Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026

Summary

This bill would establish the "Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States" to investigate, document, and report on the histories and long-term effects of Indian boarding school policies in the United States. The key elements of the bill include:

Purpose

• Formally investigate and report on the histories of Indian boarding schools and policies, and their systematic and long-term effects on Native American peoples
• Develop recommendations for federal efforts based on the Commission's findings
• Promote healing for boarding school survivors, their descendants, and affected communities

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Truth and Healing Commission to carry out the investigation and reporting
• Creates a Survivors Truth and Healing Subcommittee to center the experiences of boarding school survivors
• Establishes two advisory committees - a Native American Truth and Healing Advisory Committee and a Federal and Religious Truth and Healing Advisory Committee
• Directs the Commission to use trauma-informed care practices in its work
• Includes provisions related to burial management and co-stewardship agreements for sites associated with boarding schools

Impact

• The Commission's work is intended to shed light on the extensive harms caused by the historical Indian boarding school system and policies
• The findings and recommendations are meant to guide federal efforts to address the legacies and ongoing impacts
• The process is designed to promote healing for boarding school survivors, their families, and Native American communities

Overall, this bill represents a substantial federal effort to confront and come to terms with the damaging history and consequences of the Indian boarding school system in the United States.