[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 21]
[Senate]
[Page 31071]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                THE WAKPA SICA RECONCILIATION PLACE ACT

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my colleague 
from South Dakota, Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, as a cosponsor 
of the Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place Act, which will establish the 
Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place in Ft. Pierre, South Dakota. The Wakpa 
Sica Reconciliation Place would be an important cultural and 
interpretive center, in part to compliment the National Lewis and Clark 
Trail, but with the unique perspective of the Sioux tribes and the 
impact of the Lewis and Clark encounter on tribal culture and 
economics.
  During the Lewis and Clark expedition, Captains Merriweather Lewis 
and William Clark anchored their river boats where the Wakpa Sica, or 
Bad River, flows into the Missouri. After four months of travel from 
St. Louis, history was made on September 24, 1804. The next day 44 men 
landed on the west bank of the Missouri and paraded under the United 
States flag.
  These men then joined Chief Black Buffalo and braves from the Teton 
Sioux for council in the chief's buffalo skin lodge. This was a key and 
pivotal meeting between representatives of the great Sioux tribes and 
those of the United States of America. This meeting was less than 
amicable.
  Throughout the rest of South Dakotas history the relationship between 
native peoples and non-natives has not been a peaceful one. Today we 
are still facing the challenging experience of working and living 
together side by side. I am proud of the South Dakotans who set their 
differences aside and came together and created the Mni Wiconi water 
project. There is a growing need for a Reconciliation Place.
  The Reconciliation Place would occupy the site in which Captains 
Lewis and Clark, and the members of the tribes came together to meet 
for the first time--which is a fitting site to bring Indian and non-
Indian peoples together. It is my hope that this center will bring 
people together to learn about the culture and the rich history this 
area of the United States holds. Through this understanding, it is my 
hope that we may be able to achieve better relations between Tribal and 
non-Tribal peoples.
  This project is a cultural center which will serve as a home for 
Sioux law, history, culture and arts for the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota 
peoples. It will also serve as a repository for Sioux historical 
documents, which are currently scattered throughout the West. Many 
native people do not have access to these documents. With the 
construction of this facility the native people will be able to house 
these documents close to home. This will allow interested parties to 
research their rich past.
  The Reconciliation Place will also be the home of the Sioux Nation 
Supreme Court. This will serve to be a stable legal setting to assist 
in achieving greater social and economic welfare in Indian Country. 
Increased legal stability will help promote business investment in the 
vast human resources that are situated on the reservations in my state. 
This will bring about more self sufficiency, and less reliance by 
tribes on the federal government. Similarly, the Native American 
Economic Development Council will be located in this same facility. 
This council will assist tribes and tribal members to provide 
opportunities for economic development. The council will assist in 
opening the doors to private investment and other resources that are 
designed to promote development and job creation.
  Mr. President, this focal point for Native American culture, law, and 
economic development assistance is desperately needed. It is apparent 
that there is a need to strengthen current, and build future 
understanding between Indian and non-Indian peoples, as well as promote 
the government-to-government relationship between the tribes and the 
United States. I urge my colleagues to join myself and Senator Daschle 
to support this legislation, and recognize the need for such an 
important center. I ask unanimous consent that I be added as a 
cosponsor of the Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place Act, and that my 
statement be included in the Record.

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