Staff Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Addressing the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women, two bills championed by Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, are headed to President Donald Trump’s desk after unanimous passage in the House and Senate.

Newhouse, who has for more than a year advocated for the bills to become law, on Monday praised the passage of Savanna’s Act and the Not Invisible Act.

“The passing of this legislation is long overdue,” Newhouse said in a statement. “Throughout Central Washington and across the country, the families and loved ones of thousands of missing or murdered indigenous women are awaiting justice. This crisis has been going on for decades, and our Native communities have had enough.”

Newhouse joined Reps. Norma Torres, D-California, and Deb Haaland, D-New Mexico, to introduce Savanna’s Act in May 2019. The legislation, named in honor of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, addresses the disturbing increase in murdered and missing Native America women by creating new guidelines for responding to such cases and by incentivizing various law enforcement agencies to implement them, according to a press release.

The bill develops guidelines and best practices for law enforcement agencies across the country, improves coordination between law enforcement agencies, and enhances reporting, record keeping, and communication for law enforcement and families of victims.

The Not Invisible Act was introduced in 2019 by Reps. Haaland, Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, and Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, all of whom are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes. That legislation would establish an advisory committee on violent crime composed of law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers and survivors to make recommendations to the Department of Interior and Department of Justice.

The bill would also establish best practices for law enforcement combatting the murder, trafficking or disappearance of Native Americans and Alaska Natives, and would create a position for an expert within the Bureau of Indian Affairs charged with improving coordination of violent crime prevention across federal agencies.

“Every woman deserves to feel safe, but women in Native communities are going missing without a trace,” Haaland said in a statement. “Today, the congressional members of federally recognized tribes are stepping up for our communities by working to set up an advisory board that is specifically focused on finding solutions to address this silent crisis.”

The unanimous passage of both pieces of legislation comes two months after Newhouse led a bipartisan letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, urging congressional action on the bills before the August recess. That letter did not receive a response, according to a press release.