05.14.19

KTUU: Lawmakers re-introducing legislation that calls for DOJ review of Indian Country probes

Federal lawmakers are re-introducing legislation that calls for the Justice Department to review how law enforcement agencies respond to cases of missing and murdered Native Americans.

The legislation is named Savanna's Act for 22-year-old Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, whose body was found in a North Dakota river in 2017. U.S. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduced the legislation in the Senate earlier this year.

It was re-introduced Tuesday in the U.S. House. It also seeks to expand tribes' access to missing persons databases. The bill was unanimously approved in the U.S. Senate last year but died in the House.

Reps. Norma Torres, of California, Deb Haaland, of New Mexico, and Dan Newhouse, of Washington state re-introduced the legislation Tuesday as lead sponsors in the House. Torres and Haaland are Democrats, and Newhouse is a Republican.


Source: KTUU