S761-119

What This Bill Does

The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act creates a legislative-branch commission to investigate and report on the histories and long-term effects of federal Indian boarding school laws, policies, and practices on Native American peoples. It defines Indian boarding school policies to include forced removal, abuse, and identity-altering practices meant to terminate Native languages, cultures, religions, social organizations, and ties to traditional land. The bill creates a Survivors Truth and Healing Subcommittee, a Native American Truth and Healing Advisory Committee, and a Federal and Religious Truth and Healing Advisory Committee, directs the commission to gather records and testimony, develop recommendations for federal efforts, promote survivor and community healing, clarifies NAGPRA coverage for boarding-school cultural items, authorizes co-stewardship agreements for cemeteries and remains, and states that it creates no private right of action.

Who Benefits and How

Indian boarding school survivors benefit because the commission centers survivor testimony, trauma-informed care, and healing recommendations. Descendants and Native communities benefit from formal investigation of cultural, emotional, physical, economic, and intergenerational harms. Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs benefit from nomination roles and advisory-committee participation. Researchers, archivists, and historians benefit from a federal process to collect, document, and report boarding-school records and histories. Families seeking cultural items or cemetery information benefit from NAGPRA clarification and co-stewardship tools.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The commission must conduct a comprehensive interdisciplinary investigation and produce findings and recommendations. The Interior Secretary must collect nominations and support federal participation in the commission structure. Federal agencies, religious institutions, and other record holders may need to provide records, testimony, and cooperation. Advisory committee and subcommittee members must participate in culturally appropriate, trauma-informed review processes. Federal agencies that created or control boarding-school cemeteries must consider co-stewardship agreements and related responsibilities.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the legislative branch.
• Creates survivor, Native American, and Federal and Religious advisory structures for investigation and recommendations.
• Requires investigation of boarding-school histories, policies, harms, records, and long-term effects on Native American peoples.
• Clarifies that NAGPRA applies to cultural items relating to Indian boarding schools.
• Authorizes co-stewardship agreements for cemeteries and remains while providing that the Act creates no private right of action.