Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Chair of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, today released the following statement after reports that President Biden will issue a presidential apology for the Federal Indian Boarding School era and the pain it inflicted on Native American children and Tribal communities for generations:
“The Federal Indian Boarding School era was a shameful, dark chapter in American history. A presidential apology is an important step toward repairing the harm and acknowledging the ongoing, generational trauma caused by these historic wrongs to Tribes who have lived on this land since time immemorial.
“The government’s actions tore children from their families and communities and removed them from their culture. We need to learn from the mistakes of the past and continually consult Tribal communities to fully repair this lasting, generational damage. As Chair of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I have secured $21 million to date for Interior Secretary Haaland’s Indian Boarding School Initiative to examine and help repair these devastating, historic wrongs. I’ll keep fighting to secure funding for this important initiative and to uphold our commitment to honoring the solemn promise that the United States has made to Tribal communities to fulfill our trust and treaty obligations.”
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