Letter to Senators Ben Campbell, Daniel Inouye, Orrin Hatch and Patrick Leahy
April 9, 2004
The Honorable Benjamin Nighthorse Campbell
Chairman Committee on Indian Affairs
United States Senate
838 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Daniel Inouye
Vice Chairman Committee On Indian Affairs
United States Senate
838 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Orrin Hatch
Chairman Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Patrick Leahy
Ranking Member Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Campbell, Vice Chairman Inouye, Chairman Hatch and Ranking Member Leahy:
I am writing to follow up on a letter I sent to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in January, requesting that the committee hold a joint field hearing with the Judiciary Committee on the increasing problem of domestic and sexual abuse, and the growing regularity of violence against women on our nation's Indian reservations. As I stated in my last letter, Native American women run a higher risk of being the victim of domestic battery, rape and stalking than any other demographic group of women in our country. While Native American women on reservations are also at significantly higher risk for sexual assault, the perpetrators who commit these crimes on reservations are far less likely to be caught and prosecuted than are assailants off-reservation. This is unacceptable, and something must be done to stop it. No one should face the risk of assault that Native American women endure on our nation's Indian reservations.
Answers to the reasons behind this burgeoning problem must be found, and they must come sooner rather than later. By holding a joint field hearing, the Indian Affairs and Judiciary committees could play significant roles in this effort. Cangleska, Inc., a non-profit organization located in Kyle, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation provides outreach services and counseling to over 800 women each year, and has been recognized as a leader in responding to the problem of violence against women in Indian communities. Cangleska has voiced a strong desire to host you and your committees to show you the problems that Indian women face, and the success that the program has had, while at the same time sharing their unique experience and expertise regarding these issues. I have long supported this program and feel their insight could be very useful to any efforts undertaken by either of your committees on this issue.
The federal government has a moral and legal responsibility to protect Native American woman from violence and abuse, and I ask that your committees take this opportunity to make a real difference and address this problem. In a joint hearing the collective expertise of your two committees could bring greater understanding to the situation, and improve the chances for success of any initiatives that resulted.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to working with you to address this critical situation. If you have any questions about this issue, please feel free to contact me, or have a member of your staff contact Michelle Singer at (202) 224-0055.
With best wishes, I am
Sincerely,
Tom Daschle
United States Senate
cc:Senator Tim Johnson