Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) helped pass a resolution, led by U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.), marking May 5th as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls. The senators’ resolution raises awareness, honors the Native American women who are missing or murdered, and identifies solutions to end this violent epidemic.
“I passed bipartisan legislation to help protect Indigenous women and girls from violence—but we must do more,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “As we mark Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Awareness Day, I’m committed to continuing this fight for safety, healing, and justice.”
According to the National Institute of Justice, more than 80 percent of Native American women have experienced violence and almost half have experienced it within the past year. Cortez Masto has championed efforts to combat the MMIW crisis and keep Native Americans safe. She passed the bipartisan Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act, which were signed into law to protect Native women and girls, and has repeatedly advocated for additional federal funding to help Tribal communities combat violence.
Full text of the resolution can be found HERE.
Senator Cortez Masto has repeatedly called on the administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis. She’s also fought to ensure that law enforcement officers across the country have the support they need. She secured historic funding for the Byrne JAG grant program in the FY2022 omnibus. The program is the leading source of criminal justice funding for state, local, and Tribal governments and provides support for programs related to crime prevention, law enforcement, prosecution, corrections, and mental and behavioral health.
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