WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, released the following statements on President Joe Biden’s formal apology for the federal government's former Indian Boarding School policies.
“For more than a century, the federal government’s Indian Boarding School policies and practices stole hundreds of thousands of Native children from their homes in an effort to destroy Native languages, cultures, and identities. It’s an unconscionable chapter in our nation’s history, with a lasting legacy that continues to affect communities today. President Biden’s formal apology is a significant step toward confronting the dark history of these policies. Now Congress must act – the federal government also has a solemn responsibility to chart a path toward healing. Earlier this year, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs advanced legislation to establish a federal commission to investigate, document, and acknowledge the historical injustices of the federal boarding school policies. Equally as important, the bill would provide crucial supports for survivors and their descendants. Passing this bill is a moral imperative, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to move quickly so we can begin to deliver the justice, closure, and support Native communities deserve,” said Chairman Schatz.
“I commend the President for his apology to all the survivors and Native communities which continue to be impacted by the tragic legacy of the Indian boarding school era. This acknowledgement of the pain and injustices inflicted upon Indigenous communities— while long overdue— is an extremely important step toward healing,” said Vice Chairman Murkowski. “These actions reinforce the importance of confronting this egregious chapter in history and strengthens my resolve to get my legislation to create a Truth and Healing Commission signed into law.”
