Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, today called for passage of Savanna’s Act, in light of a recent report that identified over 500 cases of missing or murdered Native women across 71 American cities. Savanna’s Act was introduced by Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and cosponsored by Senator Cortez Masto.
“The voices of hundreds of Native women and girls have been tragically silenced, and it’s time for Congress to take action on their behalf. By passing Savanna’s Act before the end of this Congress, we can help law enforcement adequately respond to cases of missing and murdered Native women and finally ensure justice is served.”
BACKGROUND
Senator Cortez Masto is a sponsor and cosponsor of numerous bills addressing the crisis of domestic violence and human trafficking on tribal land. She recently introduced the bipartisan End Trafficking of Native Americans Act of 2018, which would establish an advisory committee on human trafficking comprised of law enforcement, tribal leaders, and service providers to make recommendations to the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice on how to best coordinate efforts to combat human trafficking of Native Americans and Alaska Natives. She has also cosponsored the Native Youth and Tribal Officer Protection Act to support children and law enforcement personnel involved in domestic violence incidents on Tribal lands.