U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) on Monday commended unanimous passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of two bills he supported to reduce violent crimes against Native Americans on their Indian lands. Both pieces of legislation now head to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
“The passing of this legislation is long overdue,” said Rep. Newhouse.
The House on Sept. 21 approved Savanna’s Act, S. 227, introduced in January 2019 by U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) to direct the U.S. Department of Justice to review, revise and develop law enforcement and justice protocols to address missing or murdered Native Americans. The House also approved the Not Invisible Act of 2019, S. 982, introduced last April by Sens. Murkowski and Cortez Masto.
Rep. Newhouse in May 2019 joined bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) to introduce the House version of Savanna’s Act, H.R. 2733, which was named in honor of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind of Fargo, N.D., who was eight-months pregnant when she was lured from her home by a neighbor on Aug. 19, 2017, and murdered for her unborn child.
“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,” Rep. Newhouse said. “It is because of their voices and their strong advocacy that we are able to pass this legislation and finally send Savanna’s Act to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.”
Rep. Newhouse on July 24 also signed on as a cosponsor of the House version of the Not Invisible Act of 2020, H.R. 2438, which was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Debra Haaland (D-NM).
“For too long, indigenous women and Native communities have faced this crisis alone and suffered in silence,” said Rep. Newhouse. “By sending this bill to President Trump’s desk, we are signaling that we have heard them, and they are no longer invisible.”
Both S. 227 and S. 982 previously passed the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and the U.S. Senate before receiving approval this week by the House, which now will forward the bills to the president.
Both bills also are supported by central Washington Native American tribes, according to Rep. Newhouse’s office.