[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 29, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2772-H2773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H2772]]
                          CHIEF STANDING BEAR

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (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.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1043

       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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from West Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. RAHALL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. RAHALL. Chief Standing Bear, a member of the Ponca Tribe of 
Nebraska, stood against the grains of injustice in the name of his 
people. His valuable and historic contributions as a Native American 
leader would be further honored on the 100th anniversary of his death 
through this resolution.
  I would like to commend our colleague from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry) 
for sponsoring this resolution that is before us today.
  I urge my colleagues to support its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 1043 honors the life and legacy of Chief Standing Bear, a 
pioneer in civil rights for Native Americans. This resolution also 
commemorates the 100th anniversary of his death, and I ask my 
colleagues to join me in honoring Chief Standing Bear.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Nebraska, the sponsor of this bill, the 
author of this bill, Mr. Fortenberry.
  Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the 
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) for his assistance in 
bringing this important resolution to the floor, as well as the 
distinguished gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) for his assistance as 
well.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, a measure I 
introduced earlier this year to honor the life and legacy of Chief 
Standing Bear. His plea for justice and human decency challenged the 
heart of our Nation, yet his poignant story as one of America's 
earliest civil rights leaders remains largely unknown.
  2008 is the 100th anniversary of Chief Standing Bear's death. It is 
fitting that we honor this anniversary, that generations of Americans 
will know his life and his legacy.
  Standing Bear was born in the Niobrara River Valley, in what is now 
Nebraska, in 1834. An individual of exceptional talent and ability, he 
became chief of the Ponca Tribe at a young age. In 1877, the Ponca 
people were forced by treaty to relocate from their home in Nebraska to 
the Indian territory of Oklahoma. The hardship of this 500-mile journey 
on foot, illnesses, as well as the harsh living conditions in Oklahoma, 
caused the death of many members of the tribe, including Chief Standing 
Bear's son.
  Committed to a promise he made to his son to return him to their 
Niobrara homeland for burial, Chief Standing Bear left for Nebraska 
with all who would follow him. Upon their return, the Chief and 30 of 
his fellow Ponca Tribe members were arrested by the Department of 
Interior in Omaha.
  With the assistance of Omaha attorneys, John Webster and A.J. 
Poppleton, and frontier newsman, Thomas Tibbles, who worked for the 
predecessor to our current newspaper in Omaha, the Omaha World-Herald, 
Chief Standing Bear petitioned the Federal courts for relief from the 
unjust Federal treatment of the Ponca Tribe.
  In 1879, the case came before U.S. District Court Judge Elmer Dundy. 
At the conclusion of his testimony, Chief Standing Bear raised his hand 
and he spoke these words: ``That hand is not the color of yours,'' he 
said. ``But if I pierce it, I shall feel pain. If you pierce your hand, 
you will 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.''
  The wisdom and dignity in Standing Bear's words were not lost on 
Judge Dundy who ruled that Native Americans are, in fact, citizens 
endowed with all of the rights and all of the freedoms guaranteed by 
the United States Constitution. Through the steadfast efforts of Chief 
Standing Bear and caring Nebraskans, the Ponca won their freedom and 
the right to return to their Nebraska homeland on the Niobrara where 
Chief Standing Bear declared, ``Here we will live, and here we will 
die.''
  Chief Standing Bear would spend the next 4 years touring the United 
States advocating for Native Americans' civil rights and inspiring a 
generation. Then he returned to his home near the mouth of Niobrara, 
farmed his land, and died there a quarter century later in 1908.
  Mr. Speaker, the courage and determination of Chief Standing Bear 
have earned him a place in our civil rights history. His example is an 
inspiration for all those engaged in the advancement of civil rights, 
of human rights.
  I want to thank all of my colleagues in the House who have been 
supportive of bringing this resolution to the floor so that we can 
rightly honor this great man, Chief Standing Bear.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am 
prepared to yield back.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. I yield back my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. I yield back my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1043.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the

[[Page H2773]]

rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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