Rep. Haaland (D-New Mexico) celebrates passage of MMIW legislation

Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), left, and Rep. Norma Torres (D-California) watch was Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) signs legislation to address the crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans, especially women and girls, at the U.S. Capitol on September 30, 2020. Photo: Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico)

PHOTOS: Haaland, Torres MMIW Bills Signed by Speaker Pelosi

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

By Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico)

haaland.house.gov

• PHOTOS: Not Invisible Act & Savanna’s Act Celebration with Speaker Pelosi

Washington, D.C. — Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed Congresswoman Deb Haaland’s (NM-01) Not Invisible Act and Congresswoman Norma Torres’ (CA-35) Savanna’s Act. The two bills work to address the missing and murdered indigenous women’s crisis.

“All women deserve to live without fear of disappearing without a trace, but the missing and murdered indigenous women crisis persists and indigenous people continue to go missing. Today, Speaker Pelosi stood with us to address the MMIW crisis and signed the Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act. Next stop for our bills to keep Indigenous people from disappearing is the President’s desk,” said Congresswoman Deb Haaland, Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus.

“Native women have endured horrific rates of assault, rape and murder for far too long in this country, and each life lost or scarred by violence is absolutely inexcusable. When Congressman Newhouse and I passed Savanna’s Act, and Congresswoman Haaland passed the Not Invisible Act earlier this week, it was a monumental moment in the fight to end the MMIW crisis. I am grateful that Speaker Pelosi welcomed Congresswoman Haaland and me today to sign our bills, and I look forward to both vital pieces of legislation becoming law of the land,” said Congresswoman Norma Torres.

From left, Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and Rep. Norma Torres (D-California) display legislation to address the crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans, especially women and girls, at the U.S. Capitol on September 30, 2020. Photo: Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico)

The Not Invisible Act of 2019 [S.982], if signed into law, will be the first bill in history to be introduced and passed by four members of federally recognized tribes: Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna), Tom Cole (Chickasaw Nation), Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk Nation), and Markwayne Mullin (Cherokee Nation). The Not Invisible Act creates an advisory committee on violent crime composed of law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, and survivors to make recommendations to the Department of Interior and Department of Justice and provide best pracitices.

Speaker Pelosi also signed Savanna’s Act [S.227] a bill led by U.S. Representative Norma Torres and co-led by Congresswoman Haaland named in honor of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a 22-year old pregnant member of the Spirit Lake Tribe who was tragically murdered in August 2017. Savanna’s Act addresses the disturbing increase in murdered and missing Native American women by creating new guidelines for responding to such cases, and by incentivizing their implementation.

Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), left, and Rep. Norma Torres (D-California) pose with signing pens at the U.S. Capitol on September 30, 2020. Photo: Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico)