Congressman Tom Cole is proposing an investigation in the past history of the Indian boarding schools around the country. It passed through the House Education and Workforce Committee markup this week.
Cole says the bill, which is co-led with Congresswoman Sharice Davids, will investigate, document, and report on the histories of Indian boarding schools, Indian boarding school policies, and the long-term impacts of Indian boarding schools on Native American communities.
“Indian boarding schools have had devastating impacts on Native communities. Yet, for so many years, the true stories about what happened to these Native children are unknown. As an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and the longest-serving Native American in the House of Representatives, it is a priority of mine to properly represent our Indian communities in Congress. Therefore, I am committed to investigating the tragic abuses that occurred at these boarding schools and bringing light to this dark chapter in our nation’s history. This Commission will hopefully bring these communities one step closer to healing and peace for themselves, their families, and future generations, and I would like to thank Chairwoman Virginia Foxx for moving this bill through the legislative process,” said Cole.
