| 3.23.22

Should the Chief Standing Bear Trail Become a National Historic Trail? (H.R. 984)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 984?

(Updated March 16, 2017)

This bill would require the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Chief Standing Bear Trail — running through Nebraska and Oklahoma — as a national historic trail. A , not an official designation.

The Chief Standing Bear Trail currently spans the roughly 550 miles from Ponca City, Oklahoma, through Omaha, Nebraska. It was the trail taken by Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca people during the federal Indian removal — the very ugly and destructive effort by the U.S. to remove native peoples from "federal lands" in the south. Some of you may remember the "trail of tears" — that designation came from the federal Indian removal in 1830.

Argument in favor

This bill is long overdue to honor Chief Standing Bear and the rest of the Ponca people who walked the trail spanning from Oklahoma to Nebraska. A National Historic Trail label will help keep their history alive.

Argument opposed

Being designated as a "National Historic Trail" is a pretty paltry way to commemorate Standing Bear and the rest of the Ponca people — what about educating people more widely about the federal Indian removal?

Impact

People with a vested interest in the Chief Standing Bear Trail, Native American people from the affected area, the National Park Service, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.

Cost of H.R. 984

A CBO cost estimate found that implementing the study would cost about $500,000 over the next year or two, assuming availability of appropriated funds.