Bill > HCR144

This Concurrent Resolution urges the United States Congress to hold a Congressional Oversight Hearing to investigate the State Historic Preservation Division, which has been criticized for underfunding, mismanagement, and failure to adequately protect historic properties and burial sites, particularly those of Native Hawaiians. The resolution also calls for amendments to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a federal law that governs the treatment of Native American human remains and cultural artifacts, to require "free, prior and informed consent" from Native American Indian Tribes, Alaska Native villages, and Native Hawaiian organizations before any development projects are approved that might impact their ancestral lands or cultural heritage. This means these indigenous groups must be fully informed about proposed projects and give their voluntary agreement before development can proceed, ensuring their rights and cultural preservation are respected.