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Congress·In Committee·27 days ago

House Bill Would Create $90M Commission to Investigate Native American Boarding School Abuses

Also known as: Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill creates a national commission to investigate the history of government-funded boarding schools that Native American children were forced to attend. For decades, these schools tried to erase Native cultures and languages, often through physical and emotional abuse.
  • A group of survivors, experts, and tribal leaders will spend six years documenting what happened at these schools. They will listen to stories from survivors and their families to create a permanent record of the harm caused by these policies.
  • The commission will work to find and identify burial sites where children who died at these schools were buried. They will help families and tribes locate their missing relatives and coordinate how to properly honor or return their remains.
  • The government will provide $90 million to fund this work, which includes providing mental health support and specialized care for people sharing their painful experiences during the investigation.
  • The final goal is to give the President and Congress a list of recommendations on how the government can take responsibility and help Native communities heal from these long-term effects.
Civil RightsEducationHealthcare

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 3, 2026House

Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Feb 3, 2026

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Commission members must be appointed

Within 180 days of enactment, the 5-member commission would be seated, along with 15-member survivor subcommittee and 19-member advisory committee. This starts the clock on the investigation.

Related News

1 article
NonDoc·14 days ago

Cole leads bipartisan push to uncover history of Indian boarding schools

H.R. 7325, the 'Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026,' was reintroduced by Reps. Tom Cole and Sharice Davids. The bill aims to form a commission to investigate federal actions that forcibly enrolled nearly 86% of Indigenous children in boarding schools.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7325
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(9)
D: 1R: 8

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.