Newhouse Leads Resolution to Designate National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls

Press Release

Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement in advance of introducing a resolution to designate May 5, 2022 as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls. He was joined by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Adam Smith (WA-09), Kelly Armstrong, (ND-AL), Tom Cole (OK-04), Kim Schrier (WA-08), David Joyce (OH-14), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Markwayne Mullin (OK-02), Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Pete Stauber (MN-08), Matt Rosendale (MT-AL), Chris Stewart (UT-02), Jay Obernolte (CA-08), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Stephanie Bice (OK-05).

The resolution demonstrates the lawmakers' solidarity with the families and loved ones of missing and murdered indigenous women, and it calls on the people of the United States to commemorate the lives of American Indian and Alaska Native women whose cases are documented and undocumented in public records and the media.

"While Native Americans make up 2% of our state's population, Native Women account for 7% of our state's reported missing women. Those statistics are unacceptable, and despite these sad and staggering numbers in our community, the closest Cold Case Task Force Office is currently located in Billings, Montana," said Rep. Newhouse. "Establishing a Cold Case Task Force Office in Yakima is imperative if we want to keep moving forward in addressing this crisis. We must continue to take up the banner for those who no longer are able to. They deserve answers, and I will continue working to deliver them."

"It's vital to raise awareness on this ongoing and heartbreaking crisis," said Rep. Bice. "I stand in solidarity with the families of the victims and will never forget the innocent lives lost. I'm grateful that my colleague, Congressman Dan Newhouse, introduced this critical legislation."

"Too many women in America find themselves living in fear of becoming a victim of violence and predatory behavior. This is especially true in Washington State, where Native American women are murdered or go missing at the second-highest rate in the country," said Rep. Rodgers. "This is a statistic we should be doing everything in our power to change for the tribes in our Eastern Washington community. I'm proud to help lead this resolution to stand with the families of every victim and reaffirm our commitment to ending this nationwide crisis before another innocent life is lost."

"For far too long, Native women and children have been disproportionately targeted by dangerous predators in Indian Country. By bringing awareness to this tragic crisis, we continue to elevate the need for solutions to protect this vulnerable population," said Rep. Cole, Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus and Member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. "As a longtime supporter and advocate for additional resources to combat violence in Indian Country, I am proud to join my colleagues in once again introducing this important resolution that highlights this need."

"The silent crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women is wreaking havoc on our families and our communities," saidRep. Mullin. "As a member of Cherokee Nation, I am committed to doing all I can in Congress to work towards a solution. Our priority must be to ensure the safety and well-being of native women and children, and for all parties to work together to end this violence. Thank you to my colleagues for joining me in this effort and committing to building safer communities for native women in Indian Country."

"I'm proud to stand in solidarity with the families of missing and murdered indigenous women and help give a voice to those whose stories have not been heard," said Rep. Dave Joyce, a Vice Chair of the Native American Caucus. "As someone who spent 25 years as a prosecutor, I know how important it is to have safe communities and am committed to taking the actions necessary to protect our Native American communities from these terrible crimes. We can and must do better to deliver justice for all victims of senseless violence."

"American Indian and Alaska Native women face disproportionate rates of violence with four in five women having experienced some form of violence in their lifetime," said Rep. Schrier. "By designating May 5th as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls, we hope to increase awareness of these serious disparities and call greater attention to the work that still needs to be done. I'm honored to partner with Representative Newhouse to raise awareness on this important issue."

"There is a crisis of violence against Native American women and girls," said Rep. Armstrong. "It is critically important to raise awareness and help bring an end to these heartbreaking acts of violence against Native Americans."

"As a former law enforcement officer, I know that our Native American communities face disproportionately high rates of violence, including in my home state of Minnesota," said Rep. Stauber. "I co-sponsored this resolution to raise awareness of the heartbreaking crisis of high rates of missing and murdered indigenous women, and to recognize the additional work needed to keep them safe."

"It is a harrowing reality that Native American women can face murder rates at more than 10 times the national average in some communities and are more than twice as likely to experience violence than any other demographic," said Rep. Obernolte. "I am proud to cosponsor this resolution which designates May 5th as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls to commemorate the lives of those lost to violence and increase recognition of this crisis nationwide."

"The shockingly high number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls represents an urgent crisis in Washington State and across the country, and tragically, this crisis has gone underreported and unsolved, said Rep. Smith. I'm proud to be an original co-sponsor of this resolution to designate May 5th as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls.' Today, we remember Hanna Harris, a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe who went missing on July 4, 2013, and who would have turned 30 years old on this day, and we honor all the other Indigenous people who have been senselessly ripped from their communities. It is my hope that this resolution raises awareness of this terrible reality, and that this day continues to serve as a catalyst for the work that must be done to address violence affecting Indigenous communities across the country. I am grateful to the Urban Indian Health Institute, a division of the Seattle Indian Health Board in my district, for their leadership on data and research regarding missing and murdered Indigenous women. My office will continue to work in partnership with the Seattle Indian Health Board as they continue their lifesaving work in our community."

"Of the 105 missing persons in South Dakota right now -- 73 of them are Native American. This is extremely disproportional and deserves more attention," said Rep. Johnson. "I hope our resolution shines a light on the tragedy of the missing and murdered native women who have not received the justice they deserve."