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Politics
Listening Lounge: Senate hearing on repatriation


Indianz.Com Listening Lounge, Senate Indian Affairs Committee oversight hearing on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, July 28, 2005.
Note: All files in MP3 format.
Intro - 2:13 - 392k
Panel I - 14:09 -2.4MB
Panel II - 42:10 - 7.2MB | Q&A - 24:39 - 4.2MB
Witness List
The Senate Indian Affairs Committee held an oversight hearing today on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

Among other issues, the committee discussed the Kennewick Man case. After years in the courts, scientists were given approval to study the remains of the 9,300-year-old man over the objections of tribes. A bill sponsored by Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), the chairman of the committee, could address similar cases in the future but the proposal has generated controversy.

The Bush administration announced, for the first time, its opposition to the amendment. An Interior Department official said the interpretation of NAGPRA by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals was correct and acknowledged the shift in stance in the case.

The hearing started at 9:30am and was broadcast online [Committee Web Site]. Here is the witness list.
Panel I
MR. PAUL HOFFMAN, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.

Panel II
MR. PAUL BENDER, Professor of Law, Arizona State University College of Law, Tempe, Arizona
MR. WALTER R. ECHO-HAWK, SR., Senior Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund, Boulder, Colorado
MS. PATRICIA M. LAMBERT, American Association of Physical Anthropologist, Utah State University, Logan, Utah
MS. PAULA BARRAN, Attorney, Barran and Leibman, LLP, Portland, Oregon
Accompanied by: MR. ALAN L. SCHNEIDER, Director, Friends of America's Past, Portland, Oregon
PROFESSOR KEITH W. KINTIGH, Society for American Archaeology, Tempe, Arizona
MR. VAN HORN DIAMOND, Honolulu, Hawaii

NAGPRA Amendment Bill:
S.536: Technical Corrections Act

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:
Editorial: Science trumps Native repatriation (7/27)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearings (7/25)
Editorial: McCain should drop NAGPRA amendment (7/20)
Scientists wrap up work on Kennewick Man remains (7/19)
Kennewick Man scientists fear NAGPRA amendment (7/15)
Scientists begin study of Kennewick Man remains (7/11)
NAGPRA amendment up for hearing in Senate (07/06)
Column: Hearing slated on two-word change to NAGPRA (06/24)
Scientists get ready to study Kennewick Man (6/21)
Tribe says NAGPRA amendment will right a wrong (04/19)
Opinion: McCain bill will block study of ancient remains (04/14)
Scientists oppose McCain bill to change NAGPRA (04/08)
Panel approves Native Hawaiian, NAGPRA changes (03/10)
NAGPRA change up for Senate consideration again (3/9)
Tribes seek role in Kennewick Man proceedings (02/16)
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)