[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.

                          ____________________