Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026
House Bill Would Create $90M Commission to Investigate Native American Boarding School Abuses
Legislative Progress
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.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
The commission's work will produce a comprehensive public record of Indian boarding school history, including recommendations for public awareness and education. The bill calls for coordination with the Smithsonian Institution and other organizations to promote public education about these policies and their lasting effects. This could lead to broader inclusion of this history in educational settings, helping students across the country learn about a part of American history that has often been overlooked.
Disabilities
State Impacts
Milestones
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.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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