Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today announced that they have reintroduced the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act. This legislation would place 40 acres of land at the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre into restricted fee status, making certain that the land is held by both the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes for generations to come.
The land at the site, located on the Pine Ridge Reservation, was purchased by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in 2022. Shortly after the purchase, both tribes signed a covenant, holding that the property shall be held and maintained as a memorial and sacred site without any development.
“The Wounded Knee Massacre not only represents a low point in U.S.- Lakota relations, but it also serves as one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history,” said Rounds. “To date, the Wounded Knee Massacre grounds remain a symbolic site, with tribal members regularly visiting the area to honor the deceased. This legislation would keep this land in possession of the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes to be protected and honored for generations to come.”
“The Wounded Knee Massacre grounds have long served as a place where tribal members can remember and honor those who lost their lives,” said Thune. “This legislation would preserve these grounds as a memorial site and ensure the land remains with the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes for future generations.”
This legislation passed the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in November 2023 during the 118th Congress. An attempt to pass the bill through unanimous consent was blocked on the Senate floor in November 2024.
