Murray Wants Kennewick Man Bones Returned To Tribes

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Patty Murray has introduced a bill to return the bones of Kennewick Man to a group of Columbia Basin tribes.

Experts believe the remains, discovered in 1996 near the Columbia River in Kennewick, are at least 8,400 years old.

That makes Kennewick Man one of the oldest and most complete skeletons found in North America.

In June, new genetic evidence determined the remains are closer to modern Native American than any other population worldwide.

Murray's bill would transfer the remains from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, which would return them to the tribes.

Several area tribes have joined together in calling for Kennewick Man's return to his descendants.