 Hello everyone, I'm Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior and proud member of the Pueblo of Laguna. It's an honor to be with you as we celebrate the release of the 1950 Census. To the staff and leadership of the National Archives, thank you for the work you did to make this event possible, and more importantly, thank you for keeping and managing the historical record of our country. It's an incredibly important job that helps all Americans live up to our responsibility of knowing our full history. The Census helps tell the story of America. It sheds light on who we are, the challenges we face, and over time has captured the changing face of America. Our government's foundations rely on the accurate representation of our people, and that makes our Census a pillar of our democracy. What many people don't know is that the Census is particularly important to Indian tribes because it helps decide federal funding, which then impacts the government's trust responsibility to native communities. In 1950, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which is under the Department of the Interior, helped with account on Indian reservations by helping train and assist enumerators. The Bureau also double-checked for accuracy of enumeration district maps. It's part of a long tradition of getting accurate counts in Indian country that we continue to work on today. A lot has changed in 72 years. We now have the Internet, cell phones, electric cars, and a more interconnected world than ever before. This release will shed light on how much our country has changed, and also will help tell the stories of the families and people who were alive during that window of time. What remains the same is how vital this information is. I want to thank everyone who played a role in this release and appreciate the opportunities to recognize the Bureau of Indian Affairs' contribution to the 1950 count. Thank you and enjoy the celebration.