[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 163 (Wednesday, October 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8178-H8184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Crow). Under the Speaker's announced
policy of January 3, 2019, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse)
is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
General Leave
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the topic of my Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to lead a Special
Order alongside my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to discuss a
crisis afflicting our Nation. It is the crisis of missing and murdered
indigenous women.
Each of the Members speaking tonight represents different regions of
the United States and different native communities that are all
affected by the disproportionate number of crimes against Native
American and Alaska Native women.
My colleagues and I have introduced several pieces of legislation,
including Savanna's Act and the BADGES for Native Communities Act, in
an attempt to improve collaboration between law enforcement agencies
and empower them to seriously work toward solving many of these
unsolved cases.
Over the next hour, I look forward to hearing each of these Member's
unique perspective on ways we can work to solve this crisis and bring
justice to these women.
I have spoken on this topic a number of times here on the floor, in
the House Judiciary Committee, and at home with my constituents who
have been directly affected by this crisis.
While a lot that I might say here tonight, Mr. Speaker, may sound
like a broken record--I apologize for that--I cannot stress enough how
important it is that we use our voices as U.S. Representatives to
address a crisis of this magnitude and offer solutions for these women
and their families and their communities.
Native women throughout the country face a murder rate 10 times
higher than the national average, with 84 percent experiencing some
kind of violence in their lifetime.
In my home State of Washington, Native Americans make up about 2
percent of the population, but a recent report by the Washington State
Patrol shows that indigenous women account for 7 percent of the State's
reported missing women.
This crisis is one that affects communities in both highly populated,
urban areas, as well as rural districts, in districts like the one I
represent in central Washington.
I have seen firsthand how these injustices affect local communities,
and I have vowed to exercise my position in Congress to help deliver
justice for these women.
My congressional district sits at the epicenter of this crisis. There
are currently over 100 open cases in Washington State, with 31 open
cases on or near the Yakama Indian Reservation in central Washington
alone. This includes seven new cases in just the past 5 years.
The number of open cases is alarming, but the truth is we don't even
have accurate data to truly understand the breadth of this problem. Due
to a lack of shared information, data, and reporting, there is no real
way to know exactly how many Native American women have gone missing or
whose fate hangs in the balance of an unsolved murder case.
{time} 1615
The complicated jurisdiction between Federal, Tribal, and local law
enforcement causes serious problems throughout many investigations, and
far too many Tribal law enforcement agencies lack the resources and
access to information that would help solve missing persons cases and
murders.
This leaves the families and the communities of these victims
frustrated, without answers, and begging for solutions. And while we
represent them in the people's House, it is the voices of those who are
directly affected that we should be listening to.
Our communities in my district in central Washington have not been
silent. Just this past Monday, the YWCA in Yakima hosted their annual
vigil for the victims of domestic violence. This year, the organization
partnered with the Yakama Nation to bring attention to the missing and
murdered indigenous women crisis and to honor those who have lost their
lives to domestic violence.
Citizens of the Yakama Nation and other local Tribes have hosted
rallies of support in large public forums to raise awareness of the
crisis and to demand action.
A reporter by the name of Tammy Ayer from the Yakima-Herald Republic
has done a truly excellent job of keeping the public informed of these
ongoing efforts, diligently highlighting the activism on the ground and
providing resources for families and friends of missing Native women.
The voice she lends to the voiceless has and will continue to be a
powerful agent for change.
I hosted a roundtable earlier this year with Tribal members, with law
enforcement officers, Bureau of Indian Affairs officials, and other
local advocates to learn directly from these pillars of our local
community about how we can assist them in their efforts.
I have lived just outside of the Yakama Nation Reservation my entire
life, Mr. Speaker, but hearing the heartfelt testimonies of the
families and the loved ones of missing Native women from just down the
road from me was truly an eye-opening experience, and a deeply heart-
wrenching experience. I believe it is one that all Members of Congress
need to hear, and that is why we are here tonight.
That is also why in June I sent letters to the House Judiciary and
the Natural Resources Committees asking them to hold field hearings in
central Washington on this matter. The voices of communities impacted
by this crisis must be heard. My request was echoed by numerous local
Tribes, by advocacy groups, and by women's organizations who have all
sent their own letters to the committees inviting Members to come meet
with them, listen to the voices on the ground, and discuss solutions
for missing and murdered indigenous women.
The Yakama Nation has generously offered to host the hearing, which
would provide Members with the opportunity to hear firsthand from both
the Tribes, law enforcement officers, and families of these victims who
are dealing with this crisis every day, about how we can best move
forward.
Their testimony would help demonstrate the impact this crisis is
having on our communities in central Washington and in other regions
around the country.
Mr. Speaker, I hate to say it, but it has been 4 months since these
letters were first delivered to the House Judiciary and Natural
Resources Committees, but we have received no response. It has been
nearly a month since I testified before the Judiciary Committee to ask
for committee action and a response to my letter. Still, nothing.
Thankfully, the current administration has been actively pursuing our
local input. The Department of the Interior is conducting a series of
roundtable events with Tribes and law enforcement agencies across the
country, most recently in Arizona and Alaska.
While the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs
certainly have a role to play in implementing these solutions for the
women and their loved ones, Congress must also pay attention and we
must do our part to listen and then legislate.
The two legislative proposals I mentioned earlier, Savanna's Act and
the BADGES for Native Communities Act, would provide immediate
assistance to Tribes and law enforcement in addressing this crisis. As
you will hear tonight, Mr. Speaker, these bills have strong bipartisan
support.
I know my colleagues and I stand ready to develop solutions that will
work for local Tribal communities and
[[Page H8179]]
law enforcement, and I look forward to hearing from my friends and
colleagues from around the country over the next hour to discuss the
impact the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women has had on
their communities and about what actions this body can help take to
stop it.
I yield to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Gianforte), my good friend
who represents the great State of Montana, as well as the Northern
Cheyenne and Blackfeet Tribes. Montana is a large State and with
understaffed law enforcement agencies, reporting an investigation of
crimes against Native American women can slip through the cracks.
Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington for
yielding. Mr. Newhouse has been a leader in responding to the crisis of
missing and murdered indigenous women, and for that I thank him for his
leadership.
In late August, Kaysera Stops Pretty Places who just turned 18, was
supposed to join her mother to see a relative in North Dakota. She
didn't make it. She disappeared. No one could reach her. Days later,
her body was found besides a woodpile in Hardin, Montana. The
circumstances surrounding her disappearance and death remain a mystery.
Hers is one story of far too many. This tragic epidemic must end.
These are our sisters, our daughters, and our granddaughters. Their
cases often do not receive the attention they deserve. Their families
deserve justice. Over the past months, I have met with Montanans in
each of our 56 counties, and in the eight recognized Tribal
governments. I have often heard of the challenges faced to address this
crisis. We must do better.
When someone goes missing, time is of the essence. Improving
cooperation amongst local, State, Tribal, and Federal Governments is
critical. I heard over and over of the challenges in delays in
performing background checks for applicants to Tribal law enforcement.
In one recent visit, Tribal leadership at one reservation shared with
me that only 4 of their 14 law enforcement positions were currently
filled, preventing them from effectively implementing the law on the
reservation.
The BADGES for Native Communities Act, which I cosponsor with the
gentleman from Washington, speeds up that process with the Bureau of
Indian Affairs. The legislation also improves information sharing and
reporting between Federal and Tribal law enforcement.
The BADGES for Native Communities Act also builds on Savanna's Act,
which I also cosponsor with the gentleman from Washington. Savanna's
Act addresses this epidemic by issuing new guidelines for investigating
cases of missing and murdered indigenous women.
I urge the committees of jurisdiction to consider the BADGES for
Native American Communities Act, and I urge House leaders to bring up
the bill for a vote.
Finally, at a time when we should be dedicating our time and
resources to this crisis, the Federal Government shouldn't stretch
itself too thin. For 5 years, the FBI dedicated a full-time agent to
combating human trafficking. The Bureau recently announced that it
would divide that agent's time between human trafficking and Indian
Country.
In September, I urged the FBI Director to dedicate a full-time agent
to addressing human trafficking, and another agent to fighting crime in
Indian Country. The FBI should allow each full-time agent to dedicate
his or her time, attention, and resources solely to his or her unique,
pressing law enforcement challenge. At this critical juncture, now is
not the time to be penny wise and pound foolish.
There is more we must do for Kaysera Stops Pretty Places and
thousands of missing indigenous women across our country.
I thank Mr. Newhouse and all of my colleagues for their help in
bringing needed attention to this serious issue.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate Mr. Gianforte
putting a face to this very serious issue that we are experiencing all
over the United States, and particularly in Montana, and pointing out
some of the ways that this legislation could potentially benefit our
communities.
I thank the gentleman very much for sharing tonight.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, one of the pieces of legislation
that my colleagues and I have introduced this Congress, is Savanna's
Act, named after a young lady, Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, who was a
member of the Spirit Lake Tribe and was tragically murdered in August
of 2017.
Earlier this year, I worked with a bipartisan group of colleagues to
improve this legislation from the previous version of the bill that was
introduced in the 115th Congress. It does a lot of things, but two
things I want to point out, it aims to develop guidelines and best
practices for law enforcement agencies and encourages agencies to
enhance reporting and recordkeeping for better coordination.
It also aims to improve communication between law enforcement and the
families of the loved ones of the victims, which is an issue that was
brought to my attention by the central Washington families who, in some
cases, have waited for months just for an update on their loved one's
case.
So it is with that background that I want to yield to the gentlewoman
from California (Mrs. Torres), my good friend. I really appreciate her
leadership and her partnership in this effort on bringing this issue
forward and bringing some good solutions forward as we work to improve
law enforcement's response in the cases of these missing and murdered
indigenous women. I can't say enough about the contribution of
Congresswoman Norma Torres, and I would like her to share some things
from her perspective.
Mrs. TORRES of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Newhouse
for organizing this Special Order and for his leadership. I sincerely
hope that this will serve as a call to action for all of us. Like the
gentleman, I was very disappointed that we could not get Savanna's Act
across the 115th Congress and signed into law.
Mr. Speaker, every single person in this country, no matter their
gender or background, deserves to live in safety, and every single
victim deserves justice. But for Native Americans, and especially
Native American women, that has not been the case. Far from it.
There is a long history of violence against Native Americans and
exploitation of Native American women. It is a history that we don't
talk about nearly enough. That is why, last week, I introduced a
bipartisan resolution to support the creation of a new Federal holiday,
Indigenous Peoples' Day, on the day that is now called Columbus Day.
Across the Americas, too many indigenous people are still living with
the legacy of colonialism and the violence that came with it. Taking
one day a year to acknowledge that history and to acknowledge the many
contributions of Native Americans to this great country, is the least
that we can do, but it isn't enough.
As William Faulkner famously said: ``The past is never dead. It's not
even past.''
And the reality is that today, Native American women are being killed
and going missing at an alarming rate. Native American women are 10
times more likely to be killed than the national average, and that is
shameful.
What is worse is that we do not even know how many Native American
women have gone missing. Criminals prey on Native American women
because they know that they can get away with this crime. So Congress
must take action to address this crisis and that is why we are here
today.
In April, the House passed the Violence Against Women Act, which
would give Native American Tribes jurisdiction over crimes of violence
against women. This is a significant step to solving the problem, but
the Senate must act now to pass this critical legislation.
In May, I introduced Savanna's Act to honor Savanna LaFontaine-
Greywind, a 22-year old pregnant member of the Spirit Lake Tribe who
was tragically murdered in 2017.
I have worked with a group of Democrats and Republicans from both
Chambers of Congress to make sure that we incorporate input from a wide
range of stakeholders, including law enforcement.
{time} 1630
This bipartisan bill would create a new set of guidelines for law
enforcement responding to cases of missing
[[Page H8180]]
and murdered indigenous women, and it would give incentives for law
enforcement to implement those guidelines. It would also improve
information-sharing and access to data so that we have a clearer
picture of the scale of these horrific crimes.
This important legislation builds on a previous version of Savanna's
Act, which already passed the Senate last year. It is awaiting action
in the House Judiciary Committee, and I am confident that it will move
forward soon.
Because of the efforts of Native American women across the country,
we are close to passing Savanna's Act into law, but we cannot afford to
continue waiting. More importantly, Native American women cannot afford
it.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for sharing with
us her experiences, and I thank her for her leadership and being the
lead sponsor on Savanna's Act, as well. It is truly a pleasure to work
with my friend. I hope that, with her leadership, we will be able to
get this across the finish line and get it to the President.
It is my honor now, Mr. Speaker, to introduce someone who truly is in
the middle of much of this issue. He cosponsors Savanna's Act, and he
is a leader on not only bringing solutions to help solve this problem
but probably just as importantly, if not more importantly, he is also
helping to shine a bright light on an issue that, frankly, many
Americans just are not aware of.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the good gentleman from North Dakota (Mr.
Armstrong).
Mr. ARMSTRONG. Mr. Speaker, Savanna's Act, which we have talked
about, is named in honor of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a 22-year-old
pregnant member of the Spirit Lake Tribe who was murdered in my home
State of North Dakota in 2017. Her disappearance and suspected murder
not only devastated the Spirit Lake Nation, but it also devastated the
community of Fargo and was truly a horrible issue felt by every member
of my State from one end to another.
For 8 days, her family, friends, and the community searched for her,
hoping that she would be found alive. As we all know, she was not.
Thankfully, her baby was found alive after surviving the attack and
literally being cut from the womb.
Savanna's murder brought to light that data on missing and murdered
indigenous people--women and girls in particular--is scattered around
government agencies or it is completely nonexistent. Savanna's Act
attempts to address this issue. It requires the Justice Department to
develop protocols to address missing and murdered Native Americans,
including information-sharing and training for law enforcement.
We must do more to bring justice for victims and prevent these crimes
from happening, and the reason is that the statistics are staggering.
On some reservations, Indian women are murdered at a rate of more than
10 times the national average. Native Americans are two-and-a-half
times as likely to experience violent crimes and two times more likely
to experience sexual assault crimes. The number of unsolved crimes on
Native Americans on reservations is significantly higher than even the
most crime-ridden cities we have in the country.
More than four in five Native American women, around 84 percent, will
experience some form of violence in their lifetimes. The reasons and
factors for this are varied. We deal with poverty, and we deal with
rural communities, in general. We deal with jurisdictional fights
between different organizations, addiction, and a history of racial
abuse.
None of these things matter to the people who are missing and to the
family members and the Tribal members who are missing.
In Savanna Greywind's case, the perpetrators were found, and justice
was served, but that will never bring her back.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention this. At the same time this was
captivating the entire State of North Dakota, Olivia Lone Bear went
missing from the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in October 2017. Her
body was found almost an entire year later in Lake Sakakawea on July
31, 2018. As of today, that case has not been resolved.
Communication breakdowns from one end to the other have caused
frustration. Her family members, the Tribal governments, and the State
of North Dakota have no resolution to this case.
I wish these were two isolated stories, but we all know they are not.
When we are here and working toward things, I get it that we are in a
polarized environment, and we deal with lots of different things, but
this is absolutely the purview of Congress. This bill has had broad
bipartisan and bicameral support, and there is really no excuse not to
get Savanna's Act passed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Washington for doing this today.
I thank Congresswoman Torres and Senator Murkowski for authoring the
bill. I thank Senator Cramer and Senator Hoeven. I say thank you to
former Senator Heitkamp, who really did champion this issue during her
time in the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass Savanna's Act. It is
simple. Sometimes we can do the right thing.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is right. This is a serious
issue. As the gentleman said, something this serious should be
bipartisan, and the good thing is that it is bipartisan. People on both
sides of the aisle recognize the horrific nature of these unsolved
crimes and are wanting to do something about it.
I am really heartened by the fact that in this day and age, and in
this climate here in Washington, D.C., there are some issues that we
can rally around together in a bipartisan fashion.
I think that is a perfect segue into introducing a friend of mine
from the Bipartisan Working Group, someone who embodies the desire to
find solutions and to find common ground on issues so that we can move
forward. This is a great example of the work that we can accomplish
when we put our heads together.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend from New Mexico (Ms. Torres
Small).
Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 23
pueblos and Tribes in New Mexico. This week, New Mexicans observed our
first Indigenous People's Day, celebrating the lengthy history and
ongoing contributions of Native American communities in New Mexico.
New Mexico's past, present, and future is tied to the vibrancy of its
Native American sovereign governments. One of the most serious threats
facing these communities is the crisis of murdered and missing women.
The murder rate for Native American women is 10 times higher than the
national average, and we have trouble even counting these tragedies.
Due to outdated databases and insufficient coordination between law
enforcement agencies, we can't count the number of Native American
women who go missing each and every year.
This crisis demands a response. I am proud and honored to join my
colleagues--Congresswoman Norma Torres, Congressman Dan Newhouse, and
Congresswoman Deb Haaland--in cosponsoring H.R. 2733, Savanna's Act.
Savanna's Act improves Tribal access to Federal databases, creates
new guidelines for responding to these cases, and creates grant
programs for law enforcement agencies to improve their practices.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, it truly is a great thing that we can come
together on an issue of such importance. I thank the gentlewoman for
her contributions and her sponsorship of Savanna's Act. Together, we
can get this done. I thank the gentlewoman very much for coming
tonight.
Mr. Speaker, it may not be obvious to many of us, but some States are
taking action. Some specific States have accomplished some things. In
my own State of Washington, I have to mention the name of State
Representative Gina Mosbrucker, who has been a critical ally in
addressing this crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women.
We have 29 federally recognized Tribes in Washington State, so it is
critical that we have the State's support to help address this crisis.
Representative Mosbrucker has spearheaded legislation to improve the
reporting of crimes on and off the reservations and enhance
coordination between the Washington State Patrol as well as Tribal law
enforcement.
[[Page H8181]]
Earlier this year, the Washington State Patrol released a report, as
mandated by Representative Mosbrucker's legislation, outlining the
number and status of cases of missing and murdered indigenous women
throughout the State. The report revealed that there is much more work
to be done in order to empower law enforcement of all jurisdictions--
State, Federal, Tribal, and local--to accurately report and investigate
these crimes.
I know Washington State is not the only State that is doing things. I
welcome my friend, Representative Don Bacon from Nebraska, to the
podium. His State, for example, has one of the highest rates of crime
against Native American women. Like Washington State, Nebraska has been
active in tackling some of the shortcomings we see in the coordination
between Tribes and law enforcement.
I thank my friend, Representative Bacon, for his leadership on this
issue and his help in getting this legislation through. He has been a
strong supporter not only here but also in his home State.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).
Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I want to start out by recognizing Mr.
Newhouse for his leadership on this issue, for educating us, and for
galvanizing our Congress to take action here. I also thank my friend
for the character and integrity that he brings to our Chamber every
day. The gentleman is a bright light right here in our Capitol.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise to address the serious epidemic occurring in
the United States, and that is the disappearance and senseless murders
of Native American women. Many Americans are unaware of this epidemic,
and it must be brought to our attention.
According to the Native American Women's Nebraska Task Force,
Nebraska, and particularly Omaha, has a high number of missing and
murdered Native American women. Thirty-three Native American women are
listed as missing in Nebraska. Omaha is ranked third in the United
States for having the most unreported cases of missing and murdered
indigenous women. Although the Nebraska State Patrol is working with
the Commission of Indian Affairs and working as hard as they can to
collect and improve data reporting and helping with the investigations,
there is just a lot more to do.
Unfortunately, this is not just an issue in Nebraska. In 2016, 5,712
cases of missing or murdered indigenous women were reported, and only
116 are logged by the Department of Justice in its database. It is
believed that many cases go unreported, so that number is expected to
be much higher.
One of the ways we can address and bring awareness to this very
important issue is to improve and strengthen the relationship between
Tribal and State law enforcement agencies, enhance missing persons
reports, implement diligent recordkeeping, and maintain communication
between law enforcement and the families of the victims.
H.R. 2733, Savanna's Act, does just that. I am thankful to be a
cosponsor and glad to be on it. It is a worthy act that we should pass.
We must also increase media coverage to raise awareness and help
locate missing women. In 1996, the AMBER Alert system was established
when Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed up with local police to
develop an early warning system to help find missing children. This had
a significant impact. Since 1996, over 900 children have been safely
found. We need to have a similar system that applies to all Americans
and target it here with our Native American population.
What we have learned is that the Native American community lacks
proper resources to search for these women. When police cases go
dormant, our families have taken it upon themselves to search for their
loved ones, but that seldom works. It seldom yields results. We need to
provide resources to Tribal law enforcement to help locate these
missing women, and that is what Savanna's Act is designed to
accomplish.
We say we will go to the ends of the Earth to protect our families,
our friends, and our loved ones. That is how our Native American
brothers and sisters feel about their lost loved ones as well. When our
country is threatened by foreign countries, we take action. When our
country faces a medical epidemic, we take action. When children go
missing, we take action, and we know no boundaries. When our fellow
Americans go missing, we take action.
That is why I am urging my colleagues to support Savanna's Act. We
can do better.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Newhouse for yielding.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Bacon very much for his
participation tonight and helping shed light on this very important
issue in our Tribal communities around the country.
I told you earlier, Mr. Speaker, that I held a public meeting in
Yakima earlier this year. The reporter that I had mentioned asked me a
very pointed question. This issue had been brought to light in the
early 1990s by one of my predecessors who held this seat. That person
vowed to do something about this, and here we are, 20-some years later,
almost 30 years later, and nothing has been done.
She asked me: What is different today?
I think the right answer to that, Mr. Speaker, is that the
difference, from what I have seen, personally, is that the men and
women in our Tribal communities are standing up. They are saying: We
are tired of this, and we are just not going to take it anymore.
{time} 1645
They are making their voices heard loud and clear and demanding
action, and this is something that we need to deliver in order to help
our Native American communities around the country.
It truly is a pleasure for me to yield to the gentleman from South
Dakota (Mr. Johnson), who has been a true leader on this issue, helping
bring focus to this issue so that we can find solutions.
Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the honorable
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse) for yielding.
I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to highlight, to call attention to a
crisis that is facing our Tribal communities--really, our Tribal
communities throughout the country--and that is violence against
American Indian women.
More than 1.5 million American Indian women have experienced
violence--ultimately, sexual violence--during their lifetimes. The
numbers are staggering. They have experienced violence, murder, and
kidnapping at much, much higher rates than other women--1.5 million
women.
I know some of these women. Like my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle, I have looked in their eyes. I have heard their heart-wrenching
stories of violence, of trauma. I have held their hands. I have hugged
them as, through tears, they have described to me events that I
otherwise could not imagine.
In just the last few years, we have had 6,000 American Indian women,
our countrywomen, who have gone missing; and just a few, just a handful
of those cases have been logged with the Department of Justice. In that
way, our Federal Government is not doing enough to combat this problem.
We know--every one of us here tonight knows--that we can do better.
That is why I have felt so good about how many of my colleagues today
have mentioned Savanna's Act, which, clearly, I am a cosponsor of, I am
a supporter of.
It is not a perfect bill. It does not do enough, but it tries to
highlight, it tries to call attention to, it brings attention to, it
brings resources to the experiences of those 1.5 million American
Indian women who have faced this violence.
No, Mr. Speaker, it is not a perfect bill, but for those of us who
have looked those women in the eyes, for those of us who have heard
their stories, we know that it is an important first step and one that
this Congress should take.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank and appreciate the gentleman from
South Dakota (Mr. Johnson). I thank him for his leadership in making
sure that people understand the gravity of the situation that we face,
so I thank him very much.
Mr. Speaker, we have talked a lot about both these bills, probably
more, though, about Savanna's Act. Let me talk a little bit about the
BADGES for Native Communities Act.
[[Page H8182]]
It is a bill that strengthens Tribal communities' ability to
investigate crimes related to missing and murdered indigenous women and
better enforce pubic safety.
BADGES stands for Bridging Agency Gaps and Ensuring Safety for Native
communities. It gives Tribes and Tribal law enforcement agencies access
to Federal resources and databases so that they can more effectively
investigate open cases.
It will always provide resources for Tribes to recruit and retain
qualified law enforcement personnel, which addresses an issue facing
Native communities across the country.
Representative Deb Haaland of New Mexico and Representative Tom Cole,
the two lead sponsors of the BADGES for Native Communities Act and co-
chairs of the House Native American Caucus, could not be here with us
this evening, but I know their advocacy has inspired many Members of
Congress, myself included, to work to bridge those gaps on behalf of
Native communities across the country.
This legislation, like Savanna's Act, has strong bipartisan support,
and tonight, I call upon the Committee on the Judiciary to give this
legislation a hearing.
Mr. Speaker, another strong advocate in the people's House who fights
day in and day out on the behalf of American Indian and Alaska Native
communities is the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), dean of the House
and my friend.
Mr. Speaker, the good dean couldn't be with us here this evening, but
he will include a statement in the Congressional Record. In his
statement, Representative Young speaks of the extreme isolation and
lack of law enforcement in remote Native communities and the concerning
fact that Native communities lack full access to criminal databases,
undermining Tribal law enforcement in court systems.
I thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), my friend, for his
years of leadership and for his original cosponsorship for both
Savanna's Act and the BADGES for Native Communities Act.
Also, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, I have
requested a field hearing in central Washington on Yakama Nation
Reservation. I also mentioned that several local Tribes have echoed my
request to both the House Committee on the Judiciary and House
Committee on Natural Resources.
I include the following letters in the Record from the Yakama Nation,
also from The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, from the
YWCA, from the Samish Indian Nation, from the Puyallup Tribe, from the
Missing and Murdered Native Americans, from the Washington State
Women's Commission, and also from the Muckleshoot Tribal Council.
Confederated Tribes and Bands
of the Yakama Nation,
Toppenish, WA, June 20, 2019.
Hon, Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman, House Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Raul Grijalva,
Chairman, House Committee on Natural Resources, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Doug Collins, Ranking Member,
House Committee of the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Rob Bishop, Ranking Member,
House Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Nadler and Grijalva and Ranking Members
Collins and Bishop: Shix Patchway. On behalf of the
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, I am
writing to in support of Savannah's Act, H.R. 2733 and to
invite the House Committee on the Judiciary and House
Committee on Natural Resources to conduct a field hearing on
the proposed legislation at the Yakama Reservation.
We are truly to grateful to Representatives Dan Newhouse,
Norma Tones and Deb Haaland for introducing Savanna's Act.
For many years the Yakama Nation has made formal requests to
the Department of Justice and Bureau of Indian Affairs to
assistant with locating missing persons, and solving the
unsolved homicide cases that have occurred on and around the
Yakama Reservation--with no response or action by the
Governmental Agencies.
The Yakama Nation Tribal Council has formed a Special
Committee for this very important issue, The Yakama Nation
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Committee. The
Committee has been gathering community input through informal
and formal processes, and working to implement action items
in response. On January 14, 2019, the Committee hosted a
meeting at the Yakama Nation Legends Casino that gathered
input and shared actions item and was well attended by many
law enforcement agencies and a representative from Governor
Jay Inlsee's Office.
The Yakama Nation has supported the Washington State
Legislature's work to address the ongoing MMIW crisis,
specifically Washington State HB 2951 and SB 1713. As the
Yakama Nation testified in Olympia, there needs to be a
genuine response to the reports of missing and murdered
Native women and girls across Tribal lands. Also, all new
legislation needs to be guided by a clear strategic framework
and principles to move beyond the current conditions
endangering our lives and future generations of Native women
and girls.
The Yakama Nation is formally requesting a field hearing on
our Yakama Lands to address the issues relating to the
missing and murdered women and peoples and the need for
Savanna's Act, H.R. 2733. We would like your Committees to
have an opportunity to hear firsthand from our community as
well as other impacted Tribes.
The Yakama Nation offers our assistance to the Committees
to facilitate true action by the United States to address the
crisis facing Native communities nationwide.
Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward
to your response.
JoDe Goudy, Chairman,
Yakama Nation Tribal Council.
____
The Confederated Tribes
of the Colville Reservation,
Nespelem, WA, June 19, 2019.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman, House Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Raul Grijalva,
Chairman, House Committee on Natural Resources, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Doug Collins, Ranking Member,
House Committee of the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Rob Bishop, Ranking Member,
House Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairmen Nadler and Grijalva and Ranking Members
Collins and Bishop: On behalf of the Confederated Tribes of
the Colville Reservation (``CCT''), I am writing to request
that one or both of your committees hold a field hearing in
Washington state to examine issues relating to missing and
murdered Indian women and the need for enactment of Savanna's
Act, H.R. 2733.
The CCT worked with Rep. Dan Newhouse when the House
version of H.R. 2733 was being developed. The CCT joins Rep.
Newhouse's request that a field hearing be held on the Yakama
Nation Reservation as explained in his June 6, 2019, letter
to your committees.
As explained in Rep. Newhouse's letter, information on many
open cases involving missing and murdered Yakama Nation women
was recently made available by local media. Previously, the
CCT made personnel from the Colville Tribal Police Department
available to assist the Yakama Nation in an attempt to
resolve cases of missing Yakama women.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. Please
feel free to contact me directly with any questions.
Sincerely,
Rodney Cawston,
Chairman.
____
YWCA,
Yakima, WA, June 18, 2019.
Dear Representative Newhouse: The YWCA of Yakima calls on
you and Congress to take aggressive action to find answers
and protective solutions to the Missing and Murdered Native
Women in Yakima County and throughout our country. We support
your efforts with Savanna's Act. It's time for the violence
against women to stop.
We request field hearings in Yakima County to learn more
from our Yakama Tribal members and others with information on
what is happening in Yakima County. We are highly concerned
about the level of violence against women in our area.
For 110 years the YWCA of Yakima has been providing
services to women and children in our community. Last year
alone we helped over 13,000 women, children, and men who were
experiencing domestic violence. Our emergency shelter
frequently helps Native women reclaim their lives and build
new futures for them and their children.
Thank you for leading an effort to bring these issues
forward. This is a crisis that needs attention now. How many
more women will we allow to go missing or be murdered? How
many more children will grow up not knowing where their
mother is?
Sincerely,
Cheri Kilty,
Executive Director.
[[Page H8183]]
____
Samish Indian Nation,
Anacortes, WA, June 18, 2019.
Hon. Jerry Nadler,
Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Raul Grijalva,
Chairman, House Committee on Natural Resources, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Doug Collins,
Ranking Member, House Committee of the Judiciary, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Ranking Member, House Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairmen Nadler and Grijalva and Ranking Members
Collins and Bishop: I am writing on behalf of the Samish
Indian Nation to share the importance to our people of
Savanna's Act, introduced by Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-
WA), Norma Torres (D-CA), and Deb Haaland (D-OK) to address
the devastating issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous
Women (MMIW) that impacts tribal communities here in
Washington and across the country. I am also writing to
underscore the importance of hearing directly from the tribal
communities that have been impacted by this epidemic.
Indigenous Women in Washington have especially been
impacted by the crisis, with currently 71 open cases
statewide. Samish Indian Nation has not escaped this impact,
as our late former Chairwoman lost her daughter-in-law in a
violent criminal act over 30 years ago, and that case has
even to this day never been solved.
With this in mind, we ask you to hold a field hearing in
Central Washington to bring together Tribal leaders, local
and Tribal law enforcement, and other community stakeholders
and hear firsthand accounts of the MMIW crisis and how
legislation like Savanna's Act would help ensure justice for
Native Women and their families.
Thank you for your consideration and for your leadership
and advocacy for our Nation's Native Communities. I look
forward to welcoming you to Washington and to a collective
response to this crisis.
Sincerely,
Thomas D. Wooten,
Chairman.
____
Puyallup Tribe of Indians,
June 27, 2019.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman, House Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Raul Grijalva,
Chairman, House Committee on Natural Resources, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Doug Collins,
Ranking Member, House Committee on the Judiciary, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Ranking Member, House Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairmen Nadler and Grijalva and Ranking Members
Collins and Bishop: I.am writing on behalf of the Puyallup
Tribe of Indians to share our collective support of Savanna's
Act, H.R. 2733 introduced by Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-
WA), Norma Torres (D-CA), and Deb Haaland (D-OK). The issue
of missing and murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) has had
devastating impacts on tribal communities in Washington State
and across Indian Country. The Puyallup Tribe has not been
immune to this crisis as we have several missing or murdered
tribal members whose cases remain unsolved.
The Urban Indian Health Institute reports that Washington
State ranks second in the nation for missing and murdered
indigenous women. In data collected on urban areas, Seattle
is number one, and Tacoma is number two. With this data in
mind we respectfully and urgently stress the importance for
the committees to hear directly from the communities hit the
hardest as you discuss policies that will impact them the
most.
We support Yakama Nation's invitation to the House
Committee on the Judiciary and House Committee on Natural
Resources to conduct a field hearing on the proposed
legislation. Hosting a field hearing in Central Washington
would be a meaningful opportunity to gather a diverse
community of Tribal leaders, law enforcement, and community
stakeholders and hear firsthand how legislation like
Savanna's Act is needed to assure justice for Native women
and the loved ones they've left behind.
Thank you for your consideration, and advocacy. We look
forward to your response.
Sincerely,
David Z. Bean,
Chairman Puyallup Tribal Council.
____
Missing and Murdered
Native Americans,
Yelm, WA, June 27, 2019.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman, House Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Raul Grijalva,
Chairman, House Committee on Natural Resources, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Doug Collins,
Ranking Member, House Committee on the Judiciary, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Ranking Member, House Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairmen Nadler and Grijalva and Ranking Members
Collins and Bishop: I am writing as an advocate for families
of the missing and murdered and as a family member who has
lost my mother and my cousin to share our collective support
of Savannah's Act, H.R. 2733. Please accept the invitation to
conduct a field hearing on the proposed legislation. The
crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) is
gaining momentum across the nation with tragic stories like
Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, who was pregnant with her first
child when she was murdered in August 2017. Savanna's story
is heartbreaking; and, tragically, there are thousands of
these stories across the country. There are over 40 missing
or murdered women on the Yakama reservation, each with its
share of horrific details and failed investigations.
Native American's are the only race in our country where no
thorough data is collected, thus there is no reliable way of
knowing how many Native Women go missing. Outdated databases
and a lack of coordination between law enforcement agencies
are creating a literal joke of ``Who's on First'' where no
one wants to take jurisdiction. This bad joke played out this
winter in the death of 14 year old Henny Scott. The family
fought to get law enforcement to take a missing report or
help find Henny wasting critical time. Henny was found dead
by a volunteer search party on the Norther Cheyenne
reservation in December 2018. This could have been prevented
and is unacceptable, and yet, Henny's is just one story.
The Urban Indian Health Institute reports that Washington
State ranks second in the nation for missing and murdered
indigenous women. Seattle holds sadly is number one and
Tacoma is number two. I must respectfully and urgently
request your committees to hear directly from the communities
hit the hardest as you discuss policies that will impact them
the most.
Thank you for your consideration and for your strong
leadership and advocacy for our nation's Native communities.
We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Carolyn DeFord,
Founder, Missing and Murdered Native Americans, MMIW Family
Member, Daughter of Leona Kinsey.
____
Washington State
Women's Commission,
Olympia, WA, July 10, 2019.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
House Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Raul Grijalva,
House Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Doug Collins,
House Committee of the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
House Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairs Nadler and Grijalva and Ranking Members
Collins and Bishop: I am the Director of the Washington State
Women's Commission, a government agency focused on
eliminating systemic barriers for women. I am writing in
support of Savanna's Act (H.R. 2733), introduced by
Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Norma Torres (D-CA), and
Deb Haaland (D-OK). Savanna's Act is a bipartisan effort that
will help address the crisis of missing and murdered
Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) across the country. I also
support holding a field hearing on the Yakama Nation
Reservation.
In April 2019, two Native girls, Mary Gates (age 14) and
Myra Queahpama (age 15), went missing from Yakima County in
Washington state. Every day they are missing makes it more
difficult to find them. Their families deserve to be heard. I
am writing to support a field hearing on the Yakama Nation
reservation to learn more from our Yakima Tribal members
about this issue. Of the 56 missing Native American women in
Washington, 20 are from Yakima County, according to the
National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.
The Women's Commission shares the concern of many about the
level of violence against women in the area. I respectfully
request your committees hold a field hearing at the Yakama
Reservation, and to support the passage of Savanna's Act.
Thank you for your consideration and for your strong
leadership and advocacy for our nation's Native communities.
Sincerely,
Michelle Gonzalez,
Director.
____
Muckleshoot Tribal Council,
Auburn, WA, July 12, 2019.
Re Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Epidemic.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
House Committee on Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Raul Grijalva,
House Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Doug Collins,
Ranking Member, House Committee Judiciary, Washington, DC.
Hon. Rob Bishop,
Ranking Member, House Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairmen Nadler and Grijalva and Ranking Members
Collins and Bishop: On behalf of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe
(``Tribe''), I am writing to request that the Committee on
the Judiciary and Committee on Natural Resources conduct a
joint field hearing in Washington State on the Missing and
Murdered Indigenous Women (``MMIW'') epidemic.
[[Page H8184]]
The MMIW crisis is a heart-wrenching problem impacting
Indian country. Over recent decades, thousands of American
Indian and Alaska Native (``AI/AN'') women have disappeared.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that
murder is the third-leading cause of death among AI/AN women
and that rates of violence on reservations can be up to ten
times higher than the national average.
This crisis is plaguing Washington State at an alarming
rate. A 2018 report by the Urban Indian Health Institute
found that Washington State ranked second in the nation for
the number of MMIW cases (71 cases). Further, the study
determined that Seattle was the city with the highest number
of MMIW cases (45). This is extremely concerning for the
Tribe considering we are located less than 30 miles from
Seattle.
While there is no single cause for the high rates of MMIW,
experts suggest several explanations, including
jurisdictional barriers; lack of cross jurisdictional
communication and planning; failure to adequately fund tribal
justice systems; and the targeting of Native women by sex
traffickers.
Legislation pending in the Judiciary and Natural Resources
committees, including Savanna's Act (H.R. 2733) would help
address the MMIW crisis. Savanna's Act, introduced by
Representatives Norma Torres, Deb Haaland, and Dan Newhouse,
would increase coordination among all levels of law
enforcement; increase data collection and information
sharing; and empower tribal governments with the resources
needed in cases involving MMIW.
In closing, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe strongly
encourages the Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on
Natural Resources to conduct a joint field hearing in the
State of Washington on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous
Women epidemic and related legislation.
Respectfully,
Jaison Elkins,
Chairman,
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.
Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, these letters outline the importance to
both our Native communities in Washington State and the futures of
indigenous people around the country.
To quote from the Yakama Nation, Chairman Goudy's letter: ``As the
Yakama Nation testified in Olympia, there needs to be a genuine
response to the reports of missing and murdered Native women and girls
across Tribal lands.''
Chairman Goudy continues: ``Also, all new legislation needs to be
guided by a clear strategic framework and principles to move beyond the
current conditions endangering the lives and future generations of
Native women and girls.''
The unique perspective of Native communities like that of the Yakama
Nation are invaluable, Mr. Speaker, as we continue to debate the best
policies moving forward that will actually provide solutions to this
crisis. So I respectfully repeat my invitation to the House Committee
on the Judiciary and Committee on Natural Resources to come to my
congressional district in central Washington, and I can promise all
those members and chairmen the insight they will gain will help them
realize how this crisis truly affects our friends and neighbors on and
off Tribal lands.
Mr. Speaker, you have heard tonight how this devastating crisis
affects Tribes, States, and congressional districts across the country.
It is easy to focus on these heartbreaking statistics, but these women
are more than just numbers. They are mothers, daughters, sisters,
aunts, neighbors, and friends.
There are those who are missing, like:
18-year-old Rosalita Longee, who was last seen in Wapato in 2015;
37-year-old Roberta Jean Raines, last seen in Toppenish in 2001;
29-year-old Daisy Mae Tallman, who went missing in October of 1987;
Daisy's backpack and keys were found northwest of White Swan;
29-year-old Karen Louise Johnley, who was last seen by a friend at
the Lazy R Tavern in Harrah, Washington in 1987;
16-year-old Janice Hannigan, who, in 1971, went missing after she was
discharged by the hospital on Christmas Eve. She never arrived home and
has never been heard from again.
Then there are also the unsolved murders, including:
31-year-old Rosenda Strong, who was last seen alive in Wapato on
October 2 of last year. Her body was found in July outside of
Toppenish, and no arrests have been made;
23-year-old Destiny Louise Lloyd, who went missing on Christmas Day
2017. She was found days later south of Harrah;
31-year-old Minnie Andy. Minnie was assaulted in Wapato in July 2017.
She died from her injuries;
39-year-old Linda Dave, whose remains were found in Toppenish in
February of 2017 under a bridge;
33-year-old mother of eight, Naoma George. She was beaten to death in
an alley in Wapato in the fall of 2013;
44-year-old Barbara Celestine. Barbara died of blunt trauma to the
head in 2005;
30-year-old Shari Dee Sampson Elwell of Wapato. Shari was found dead
in White Swan in 1992;
44-year-old JoAnne Betty John. The mother of 11 had been missing for
2\1/2\ years before her remains were found in 1992. She was identified
by her dental records;
13-year-old Rozelia Sohappy, who was last seen New Year's Eve in
1988. Her remains were found outside of Brownstone;
20-year-old Jenece Wilson of Toppenish. She died of a severe blow to
the head in the summer of 1987;
26-year old Babette Crystall Green, a member of the Warm Springs
Tribe in Oregon. Her remains were found in 1987 near Wapato;
25-year-old Clydell Alice Sampson, who, after being missing for 2
years, was found in 1986 by hunters outside of Granger. She died of a
shotgun blast to the head;
33-year-old Mavis Josephine McKay. Mavis' remains were found in 1957
in Satus. Mavis was a citizen of the Umatilla Tribe.
These are just some of the women with open cases from on or near the
Yakama Nation reservation in central Washington, and this does not even
begin to cover the number of open cases in other parts of the country.
This is not an issue we can ignore, Mr. Speaker. The Native
communities we represent deserve action. Congress must, as to provide
answers to their friends, families, and loved ones, act to deliver
justice to missing and murdered indigenous women across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
____________________