[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 23, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCTION OF THE TRIBAL LAW AND ORDER ACT OF 2008

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                     HON. STEPHANIE HERSETH SANDLIN

                            of south dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 23, 2008

  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, today, I am pleased to introduce 
the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2008. I want to thank Senator Dorgan 
and his colleagues and staff on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee for 
their tireless dedication to addressing the needs of law enforcement 
and justice services in Indian Country. I am proud to sponsor the 
companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
  In June 2007, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing 
on the Lower Brule Reservation in south central South Dakota. Entitled, 
The Needs and Challenges of Tribal Law Enforcement in Indian 
Reservations, tribal leaders and law enforcement officials from eight 
tribes testified for the need to improve government-to-government 
consultations between tribes and the federal agencies charged with 
supporting their law enforcement goals. Witnesses explained the need 
for more resources for officers, equipment, jails, and tribal courts. 
One witness, Chairman Joseph Brings Plenty of the Cheyenne River 
Reservation, explained that on his reservation, there are an average of 
only three officers per shift to cover nineteen communities with 15,000 
people and an area approximately the size of Connecticut. On this 
large, land-based reservation, each officer covers an average of 450 
miles of road in one 8 hour shift. In 2006 alone, the Cheyenne River 
Sioux tribe's police department responded to 11,488 calls for service 
and made 11,791 arrests. From my work with tribal communities in South 
Dakota and as a Member of the Committee on Natural Resources, I know 
that Cheyenne River is not an extreme case. The experiences and 
frustrations articulated by Chairman Brings Plenty resonate with tribal 
leaders across the United States.
  The Tribal Law and Order Act is an important step to addressing the 
complex and broken system of law and order in Indian Country. This bill 
would clarify the responsibilities of Federal, State, tribal, and local 
governments with respect to crimes committed in tribal communities; 
increase coordination and communication among Federal, State, tribal, 
and local law enforcement agencies; empower tribal governments with the 
authority, resources, and information necessary to safely and 
effectively provide for the public's safety in tribal communities; 
reduce the prevalence of violent crime in tribal communities and to 
combat violence against Indian and Alaska Native women; address and 
prevent drug trafficking and reduce rates of alcohol and drug addiction 
in Indian country; and increase and standardize the collection of 
criminal data and the sharing of criminal history information among 
Federal, State, and tribal officials responsible for responding to and 
investigating crimes in tribal communities.
  The Senate Indian Affairs Committee has held numerous hearings and 
has reached out to tribes across the United States while crafting this 
bill, and I appreciate their efforts to address the concerns raised by 
tribal members and leaders. I recognize that this bill alone will not 
solve the problems raised by tribes in these consultations and 
hearings. As such, I will continue to work for increased funding for 
law enforcement personnel, detention facilities, equipment and 
training, tribal courts, and other components required for a successful 
justice system. I will continue to hold Bureau of Indian Affairs 
accountable for upholding the trust responsibility within the realm of 
law enforcement. Ultimately, I believe that this bill offers important 
and necessary tools in our shared goal of making Indian Country a safer 
place to be.

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