Ashlynne Mike Amber Alert in Indian Country Act
Floor Speech
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 772, the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act. I strongly favor this important legislation because it will provide Indian Tribes with the ability to respond quickly to child abductions, thereby increasing the chances that we can avert catastrophe.
Through the grant program reauthorized by S. 772, Tribal law enforcement agencies would develop the capacity to immediately initiate their own AMBER Alerts and allow Tribal alert systems to be integrated with the more advanced AMBER Alert communications plans of State and regional law enforcement.
The AMBER Alert program is a powerful tool that engages geographically targeted networks of law enforcement, broadcast and transparency agencies, digital signage companies, internet service providers, and the wireless industry to issue urgent notifications in the most serious cases of child abduction. Such alerts can instantly galvanize an entire community in the search for an abducted and endangered child.
From its inception through January of 2018, the AMBER Alert program has directly led to the rescue of more than 900 children. Presently, the AMBER Alert program is used in all 50 States, here in the District of Columbia, in Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AMBER Alert systems have evolved to utilize all available technology in notifying the public of a child abduction. Native American Tribal communities, however, are unable to take full advantage of this lifesaving program. Currently, Tribal law enforcement must rely on State or regional law enforcement agencies off-reservation to issue the complete AMBER Alert on their behalf. This is unfortunate, and indeed it is notable because the rate of child abduction is reportedly down across the country with the sole exception of Indian Country.
As we all know, time is of the essence when a child is abducted or goes missing. AMBER Alert plans provide comprehensive, rapid-response system, which is critical to success in such cases. Statistics show that roughly 74 percent of abducted children who are murdered are killed within the first 3 hours of their abduction.
The time spent to coordinate with State or regional law enforcement before issuing an AMBER Alert can be lengthy and can have a dire consequence.
In 2003, the PROTECT Act established a grant program to be administered by the attorney general for the States, with the goals of strengthening AMBER Alert communications plans nationwide and developing a seamless network through the Nation, which dramatically increases the likelihood that abducted children will be recovered swiftly and safely.
S. 772 would reauthorize $10 million for the program and would make Indian Tribal communities eligible to receive grant funds for the very first time. With this funding, Tribes will be able to develop and implement AMBER Alert communications plans of their own, and also integrate their AMBER Alert systems into and with State and regional communications plans.
Awarded funds may also be used for education, training, and law enforcement tools and equipment related to the AMBER Alert plans.
If enacted, this legislation will help build a truly national and cohesive network of AMBER Alert systems. Tribal law enforcement will have the ability to directly issue AMBER Alerts without having to rely on outside law enforcement, while outside agencies will be available to fill in any gaps when necessary through the improved coordination.
Mr. Speaker, accordingly, I encourage my colleagues to join us in supporting this crucial piece of bipartisan legislation.
S. 772 was introduced in response to a fatal abduction that occurred on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. Eleven-year-old Ashlynne Mike was kidnapped after school, along with her brother. Her brother escaped, and, alas, she did not.
That case focused attention on gaps in communication and coordination between Tribal and off-reservation law enforcement.
In the past, the Navajo Tribe has relied on New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah to activate AMBER Alerts. Before an alert issued, Tribal officers have been required to meet a list of requirements to establish a case. If the criteria are met, the officers may only then begin the process of requesting States to issue the AMBER Alert.
Based on several accounts of this case, the AMBER Alert was issued 10 or more hours after Ashlynne was abducted.
Her abductor confessed to brutalizing her and leaving her alive to fend for herself in the desert. It was too late for Ashlynne when she was found dead a day later.
Children are precious to us, and they deserve our protection wherever they may live, either on reservations or off reservations.
Mr. Speaker, because we should do everything that we can to ensure that appropriate resources are allocated to efforts to recover missing or abducted children, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
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