Dusty Johnson U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's at-large district | Official U.S. House Headshot
Dusty Johnson U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's at-large district | Official U.S. House Headshot
The U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously passed the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act, a bill introduced by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.). The legislation aims to preserve a section of land where hundreds of Lakota Indians were killed by the U.S. Army.
"In 2023, I visited the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre. I met with descendants of the survivors, and I saw the bloodstained floorboards of St. John’s Church where the wounded were treated," said Johnson. "It was a tragic day in America’s history. My bill acknowledges our mistake and ensures this land will be sacred for generations to come."
Frank Star Comes Out, President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, expressed support for the bill's passage: "On behalf of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, I am encouraged by the swift passage of the Wounded Knee Massacre site bill by the House of the 119th Congress... This sacred site should forever serve to remind us of where we as a country have been and as a marker for how much further we have to go."
Ryman LeBeau, Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, also voiced gratitude: "We thank Congressman Dusty Johnson and all the members of the House for acting quickly... We urge the Senate to now take up and pass this bill expeditiously so it can be signed into law."
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) praised Johnson's efforts: "Congressman Johnson has long been a champion of tribal issues in South Dakota... This legislation will set aside land within Pine Ridge Reservation as a sacred site and memorial for the Lakota people who died during... Wounded Knee Massacre."
The act had previously passed in an earlier session but was not voted on by the Senate. It was reintroduced at the start of this year.
The background to this legislation involves events from December 29th, 1890, when U.S. Army troops clashed with Lakota Indians near Wounded Knee Creek on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The confrontation resulted in significant loss of life among largely unarmed Lakota individuals.
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