Executive Calendar

Floor Speech

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Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, I rise in support of S.1723, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act. I thank Senator Warren for her leadership on this issue and her efforts, along with those of Chairman Schatz, Vice Chairman Murkowski, and the Indian Affairs Committee, to pass this bill. I also want to thank the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition based in Minnesota for its work to raise awareness of Indian boarding school policies and the experiences of those harmed by them.

We know that between 1819 and 1969, Native American youth were forced against their will to attend Indian boarding schools across the country, including 21 in Minnesota. We know that these schools, of which there were hundreds, sought to strip these children of their Native identities, beliefs, and languages. And we know these schools subjected Native children to abuse and neglect. What we do not know is how many children were taken from their homes and families. And far too many families do not know what came of their children. For 150 years, countless voices have been silenced; countless stories have gone untold.

This bipartisan legislation is about telling those stories. It is about addressing and investigating the lasting harms these boarding schools caused for generation after generation of Native Americans. And it is about beginning the healing process for the descendants of the victims of the Indian boarding school policies.

Our Nation's strength comes from the diversity of our people, including our more than 10 million American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians in our country. Their cultures and traditions should be celebrated, not suppressed as the Indian boarding school policies sought to do.

The United States has a unique and sacred government-to-government relationship with Tribal nations that is deeply rooted in treaties, the law, and the Constitution. This relationship demands an unwavering Federal commitment to supporting the well-being of Native Americans. This legislation and the commission it would establish are critical steps toward fulfilling that commitment.

One of the Native philosophies that has always resonated with me is the belief that decisions are not made just for today, but for seven generations from now.

That is what this bill is: an investment in future generations. By putting us on a path to healing today, this legislation paves the way to a better tomorrow for Native families.

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