Newhouse Hosts Listening Sessions to Highlight MMIW Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in advance of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls (MMIW), May 5, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) hosted a tribal law enforcement roundtable and MMIW listening session with Department of Interior (DOI) Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Bryan Newland, to allow tribal members to tell their stories and share the issues that they face with Assistant Secretary Newland directly and highlight the urgent need to establish a missing and murdered unit in Central Washington.
“Native Americans make up about 2% of the state’s population, but Native Women account for 7% of the state’s reported missing women. And according to Washington State Patrol, there are 126 active missing cases as of Monday, and Central Washington’s tribal community sits at the epicenter of this crisis. These statistics are unacceptable, and I, along with the community here have not—and will not—be silent,” said Rep. Newhouse. “It is thanks to the advocacy and the voices of many of the people who were gathered today that this issue is no longer being swept under the rug. It is because of their demands for justice that we are all here today, and I will never stop raising their voices in Congress.”
“After today it is unmistakably clear that people expect us to act and I look forward to partnering with tribal and state agencies on these MMIW/MMIP issues,” said Department of Interior Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, Bryan Newland. “I thank Congressman Newhouse for raising awareness of this important issue in the region.”
“Today's listening session on the MMIW/P crisis with Rep. Newhouse and Assistant Secretary Newland is a great example of how coming together as local, state, federal, and tribal governments can collaborate to solve this urgent matter for Indian Country,” said Asa Washines, Washington State Office of the Attorney General Tribal Liaison (Yakama). “Both the law enforcement and tribal leaders’ roundtable discussions yielded great ideas moving forward that improve Indian country's response to the crisis. I look forward to the Congressman's future legislation that will provide the tools/resources to fight this epidemic that has largely gone unheard.”
“I am grateful for the collaboration between the state and federal government to provide resources to families who are searching for their loved ones,” said State Representative Gina Mosbrucker. “It’s an honor and privilege to work with Congressman Newhouse closely to keep missing and murdered Native Americans a priority in congress and the legislature. We must bring them home.”
Background:
In October 2020, President Trump signed two historic pieces of legislation – Savanna’s Act and the Not Invisible Act – into law. Rep. Newhouse introduced Savanna’s Act and strongly supported the Not Invisible Act to address the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW).
In March 2021, Rep. Newhouse called on the Biden Administration to prioritize addressing the MMIW crisis and renewed his 2020 call for a Cold Case Task Force Office in Yakima, Washington.
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