[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1043 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1043

Honoring the life and legacy of Chief Standing Bear, a pioneer in civil 
rights for Native Americans, on the 100th anniversary of Chief Standing 
                             Bear's death.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 12, 2008

  Mr. Fortenberry (for himself, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. 
 Wamp, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Jones of North Carolina, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, 
Mr. Moran of Kansas, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Walz of Minnesota, Mr. Braley of 
   Iowa, Mr. Heller of Nevada, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. McCaul of Texas, Mr. 
 Buchanan, Mr. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. 
Kind, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Lewis of Kentucky, Mr. Scott of Georgia, Mr. 
Kuhl of New York, Mr. Burgess, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Issa, Mr. McCotter, 
    Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. McMorris Rodgers, Mr. Cole of Oklahoma, Mr. 
Gilchrest, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Inglis of South Carolina, Mr. Welch of 
Vermont, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Walden of Oregon, Mr. Pitts, Mr. 
Barrett of South Carolina, Mr. Kingston, Mr. Ramstad, Mr. Rehberg, Mr. 
Alexander, Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Shuler, Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia, 
 Mr. Boren, and Mr. Waxman) submitted the following resolution; which 
           was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the life and legacy of Chief Standing Bear, a pioneer in civil 
rights for Native Americans, on the 100th anniversary of Chief Standing 
                             Bear's death.

Whereas Chief Standing Bear was born on Ponca land in what is now Nebraska;
Whereas Chief Standing Bear became chief of the Ponca Tribe at a young age 
        because of his leadership abilities;
Whereas, in 1878, Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca Tribe were forced by a 
        Federal treaty to leave their home for Indian Territory in what is now 
        Oklahoma;
Whereas the hardship of travel, illness, and the inhospitable conditions of 
        Indian Territory caused many members of the tribe to perish including 
        Chief Standing Bear's son;
Whereas Chief Standing Bear, determined to bury his son in his homeland, led 30 
        members of his tribe back to their home in Nebraska;
Whereas Chief Standing Bear and the 30 members of his tribe were arrested by the 
        Department of the Interior upon their return;
Whereas Chief Standing Bear enlisted the help of Thomas Tibbles of the 
        predecessor to the Omaha World-Herald and 2 attorneys to petition the 
        Federal court to rule on the Ponca Tribe's treatment by the Government;
Whereas, in 1879, the case came before Judge Elmer Dundy;
Whereas Chief Standing Bear, at the conclusion of the court proceedings, 
        extended his hand as he took the oath and said, ``That hand is not the 
        color of yours, but if I pierce it, I shall feel pain. If you pierce 
        your hand, you also feel pain. The blood that will flow from mine will 
        be the same color as yours. I am a man. God made us both'';
Whereas as Judge Dundy ultimately ruled that Native Americans were citizens with 
        all of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution;
Whereas the Ponca won their freedom and eventually were able to return to their 
        home in Nebraska;
Whereas Chief Standing Bear would spend the next 4 years touring the Eastern 
        United States promoting Native American rights;
Whereas Chief Standing Bear demonstrated the highest level of courage and 
        determination;
Whereas Chief Standing Bear made a vital contribution to civil rights for Native 
        Americans; and
Whereas 2008 is the 100th anniversary of Chief Standing Bear's death: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the life, 
legacy, and contributions to civil rights of Chief Standing Bear.
                                 <all>