[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H2487-H2488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CHIEF STANDING BEAR NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL FEASIBILITY STUDY
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 984) to amend the National Trails System Act to direct
the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of
designating the Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail, and for
other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 984
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CHIEF STANDING BEAR NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL
FEASIBILITY STUDY.
Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C.
1244(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(46) Chief standing bear national historic trail.--
``(A) In general.--The Chief Standing Bear Trail, extending
approximately 550 miles from Niobrara, Nebraska, to Ponca
City, Oklahoma, which follows the route taken by Chief
Standing Bear and the Ponca people during Federal Indian
removal, and approximately 550 miles from Ponca City,
Oklahoma, through Omaha, Nebraska, to Niobrara, Nebraska,
which follows the return route taken by Chief Standing Bear
and the Ponca people, as generally depicted on the map
entitled `Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail
Feasibility Study', numbered 903/125,630, and dated November
2014.
``(B) Availability of map.--The map described in
subparagraph (A) shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the appropriate offices of the Department of
the Interior.
``(C) Components.--The feasibility study conducted under
subparagraph (A) shall include a determination on whether the
Chief Standing Bear Trail meets the criteria described in
subsection (b) for designation as a national historic trail.
``(D) Considerations.--In conducting the feasibility study
under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of the Interior shall
consider input from owners of private land within or adjacent
to the study area.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Bishop) and the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.
General Leave
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Utah?
There was no objection.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman
from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry), the sponsor of this piece of
legislation.
Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the distinguished
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop), the chairman of the House Committee
on Natural Resources, and the distinguished gentleman from Arizona (Mr.
Grijalva), who is the ranking member on the committee, as well as the
distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock), the chairman
of the Federal Lands Subcommittee, and the distinguished gentlewoman
from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas), the ranking member on the
subcommittee, for their outstanding work and help to me in bringing
this legislation to the floor.
This is important. This legislation directs the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct a feasibility study for the Chief Standing Bear
National Historic Trail.
Now, Chief Standing Bear holds a very special place in Native
American and U.S. history. Establishing a trail in his name would be an
outstanding way to recognize his contributions to our great land. I
would like to provide some additional background on this extraordinary
individual, who prevailed in one of the most important court cases for
Native Americans in our country's history.
Chief Standing Bear was a Ponca chief. In the 1800s, the Ponca Tribe
made its home in the Niobrara River Valley area of Nebraska. In 1877,
the United States Government forcibly pressured the Poncas from that
homeland, compelling them to move to the Indian territory in Oklahoma.
Not wanting to subject his people to a confrontation with the
government, Standing Bear obliged and led them from their homes on a
perilous journey to the territory of Oklahoma. That journey was harsh
and the new land was inhospitable. Nearly a third of the tribe died
along the way from starvation, malaria, and other diseases, including
Chief Standing Bear's little girl and, later, his son, Bear Shield.
Before Bear Shield died, however, Standing Bear promised his son that
he would bury him in their native land in the Niobrara River Valley. So
Standing Bear embarked on the trip in the winter of 1878 to return to
the homeland to bury his son, leading a group of about 65 other Poncas.
When they reached the Omaha reservation, the United States Army stopped
Standing Bear and arrested him for leaving Oklahoma without their
permission. He was taken to Fort Omaha and held there until trial.
In the meantime, Standing Bear's plight attracted media attention,
first in the Omaha Daily Herald, which was the forerunner of the
present-day Omaha World-Herald, and the story became well-publicized
nationally.
At the conclusion of his 2-day trial, Standing Bear was allowed to
speak for himself. And then he raised his hand and he said this: ``That
hand is not the color of yours, but if I pierce it, I shall feel pain.
If you pierce your hand, you will feel pain. The blood that will flow
from mine will be the same color as yours. I am a man. God made us
both.''
With these profound words in that late spring day of 1879, I believe
Chief Standing Bear expressed the most American of sentiments: the
belief in the inherent dignity and rights of all persons, no matter
their color, no matter their ethnicity. Judge Elmer Dundy concurred,
and he ruled that Native Americans are persons within the meaning of
the law. Now, this is notable. This is 1879, and, for the first time,
Native Americans are recognized as persons within the full meaning of
the law.
The story of the Ponca chief is a story of strength and grace and
determination. I think it is a story that we need to tell over and over
again so that it is understood and cherished by all Americans of future
generations.
Mr. Speaker, establishment of the Chief Standing Bear National
Historic Trail would honor both the courage of this man and the great
contribution to the freedom and the civil liberties of
[[Page H2488]]
our Nation that he brought about. This bill is an important first step
toward establishing the trail, and I look forward to continuing to work
with the committee and the National Park Service to make this a
reality.
Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 984 directs the Secretary of the Interior to
conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Chief Standing
Bear National Historic Trail in Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas. The
trail extends 550 miles, following the same route taken by Chief
Standing Bear and the Ponca people during Federal Indian removal in
1877 and their subsequent return to Nebraska.
Chief Standing Bear played an important role in American history as
the first Native American recognized by the United States Government as
a person under law, following his arrest and ensuing trial for leaving
his reservation in Oklahoma without permission.
Chief Standing Bear was honoring his son's dying wish to be buried in
the land of his birth and traveled with his son's remains, along with
other members of his tribe, through harsh conditions from Oklahoma back
to their ancestral lands in Nebraska. Unfortunately, at that time,
leaving the reservation was a violation of the law.
At the very least, 135 years later, it is only right that we look
into the feasibility of including this trail as part of the national
historic trails system, to reflect on a not-so-proud period of history
in our country when Native Americans were treated as second-class
citizens and to honor the courage of Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca
people.
This bill passed the House last Congress. I thank my colleagues on
the other side of the aisle for advancing this legislation again, and
Representative Fortenberry for his leadership on this bill.
I support passage of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
As was just mentioned before, this bill authorizes the study, which
is the appropriate first step in all these types of procedures. Any
designation of a trail would require additional action from this
committee and this Congress.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
This is a very good bill. I appreciate the gentleman from Nebraska
bringing it to our attention. I also appreciate him saying I am
distinguished. It is obviously the new shirt that I am wearing.
I urge adoption of this particular bill, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 984.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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