Senate subcommittee advances bill to create Native American veterans memorial after testimony and amendment

A Minnesota Senate subcommittee voted to pass Senate File 2259, a bill to establish a Native American Veterans Memorial, and referred the bill to the Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development after testimony from Native American veterans and Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs staff.

The bill, described to the subcommittee as a measure to “honor and recognize the remarkable contributions of Native Americans serving in our military,” would convene a Native American Veterans Memorial advisory task force to develop design recommendations; the task force is described in the bill as 13 members and must make an artist selection under an oral amendment adopted during the hearing.

The measure attracted several testifiers who described high rates of military service among Native Americans, challenges in accessing veterans benefits, and the cultural importance of recognition. Brandon Elkayer, legislative director for the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and a U.S. Navy veteran, told the committee that Native Americans "serve at a rate of 19% per capita compared to the national average of 14% for all ethnic groups," and urged lawmakers to approve a memorial so "young Native Americans see their ancestors remembered with dignity." Eugene Standing Cloud, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and chair of a local veterans group in Red Lake, said tribes hold veterans "in the highest of regard" and said a state memorial would be meaningful: "miigwech, for that sacrifice."

Todd Dion, a tribal veteran service officer with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and a U.S. Army veteran, described outreach and treatment work his office has done, saying "the big word of trust" is essential when working with Native veterans and recounting a case in which outreach led to treatment and recovery for a Vietnam-era veteran.

Committee members asked for clarification of how the task force would be formed and funded. The bill specifies that the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs must convene the advisory task force and that the Commissioner of Administration would handle technical matters after the task force completes design and material recommendations. Committee discussion noted ambiguity in the bill about who would pay task-force member compensation; a nonpartisan staff member told the committee that the statute could specify a funding source if members wanted that made explicit. The bill sets a deadline for the first meeting to be convened by the Commissioner of Administration by October 2025.

Members also debated whether the task force should be required to make an artist selection. An oral amendment changing the language from "may" to "must" for an artist selection on page 1, line 21 was offered and accepted; the amendment was read into the record and adopted by voice vote.

Senators discussed that Native American veterans make up an estimated 1.3% of Minnesota's veteran population and that, according to testimony, fewer than half of eligible American Indian veterans apply for earned benefits. Committee members noted the memorial would be sited near the Veterans Service Building (discussed in committee as the Victor Veterans Building area) and that the advisory task force would have a role choosing artists and materials before the Department of Administration handles procurement and technical implementation.

After discussion and adoption of the oral amendment, the committee passed the bill as amended by voice vote and referred it to the Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development.

Votes at a glance

- Senate File 2259 (Native American Veterans Memorial): Passed as amended; referred to Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development; outcome recorded by voice vote, no roll-call tally provided. (Mover/second not specified in the transcript.)

Next steps

Committee members said the bill will be taken up in the referenced committee. The subcommittee chair also noted the Veterans Committee will meet again the following Wednesday for additional business.