U.S. Senate honors South Dakota's late Sen. Jim Abourezk
U.S. Senate honors South Dakota's late Sen. Jim Abourezk
Legendary politician died Feb. 24 on his 92nd birthday
Former U.S. Sen. Jim Abourezk was recognized on the floor of the U.S. Senate last week following the 92-year-old’s death in late February.
Republican Sens. Mike Rounds and John Thune carried Senate Resolution 110 to unanimous passage on the Senate floor on March 15, honoring the life and legacy of Abourezk, a Democrat who represented South Dakota in the Senate from 1973 to 1979 following a two-year term as a Congressman.
“The Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of James G. Abourezk, former member of the United States Senate and House of Representatives,” reads the resolution, which noted that Abourezk was the first Arab American to serve in the U.S. Senate.
NEWS: Jim Abourezk, brawler, maverick U.S. senator dies
Abourezk, who died Feb. 24 while in hospice care, also helped re-established the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate, serving as the first Chair of the Committee after re-establishment. He was known for his advocacy work for Native American communities following his retirement.
“[The Senate] honors the life and legacy of James G. Abourezk for his unwavering dedication to South Dakota as a public servant and his accomplishments in legislating with principle and dedication for the good of the people of the United States,” the resolution reads.
Jim didn't merely re-establish the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. He was the author and main proponent of the legislation that stopped Public Law 280, the law that systematically eliminated many Indian tribes from federal recognition. If that wasn't enough, he also authored and pushed through both the Indian Child Welfare Act (recently affirmed by the US Supreme Court) and the Indian Religious Freedom Act. His impact on the legal treatment of Native sovereign nations will be felt for centuries to come.