S. 761 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Feb 26, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryCreates commission to investigate Indian boarding school policies
This bill sets up the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies, a group that will investigate what happened to American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children who were forcibly placed in boarding schools as part of past federal policies. The commission will examine the lasting impacts of these policies and develop recommendations on three main areas: protecting unmarked graves and the land around them, helping return remains and identifying which tribes the children came from, and preventing states and agencies from removing Native children from their families and communities today.
How it affects you
This primarily affects American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities and families whose ancestors were affected by boarding school policies, as well as those communities today. For these groups, the commission's work could lead to better protections for burial sites, help reunite remains with tribes, and potentially change how state agencies handle child welfare involving Native families. Most other Americans will not experience direct personal effects from this commission.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Feb 26, 2025)
Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2025
This bill establishes the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States within the legislative branch and sets forth its powers, duties, and membership.
Among other duties, the commission must investigate the impacts and ongoing effects of the Indian Boarding School Policies (federal policies under which American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children were forcibly removed from their family homes and placed in boarding schools).
Further, the commission must develop recommendations on ways to (1) protect unmarked graves and accompanying land protections; (2) support repatriation and identify the tribal nations from which children were taken; and (3) discontinue the removal of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children from their families and tribal communities by state social service departments, foster care agencies, and adoption agencies.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 761
A BILL
Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) · Introduced Feb 26, 2025 · Native Americans · 2 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jul 31, 2025: “Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 139.”
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 2 official versions.