HR7325-119

What This Bill Does

The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026 creates a legislative-branch commission to investigate, document, and report on Indian boarding school policies in the United States and the long-term effects on Native American communities, Indian Tribes, survivors, families, and descendants. The bill defines the Commission, Indian boarding school policies, Indian Tribes, survivors, Native American communities, and related advisory bodies. The Commission is appointed from nominees and conducts a comprehensive interdisciplinary investigation into social, cultural, economic, emotional, and physical effects of boarding school policies. It is supported by a Survivors Truth and Healing Subcommittee, a Native American Truth and Healing Advisory Committee, and a Federal and Religious Truth and Healing Advisory Committee within the Department of the Interior. The bill clarifies that the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act applies to cultural items related to Indian boarding schools or policies regardless of a federal agency interpretation, allows federal agencies controlling boarding school cemeteries or sites to enter co-stewardship agreements, and states that the Act does not create a private right of action for administrative or judicial relief.

Who Benefits and How

Indian boarding school survivors, descendants, Native American communities, and Indian Tribes benefit from a formal federal process to document harms, collect testimony, examine records, and produce recommendations. The Survivors Truth and Healing Subcommittee gives survivors a dedicated voice in the investigation. Tribal governments and Native American organizations benefit from seats on advisory bodies and consultation over the Commission's work. Families seeking information about boarding school cemeteries, cultural items, or institutional records benefit from NAGPRA clarification and co-stewardship tools. Congress and the public benefit from a documented account of federal, religious, and institutional roles in Indian boarding school policies.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Commission, advisory committees, Interior Department, federal agencies, religious organizations, and institutions holding records must provide information, participate in hearings or consultation, and support investigation and reporting. Federal agencies that created or control boarding school cemeteries or sites may need to negotiate co-stewardship agreements. Museums and agencies holding cultural items must treat NAGPRA as applicable to boarding school-related items. The no-private-right-of-action clause limits survivors' and descendants' ability to use this Act itself as a litigation vehicle. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of the Commission and related committee work.

Key Provisions

• Creates a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the legislative branch.
• Requires a comprehensive investigation of the social, cultural, economic, emotional, and physical effects of Indian boarding school policies.
• Creates survivor, Native American, federal, and religious advisory bodies to support the Commission.
• Clarifies that NAGPRA applies to cultural items related to Indian boarding schools and policies.
• Allows co-stewardship agreements for boarding school cemeteries and sites while stating that the Act creates no private right of action.