Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail Feasibility Study

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I thank the majority for the bipartisan support on this good piece of legislation.

H.R. 810, authored by our colleague from Nebraska, Congressman Fortenberry, directs the Secretary of the Interior to study the feasibility of designating the Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail.

Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca Tribe is one of Nebraska's most important historical figures and is honored here in the Capitol as one of Nebraska's contributions to the National Statuary Hall Collection.

Chief Standing Bear led his people through a crisis that began with its displacement by droves of westward-bound settlers. The Ponca Tribe moved twice in search of new land but had no success. Finally, in 1877, the U.S. Government forced their relocation.

By 1878, when they reached their destination in Oklahoma's Indian Territory, starvation and disease had claimed almost a third of the Tribe. Among the dead was Bear Shield, the first son of Standing Bear.

Standing Bear's desire to honor his son's wish that he be buried in his Nebraska birthplace, at a time when Native Americans could not legally leave their reservations without government permission, led to the trial for which he is best remembered today. The case established that Native Americans were persons under the law and are entitled to the same rights as anyone else in the Nation. During that case, the words of Chief Standing Bear, pleading on behalf of his Tribe, moved the Nation.

The Chief Standing Bear Trail, extending approximately 550 miles from Nebraska to Oklahoma, follows the route taken by Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca people during Federal Indian removal. If supported by the study, any designation of the trail would require additional action from the Natural Resources Committee and the Congress.

Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry).

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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