-05).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-s-989
- As of: 2026-01-05
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 117-s-989
- Congress: 117
- Title: Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2022
- Status: became_law
- Introduced: 2021-03-25
- Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (D-HI)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Native Americans
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-01-05

## Summary

**Native American language resource centers**. This law creates a Department of Education grant and contract program to establish centers that preserve, revitalize, and teach American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian languages across preschool through higher education. - Families and students gain expanded access to Native language courses, distance-learning materials, and programs that use Indigenous languages as a medium of instruction. - Teachers and programs get support for teacher preparation, professional development, and alternative certification pathways to teach in Native languages. - Tribal communities receive technical assistance, curated digital libraries limited to community-provided materials, and help with language reclamation and addressing past discrimination. - Institutions of higher education and consortia can receive grants or contracts to staff and operate these centers with experts and fluent speakers. *Authorizes $3.0 million per year in federal funding for the centers, creating a potential increase in federal spending of that amount.*

## Cosponsors (2)

- Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (D-MN), 2021-03-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] (R-AK), 2021-08-05T00:00:00.000Z

## Votes

| Date | Chamber | Question | Result | Yea | Nay |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2022-12-22T00:00:00.000Z | house | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass | Passed | 342 | 71 |

## Provisions PRIA read

- Funding for Native language centers: benefit, low. The law authorizes $3 million each year for the program. The money funds grants or contracts to eligible colleges and consortia that run the centers. Congress must appropriate the funds before they can be spent.
- More support for Native language learning: benefit, low. The Education Department funds college-run centers for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian languages. Centers help teach, learn, and revitalize these languages, and support language‑medium instruction from preschool through college and adult programs. They train teachers (including…

## Related bills

- 117-sres-845: A resolution recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and celebrating the heritages and cultures of Native Americans and the contributions of Native…
- 117-sres-748: A resolution honoring and celebrating the life and legacy of Representative Jackie Walorski.
- 117-s-4587: Benjamin Berell Ferencz Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 117-sres-621: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the late Senator Orrin G. Hatch.
- 117-sres-620: A resolution designating May 5, 2022, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls".
- 117-sres-593: A resolution relating to the death of Kaneaster Hodges, Jr., former United States Senator for the State of Arkansas.

## Sources
- [117-s-989 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/989)

## Related
- [117-sres-845: A resolution recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and celebratin…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-sres-845)
- [117-sres-748: A resolution honoring and celebrating the life and legacy of Representative Jac…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-sres-748)
- [117-s-4587: Benjamin Berell Ferencz Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-s-4587)
- [117-sres-621: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the late Senator Orrin G. Hatch.](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-sres-621)
- [117-sres-620: A resolution designating May 5, 2022, as the "National Day of Awareness for Mis…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-sres-620)
- [117-sres-593: A resolution relating to the death of Kaneaster Hodges, Jr., former United Stat…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-sres-593)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-s-989 (as of 2026-01-05).