A bill to finalize the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site in eastern Colorado is ready for President Bush's signature.

The Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site Trust Act of 2005 acquires land in trust for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. The bill gives the Interior Department administrative authority over the trust property. Any improvements or construction must be approved by the Cheyenne-Arapahos and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana and the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming.

The bill passed the House on June 27 by a voice vote. It passed the Senate on July 26 by unanimous consent.

The site commemorates the massacre of 163 Cheyenne and Arapaho ancestors -- mostly women, children and elderly -- at the hands of the U.S. Army on November 29, 1864.

Get the Story:
Sand Creek Massacre legislation on to Bush (The Denver Post 7/27)

Get the Bill:
Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site Trust Act of 2005 (H.R.481)

Relevant Links:
The National Park Service, Sand Creek Massacre Project Study - www.nps.gov/planning/sand/about.htm
The Sand Creek Massacre Site - www.kiowacountycolo.com/sand.htm

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