Luján Statement on Historic Formal Apology by President Biden for Traumatic Federal Indian Boarding Schools Policies

Luján Previously Introduced Legislation to Establish a Truth and Healing Commission

Santa Fe, N.M. - U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, issued the following statement regarding President Biden's historic formal apology for the past injustices of the federal government's Indian Boarding School Policies:

"Today's long-awaited apology is a step in the right direction to heal from the intergeneration trauma inflicted by the federal government's Indian Boarding School Policies. Across our Native communities and Tribal Nations, many continue to bear the scars from this dark time in our nation's history. I applaud President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Haaland for fully acknowledging the harms of the past and for this effort to begin on the road toward healing Tribal families.

"Acknowledging the injustices of the boarding school era is just the first step toward reconciliation. I was honored to introduce the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act - legislation that seeks healing for stolen Native children and their communities, and I will always continue to fight to get this, and similar legislation passed and signed into law.

"Let us never forget the scars inflicted on our Native brothers and sisters. Today, we are entering a chapter in the reconciliation process, and we must continue to right the wrongs of the boarding school era and ensure it is never repeated."

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