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HJR 25-1019

Native American Veterans

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Judy Amabile and 93 co-sponsors

Colorado formally honors Native American veterans' service and commits to addressing disparities in care and access, guiding future actions for Indigenous veterans and communities.

Signed by the President of the Senate
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Bill Summary · HJR 25-1019

Summary — HJR25-1019: Native American Veterans

Status: Passed (House Feb 7, 2025; Senate Feb 11, 2025). Signed by the Speaker of the House (Feb 26, 2025) and the President of the Senate (Feb 27, 2025). Revised version filed Feb 11, 2025.

Purpose

House Joint Resolution 25-1019 is a formal legislative recognition honoring the historic and contemporary military service of Native American veterans. It acknowledges the disproportionate rates of service by Indigenous people, highlights specific historical contributions (including code talkers and service in major conflicts), recognizes harms inflicted by federal policies, and expresses the General Assembly’s commitment to addressing the unique hardships faced by Native American veterans, service members, and Gold Star families.

Key provisions / content

  • Offers an official statement of recognition and honor for Native American veterans’ sacrifices and contributions across U.S. conflicts (Revolutionary War through present).
  • Affirms that Colorado is on Indigenous lands (Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, Navajo) and acknowledges historical costs to Native peoples (cultural suppression, reservation confinement).
  • Documents historical facts and statistics cited in the resolution (examples include ~12,000 Native Americans in WWI; over one-third of able-bodied Native American men in WWII; ~42,000 in Vietnam; ~31,000 Native Americans/Alaska Natives currently on active duty).
  • Highlights roles such as Choctaw and Navajo Code Talkers and recognizes associated honors (e.g., Congressional Gold Medals).
  • Identifies ongoing disparities: higher rates of veteran homelessness and substance abuse, and limited access to culturally sensitive VA care in rural/tribal areas.
  • Expresses the General Assembly’s commitment to “addressing the unique hardships and inequities” faced by Native American veterans and supporting Indigenous communities that continue to serve.

Who is affected

  • Native American and Alaska Native veterans, active-duty service members, and Gold Star families.
  • Tribal communities within Colorado (explicitly naming Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, Navajo) and their affiliated organizations.
  • State agencies and policymakers — as recipients of the resolution’s call to action and potential future policy or program development.

Legislative sponsors & support

Primary sponsors include Representatives Monica Duran and Matt Ball and Senators Cleave Simpson and Larry Don Suckla, with broad bipartisan co-sponsorship across both chambers (extensive list included in the bill file).

Procedural / legal effect

  • HJR25-1019 is a joint resolution — a formal, non-binding legislative statement of recognition and intent. It does not itself create new legal rights, appropriations, or programmatic mandates.
  • The resolution may prompt awareness, guidance, or follow-up legislation or administrative actions aimed at veterans’ services, culturally competent care, outreach, or resource allocation.

Potential impact

Primarily symbolic and declaratory: strengthens official recognition of Native American military service in Colorado, raises public and policymaker attention to documented disparities, and may serve as a foundation for subsequent legislation or agency initiatives to improve veterans’ services for Indigenous communities.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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