Newhouse, Torres Urge Action on Savanna’s Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting an update on the implementation of Savanna's Act, legislation passed last year to address the disproportionately high number of missing or murdered Native American women. The bill requires the Department of Justice to implement additional law enforcement protocols for investigating such cases.

"Savanna's Act was signed into law over a year ago and requires the Department of Justice to update Congress on how the reforms and guidelines are being implemented to better protect native women and communities. I am deeply disappointed this statutory deadline has not been met, given the dire state of the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women in Central Washington and across the country," said Rep. Newhouse. "We worked hard with our tribal partners and local advocates to get Savanna's Act signed into law, and now we urge Attorney General Garland to act swiftly to execute these bipartisan policies in order to deliver justice to the families and loved ones of these women."

The full text of the lawmakers' letter is here and below.

Dear Attorney General Garland:

We write to you today to respectfully inquire about your implementation of Savanna's Act (Public Law 116-165), bipartisan legislation that was signed into law on October 10, 2020. The law addresses the disproportionately high number of missing Native American women by directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review, revise, and develop law enforcement protocols, increase coordination, and improve data collection to address missing or murdered Native Americans. Additionally, the law authorizes the Department to provide grants to carry out these activities. Savanna's Act was signed into law more than a year ago and we are eager for your report on how DOJ has implemented these reforms to better protect indigenous women.

All too often, cases involving indigenous women go unreported, despite the fact that they are murdered and disappeared at unconscionably high rates. For instance, federal statistics show that Native American women are murdered at rates more than 10 times the national average and yet are the least likely of all ethnic groups to have newspaper coverage. Native Americans, women of color, and their families deserve the primetime coverage and government and public response that other cases have received. According to a Government Accountability Office report released on November 1, 2021, the implementation of Savanna's Act would, "present opportunities to increase and improve data on the number of missing or murdered Indians, including AI/AN women" (GAO-22-104045).

We understand that the change in executive administration and agency leadership has adversely impacted your ability to meet the deadlines set forth in the law, but our communities cannot wait any longer. You play a pivotal role in the national effort to find justice for these women, and we urge you to provide Congress with an update on your efforts to implement Savanna's Act. We hope you will do your utmost as Attorney General to oversee a robust law enforcement agency response to cases of missing or murdered Native Americans, the recording of Tribal enrollment information or affiliation of victims in Federal databases, and the reporting of this data to the public. We are requesting complete transparency in the implementation process of this legislation, which calls for a report from the Department detailing the annual data on missing Native Americans and the law enforcement agencies that provide such data.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to finding justice for those who lack a voice. We appreciate your assistance in this matter and look forward to your response.

Background:

On May 14, 2019, Rep. Newhouse joined Reps. Norma Torres (D-CA) and Deb Haaland (D-NM) to introduce Savanna's Act, a bill that aims to address the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) across the country. 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.

Since the bill's introduction, Rep. Newhouse has continued to urge Congress to act and pass legislation to provide relief to Native communities. In October 2020, he hosted an hour-long bipartisan call-to-action on the House floor. Click here to watch remarks by Rep. Newhouse and his colleagues.

Later that month, Rep. Newhouse arranged meetings with House leadership for two Yakama Nation leaders, then-Chairman JoDe Goudy and Councilwoman Lottie Samm, who traveled to Washington, D.C., to express the impact the MMIW crisis was having on local communities and to discuss the importance of passing legislation like Savanna's Act.

Savanna's Act was referred to the House Judiciary Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. While House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-CA) did not meet with the delegation, Rep. Newhouse and the Yakama Nation leaders met with Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) of the House Natural Resources Committee, Chairman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples, and Chairwoman Karen Bass (D-CA) of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Following the announcement of the Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, or Operation Lady Justice, Rep. Newhouse invited Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney to Central Washington to hear firsthand from tribal leaders. The group discussed how federal actions and legislation would help Native communities more effectively investigate crimes and deliver justice to the loved ones of these women. Click here to read more about the meeting in the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Last month, Rep. Newhouse convened a similar meeting, inviting U.S. Attorney Bill Hyslop to meet with local, state, and tribal law enforcement officers and discuss the challenges they face in curbing the disproportionately high murder and violence rates against Native American women. At this meeting, Rep. Newhouse discussed how Savanna's Act would aid law enforcement agencies to track findings and more effectively investigate cases of MMIW. The U.S. Attorney also announced Operation White Swan, a federal effort that aims to curb violence on the Yakama Nation reservation.

On March 11, 2020, Savanna's Act passed through the House Judiciary Committee unanimously. Rep. Newhouse issued a statement of support.

On July 17, 2020, Rep. Newhouse led a bipartisan letter to Speaker Pelosi, urging congressional action on Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act before August recess. The letter has not received a response.

On September 17, 2020, Rep. Newhouse was joined by his Congressional Western Caucus colleagues, Reps. Chris Stewart (R-UT), Pete Stauber (R-MN), and Dusty Johnson (R-SD), to demand a House vote on Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act.

On September 21, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act unanimously.

On October 10, 2020, President Trump signed Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act into law.

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