[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 164 (Tuesday, September 22, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4647-H4648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH BY HONORING THE PONCA 
                                 TRIBE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bacon) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Native American 
Heritage Month by honoring the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska on their 30th 
anniversary of restoration as a federally recognized Tribe.
  The Ponca Tribe was originally part of the Omaha Tribe and settled 
near the Niobrara River of Nebraska in 1793. In 1877, the Ponca Tribe 
was forcibly removed from their beloved Niobrara River homeland and 
sent to Indian territory in central Oklahoma.
  During their first year in Oklahoma, 25 percent of the Ponca Tribe 
died from malaria and starvation. Among the dead was Chief Standing 
Bear's eldest son Bear Shield, who had pleaded to be laid to rest in 
their sacred burial grounds. A few weeks later, in January of 1879, 
Chief Standing Bear began the 600-mile trek to their Niobrara homeland.
  Just 2 days shy of their homeland, during a brief stop at the Omaha 
reservation, the group was stopped and arrested for leaving Oklahoma. 
The arrest led to the landmark case of Standing Bear v. Crook, which 
established the precedent of recognizing ``Indian'' as an equal person 
under the law, including the constitutional guarantee of fair treatment 
during trial.
  At the end of the trial, Chief Standing Bear delivered a speech 
demanding equality, with the famous words: ``That hand is not the color 
of yours, but if I prick it, the blood will flow, and I shall feel 
pain. The blood is the same color as yours. God made me, and I am a 
man.'' After the trial, Chief Standing Bear and his companions were 
allowed to return to their Niobrara homeland.
  However, in 1962, Congress decided the Ponca Tribe would be among the 
Tribes no longer recognized. Two decades later, in 1986, the Northern 
Ponca Restoration Committee was created by Fred LeRoy, a veteran and a 
Ponca himself. Within 2 years, LeRoy drafted the petition for 
restoration, and the Ponca Tribe met the requirements of the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs for Federal recognition.
  On October 31, 1990, the legislation was signed into law, and the 
Ponca were once again recognized by the Federal Government. Fred LeRoy 
was then named chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska.
  Although the Ponca Tribe will still be without a reservation, they 
have established service delivery areas throughout Nebraska, Iowa, and 
South Dakota. These areas have centers offering health, social, 
domestic violence, and education services. One such center was aptly 
named the Fred LeRoy Health and Wellness Center.
  Through the tremendous efforts of Chairman LeRoy and subsequent 
leaders, the Ponca have not only preserved but further cultivated their 
heritage. Current Chairman Larry Wright, Jr., considers his proudest 
accomplishments to be the purchase of 1,800 acres of the original 
homeland, including Chief Standing Bear's burial site.
  Chairman Wright, Jr., illustrated the belief that because their 
ancestors are buried in the Niobrara River Valley, Ponca DNA is infused 
within the land, water, animals, and everything that grows there, 
completing the circle of life.
  Today, three different statues pay tribute to the fearless leader 
Chief Standing Bear. One statue resides in Centennial Mall of Lincoln, 
Nebraska, and another overlooks the Niobrara homeland. Finally, a 
bronze statue of Chief Standing Bear stands in its rightful place in 
Statuary Hall in the U.S.

[[Page H4648]]

Capitol, representing the State of Nebraska. With these three 
monuments, thousands of Nebraskans and millions from around the world 
will come now to know the Poncas and their story.
  Unfortunately, social disconnects of racial disparity and basic human 
rights still exist in our country. In recognizing the Ponca Tribe's 
abundant history, we highlight a story of oppression, despair, 
struggle, and perseverance.
  Today, we honor and celebrate the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and every 
Native American once considered a half person. American author and 
civil rights activist Audre Lorde once said: ``It is not our 
differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, 
and celebrate those differences.'' Now more than ever, we must unite as 
Americans and celebrate our diversity to heal the wounds of social 
injustice.

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