Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Floor Speech

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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.

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