01.28.19

Hoeven Cosponsors Savanna’s Act

Senator Also Reintroduces Other Tribal Public Safety Legislation

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, today released the following statement after Savanna’s Act was reintroduced by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). Hoeven is an original cosponsor of the legislation.

“Savanna’s Act is legislation that will help the federal government better coordinate with tribal law enforcement in addressing the crisis of murdered and missing Native women and girls,” Hoeven said. “One of my priorities as Indian Affairs chairman is to improve public safety in tribal communities, and this legislation is part of these efforts and dovetails with other legislation I reintroduced that will reauthorize and increase resources for tribal governments and law enforcement.”

In addition to cosponsoring Savanna’s Act, Senator Hoeven reintroduced the following legislation to improve tribal public safety:

  • • S.210 – the Tribal Law and Order Reauthorization and Amendments (TLOA) Act of 2017:
    • Reauthorizes and extends critical programs under the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. This bill also adds additional requirements to establish greater agency oversight, improve data collection, and strengthen protections for Native youth.
  • • S. 211 – the Securing Urgent Resources Vital to Indian Victim Empowerment (SURVIVE) Act:
    • Increases resources for tribal victim assistance by requiring a 5 percent allocation from the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) be provided to Indian tribes through a grant program. Despite high rates of victimization, in the past Indian tribes have received less than 1% of CVF resources. The CVF, which is financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders, provided up to $4.4 billion to victims in Fiscal Year 2018.

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