Cole’s bill would investigate reported abuses at Native American boarding schools

A bipartisan bill introduced this week by U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) would establish the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States.

If enacted, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2024, H.R. 7227, would authorize the commission to investigate, document, and report on the histories of Indian boarding schools, Indian boarding school policies, and long-term impacts on Native communities, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Cole’s staff.

“For too long, the stories of Native children stripped of their heritage, families, and lives were hidden,” said Rep. Cole, a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus. “We must bring the light of truth to this dark chapter in our nation’s history and establishing this commission is imperative to that.”

H.R. 7227, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS), also co-chair of the caucus and a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation in Wisconsin, is part of the lawmakers’ commitment to investigating reported abuses at these institutions, which are connected to an estimated 500 student deaths, according to a 2022 report issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

“It will provide needed answers and build a pathway to healing for survivors and tribal families,” Rep. Cole said on Feb. 6. “Turning acknowledgment into action will help ensure the harms of the past are never repeated.”

The measure also would develop recommendations for federal entities to aid in healing the historical and intergenerational trauma passed down in Native families and communities, and provide a forum for victims to speak about personal experiences tied to these human rights violations, the bill summary says.

“Establishing a Truth and Healing Commission would bring survivors, experts, federal partners, and tribal leaders to the table to fully investigate what happened to our relatives and work towards a brighter path for the next seven generations,” said Rep. Davids. 

H.R. 7227 has been endorsed by the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and the National Congress of American Indians.