Cantwell Statement on President Biden’s Formal Apology for Indian Boarding School Era

YAKIMA, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released this statement regarding President Biden’s formal apology for the federal Indian Boarding School era.

“The Indian Boarding School era left lasting, intergenerational scars on tribal families and communities. I hope President Biden’s actions today will serve as an important step towards addressing these historical wrongs and healing the pain indigenous communities have endured.”

In 2023, Sen. Cantwell, along with 26 Senate colleagues, introduced the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act, which would establish a formal commission to investigate, document, and acknowledge the injustices of the federal government’s Indian boarding school policies.