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.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 810, legislation which authorizes the Department of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study of the Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail.

From his birth on the banks of the Niobrara River in Nebraska until his death in 1908, Chief Standing Bear spent his life in a constant struggle to gain equality and justice for Native Americans.

Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca Tribe were forced in 1877 by federal treaty to leave their homeland in Nebraska for Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma.

The hardship of travel and the conditions of Indian Territory caused the deaths of many members of the tribe, including Chief Standing Bear's son.

Determined to bury his son in his homeland, Chief Standing Bear led 30 members of his tribe back to Nebraska, where federal authorities detained him.

As a result, Chief Standing Bear became the first Native American recognized as a person in a federal court decision rendered in Omaha at the trial following his return.

Standing Bear's case, United States, ex rel. Standing Bear, v. George Crook, started in May 1879. The U.S. government argued, ``that [Standing Bear] was neither a citizen, nor a person, so he could not sue the government.''

Standing Bear's lawyers argued that under the Fourteenth Amendment, Standing Bear and his fellow Ponca were both citizens and people and entitled to the same constitutional rights as other citizens of the United States.

The court fundamentally agreed with Standing Bear, writing, ``That an Indian is a PERSON within the meaning of the laws of the United States . . .''

Following the decision, the judge released Standing Bear and his people, and they returned to their lands by the Niobrara where Standing Bear finally buried his son.

The Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail tracks the 550-mile path traces the journey the native Poncas were forced to make in 1877 to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma.

The trail also marks the route the tribe took in 1879, when they returned to their homelands in present-day Nebraska.

The nation has invested a great deal in protecting national parks and historic places due to their unique beauty, typographical features, or historic relevance.

The stories that make up the American experience have, for far too long, been limited to those of one group of Americans.

The limited view of what is of value or interest to the American public has changed with the establishment of a Native American History Museum and most recently the opening of the National African American History and Culture on the Mall.

The ``whites-only'' version of American history must end and at the same time we can make room for other American stories.

The history of the United States is more complex and immensely richer than would be apparent if we only consider the history of one group of people.

For this reason, last Congress I rose in support of the Emancipation National Historic Trail Act, which helped establish the Emancipation National Historical Trail, which will tell the story of African Americans and will preserve for future generations the rich history of the newlyfreed slaves who journeyed to Houston in search of economic and political opportunity, and greater religious and cultural freedom.

Similarly, the development and designation of the Chief Standing Bear trail is one more important step in the ongoing goal to educate the public about Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca tribe's forced relocation to Oklahoma.

This story transcends race, ethnicity, culture, and serves as a starting point to bringing about a greater understanding of tribal sovereignty, tribal rights, human rights, and equality for all peoples.

The establishment of this trail will increase the general public's knowledge and awareness of the story of Ponca Chief Standing Bear, including his journey to Oklahoma and back and the historic court case in Omaha.

For this reason, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in support of H.R. 810.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 810) 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.

Madam 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 measure under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 810, introduced by Representative Fortenberry from Nebraska, would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail.

The proposed trail would extend approximately 550 miles from Niobrara, Nebraska, to Ponca City, Oklahoma, tracing the route taken by Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca people during Federal Indian removal and their return to Nebraska.

The trail would commemorate and elevate the story of Chief Standing Bear, including the trial and historic 1879 court case where he became the first Native American to be recognized as a person in a Federal court.

The trail would memorialize the courage, honor, and fortitude of Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca people as they struggled to return to their homeland to bury the son of Chief Standing Bear--serving as a reminder of their fight to achieve justice, freedom, and equality.

I would like to thank Representative Fortenberry for championing this important legislation and for his efforts to bring about a greater understanding of our U.S. history and Tribal sovereignty.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this good bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I wholly support this bill, and I thank the leadership of Mr. Fortenberry from Nebraska and the ranking member, Mr. Westerman from Arkansas.

This is a fitting honor for human rights and Tribal sovereignty. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I thank the majority for the bipartisan support on this good piece of legislation.

H.R. 810, authored by our colleague from Nebraska, Congressman Fortenberry, directs the Secretary of the Interior to study the feasibility of designating the Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail.

Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca Tribe is one of Nebraska's most important historical figures and is honored here in the Capitol as one of Nebraska's contributions to the National Statuary Hall Collection.

Chief Standing Bear led his people through a crisis that began with its displacement by droves of westward-bound settlers. The Ponca Tribe moved twice in search of new land but had no success. Finally, in 1877, the U.S. Government forced their relocation.

By 1878, when they reached their destination in Oklahoma's Indian Territory, starvation and disease had claimed almost a third of the Tribe. Among the dead was Bear Shield, the first son of Standing Bear.

Standing Bear's desire to honor his son's wish that he be buried in his Nebraska birthplace, at a time when Native Americans could not legally leave their reservations without government permission, led to the trial for which he is best remembered today. The case established that Native Americans were persons under the law and are entitled to the same rights as anyone else in the Nation. During that case, the words of Chief Standing Bear, pleading on behalf of his Tribe, moved the Nation.

The Chief Standing Bear Trail, extending approximately 550 miles from Nebraska to Oklahoma, follows the route taken by Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca people during Federal Indian removal. If supported by the study, any designation of the trail would require additional action from the Natural Resources Committee and the Congress.

Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry).

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, first of all, let me thank my friends and colleagues, Mr. Soto from Florida and Mr. Westerman from Arkansas, for shepherding this important measure.

Madam Speaker, right outside this door, in Statuary Hall, there is a very large statue with the person's hand extended like that, as if to say welcome, welcome all of America to this institution. That statue is of Chief Standing Bear. And today, I am so proud that we are considering a bill to honor his courage and sacrifice.

As we have heard, here is a bit of his story. Chief Standing Bear and his Ponca people were relocated from their ancestral homeland in Niobrara, Nebraska, to what was called Indian Territory in Oklahoma. As we learned, Chief Standing Bear's son fell ill, and he made his son a promise that he would bury him back in his ancestral homeland. When that happened, Standing Bear took that harrowing journey one cold winter back home, and for that, he was arrested for leaving the reservation.

During his trial, Chief Standing Bear raised his hand and said: ``I am a man. The same God made us both.'' The judge was so moved by his testimony that he declared that Native Americans were to be considered persons for consideration under the law. That wasn't until 1879.

Madam Speaker, Chief Standing Bear didn't seek to be a civil rights leader, but he changed the course of history in that moment, all for the sake of human dignity and human rights. I am proud to offer this bill today in his honor and for the good of all America.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 6 of House Resolution 380, I move to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 297, H.R. 433, H.R. 478,