"On September 23, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado), head of the Committee on Indian Affairs, introduced bill S.2843, a laundry list of editorial fixes to various laws affecting Native American tribes around the country. Tacked on at the very end of S.2843, however, is a one-sentence "Amendment of Definition" to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act NAGPRA), the same law that was the fulcrum in the Kennewick Man case. Campbell's amendment seeks to add the words "or was" to the definition of "Native American"

The real question is why Sen. Campbell bothered introducing S.2843 at all.

There's no matching bill in the House of Representatives, and with the clock running down in the Congressional year, it's doubtful S.2843 will even come to a vote in the Senate. Campbell is retiring this year, with his seat to be filled by Democrat Ken Salazar. The debate in the archaeological community over amending NAGPRA may be much hullabaloo about nothing."

Get the Story:
Jackson Kuhl: The Politics of Dead 'Native Americans' (Tech Central Station 11/23)

Relevant Documents:
S.2843 | Public Law 101-601: NAGPRA | Senate Testimony | 2004 NAGPRA Report

Court Decision:
BONNICHSEN v. US (February 4, 2004)

Relevant Links:
Kennewick Man, Department of Interior - http://www.cr.nps.gov/aad/kennewick
Friends of America's Past - http://www.friendsofpast.org
Kennewick Man Virtual Interpretive Center, The Tri-City (Washington) Herald - http://www.kennewick-man.com

Related Stories:
Campbell defends two-word change to NAGPRA (11/17)
Editorial: Campbell shouldn't mess with NAGPRA (10/15)
Editorial: Campbell's two words of mischief in NAGPRA (10/13)
Editorial: Campbell should not interfere with NAGPRA (10/05)
Campbell-backed bill adds two words to NAGPRA (10/1)
Battle over Kennewick Man study far from over (08/02)
Editorial: Let Kennewick Man speak! (say what?) (07/22)
Column: Kennewick Man belongs to everyone (7/21)
Tribes to seek restrictions on Kennewick Man study (7/20)
Tribes drop Kennewick Man claim in court (7/20)
Repatriation process criticized at Senate hearing (07/15)
Editorial: It's about time Kennewick Man case ends (04/29)
Tribes debate next step in Kennewick Man case (04/27)
Kennewick rehearing denied (4/21)
Court rules scientists can study Kennewick Man (02/05)
Kennewick Man battle back in court (9/8)
Tribes file opening brief in Kennewick Man case (03/19)
Appeals court asked to stop Kennewick Man tests (01/23)
Norton treads uncharted waters over remains (4/11)