These bills provide the foundation to implement the fundamental tenets proposed by the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association, and Global Indigenous Council:

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1 - To disentangle the jurisdictional paralysis through interagency coordination between federal, state and tribal law enforcement agencies. Life and death cannot wait for bureaucracy. Interagency coordination includes establishing standard protocols that reflect the unique circumstances and challenges of MMIWG cases, including “cold case” investigative methodology. When a child or teen is abducted, the first 12 to 24 hours are crucial; in the general population, 75% of missing children are killed within 3-hours of abduction, so why is the disappearance of Native children and youth treated differently, particularly by tribal law enforcement on reservations, as exposed in recent tragedies on the Northern Cheyenne and Blackfeet nations? If any law enforcement agency waits 72-hours to activate a full-scale search, it will invariably be looking for a body, not the recovery of a missing Native minor or woman.

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“Ashley’s case was not taken seriously from the very beginning. Law enforcement let Ashley down because they did not have proper training, nor did they follow protocol when dealing with her case. Unfortunately, Ashley’s story is not unique but the same as many other MMIW.

Ashley had dreams and she had goals! Being a missing and murdered indigenous woman was not one of them.”

 - Kimberly Loring Heavy Runner,    

Sister of Ashley Loring Heavy Runner, a 20-year-old Blackfeet    

tribal member who has been missing since June 12, 2017.    

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2 – Establish MMIWG Tribal liaison outlets that serve three critical functions:

        a.  Provide a confidential environment where tribal and community members can share information on assaults and abductions in private without having to engage with standard law enforcement agencies. The liaison office would be the conduit to pass information to law enforcement. Tribal members would be empowered to share information in a culturally appropriate setting, and in their own languages. These witnesses will not have to interact with law enforcement unless and until a prosecution proceeds relative to the information shared with the liaison office.

        b.  The liaison offices would be a point of contact and, in a sense, a refuge for victims’ families. Law enforcement agencies are not organized to provide support to victims’ families; a victim’s family does not want to hear “it’s an ongoing investigation and so we can’t share anything.” Victim’s families want a point of contact who will listen, support, and advocate for them.

        c. Our focus is to reduce and stem this tragedy; there are no statistics, only human begins who are victims. When survivors are found and rescued, it is essential that mental health treatment is available – treatment that is culturally oriented, as well as embodying the latest, most effective mental health practices. 

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“Now the legislation has been introduced, we must work it to secure its passage into law.” 

 - A. Gay Kingman, Executive Director, Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association.