VIDEO: Shining Spotlight on Epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Senator Murray Demands Senate Republicans Take Action to Improve and Strengthen Federal Anti-Violence Law
In observance of
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls National Day of
Awareness, Senator Murray joined Senate Democrats to highlight
longstanding crisis impacting Native women & tribal communities in
Washington state and nationwide
Additionally, in a
speech on the Senate floor, Senator Murray called out Senate Republicans
for letting the critical Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) lapse
The House recently
passed reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act that strengthens
protections for tribal communities, but Senate Republicans have yet to
take it up
Senator Murray, top
Democrat on the Senate health committee, has long championed VAWA,
including strengthening tribal resources in the law when it was last
reauthorized in 2013
Senator Murray: “From
the Yakama Nation, to Spokane, to Tacoma, the epidemic of missing and
murdered Native women…is an alarming trend devastating communities every
day throughout Washington state and across the country—one for which
Native women and girls are paying the ultimate price”
Senator Murray:
“Congress must wake up to the crisis affecting our Native women, and
recognize the federal government’s responsibility and role in ending it.
That includes improving and reauthorizing the Violence Against Women
Act”
***WATCH VIDEO OF SENATOR MURRAY’S FLOOR SPEECH HERE***
Washington, D.C. – Today,
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) joined her Senate Democratic
colleagues on the Senate floor to highlight the epidemic of missing and
murdered indigenous women and girls that has long plagued tribal
communities throughout Washington state and the nation. Senator Murray,
the top Democrat on the Senate health committee and the highest-ranking
woman in the Senate, shared headlines from Washington state news outlets
detailing the pain and tragedy impacting Native women and families, and
called on Congress to do more to end the crisis of violence impacting
women and girls in Indian Country—including reauthorizing the Violence
Against Women Act (VAWA), which Senate Republicans let lapse after
refusing to call a vote on a version of the bill that passed the House
earlier this year that improves and strengthens protections for
indigenous communities. According to a recent report from the Seattle
Indian Health Board’s Urban Health Institute, Washington state ranks
second among states with the highest number of reported cases of missing
and murdered indigenous women, with Seattle ranking first among major
urban cities in the United States. A partner to Washington state tribes
in the Senate and a longtime champion for VAWA, Senator Murray
previously worked to successfully secure new protections for tribal
communities when the law was reauthorized in 2013, and called on her
Republican colleagues to listen to Native women and work with Democrats
to reauthorize the seminal law, as they have in years past.
Key Excerpts from Senator Murray’s floor speech:
“…[I]t’s not just Seattle—from the
Yakama Nation, to Spokane, to Tacoma, the epidemic of missing and
murdered Native women isn’t an urban problem or a rural problem, or an
issue just for Western Washington or Eastern Washington. This is an
alarming trend devastating communities every day throughout Washington
state and across the country—one for which Native women and girls are
paying the ultimate price.”
“I’m grateful for Native leaders and
organizations like the Seattle Indian Health Board, who last November
released a landmark new report—the first of its kind—on the crisis of
missing and murdered indigenous women—collecting important data and
insights, a major step toward removing a significant barrier that has
burdened efforts to end the decades-long epidemic. But there’s much more
we must do to keep Native women and girls safe and seek justice. And as
important as it is to bring awareness to this devastating crisis, more
than awareness—we need action.”
“Congress must wake up to the crisis
affecting our Native women, and recognize the federal government’s
responsibility and role in ending it. That includes improving and
reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act—a critical law that for
years has worked to help communities decrease assaults against women and
girls, and that Republicans let lapse earlier this year…”
“I know there are champions for this
issue on both sides of the aisle—members who have listened to the Native
voices in their state, and understand why we must equip tribal
communities with the tools and resources they need to protect tribal
members and hold others accountable when they cause harm or bring
violence. There’s no excuse not to get this done—we’ve done it before,
and I know we can do it again…[s]o now that VAWA has passed the House,
know that I will keep pushing my Republican colleagues to get it over
the finish line here in the Senate.”
Watch video of Senator Murray’s floor speech HERE.
Full text of Senator Murray’s floor speech below (as prepared for delivery):
“Thank you, M. President—and thank you to my good friend from New Mexico for organizing today’s effort on this important issue.
“I rise today to join my colleagues in
shining a bright spotlight on a crisis that has brought terror and pain
to tribal communities across my home state of Washington, and the
nation, for far too long…
“It’s an alarm that has been sounding for
generations—one that has impacted literally countless families, robbing
them of their mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, and daughters…
“ ‘Family of missing Native woman demands answers in Wapato’…
“In Yakima County: ‘A year after her body
was found, officials are now officially calling the death of this young
woman a homicide’…
“…and in Toppenish: ‘16-year-old…disappeared after Christmas Eve in 1971. Her sister refuses to give up the search’…
“M. President, these are just a few of the
headlines that have appeared in news outlets in Washington state—within
just the last few months—highlighting the scope of the crisis of
missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in our communities.
“For too long, our nation has ignored or
misclassified the terrible stories of violence against women and girls
in tribal communities who have been reported missing or murdered at much
higher rates than their non-Native counterparts—or worse, not reported
at all.
“It’s a crisis that’s particularly salient
in Washington state, which ranks second among states with the highest
numbers of reported cases of missing and murdered Native women.
“Even worse, Seattle ranks number one among cities with the highest number of cases.
“But it’s not just Seattle—from the Yakama
Nation, to Spokane, to Tacoma, the epidemic of missing and murdered
Native women isn’t an urban problem or a rural problem, or an issue just
for Western Washington or Eastern Washington…
“…this is an alarming trend devastating
communities every day throughout Washington state and across the
country—one for which Native women and girls are paying the ultimate
price.
“Now, thanks to the determination of
Native women who have spent years raising their voices to bring
attention to this tragic pattern of injustice, we’re beginning to
develop the tools and resources we need to combat this epidemic.
“I’m grateful for Native leaders and
organizations like the Seattle Indian Health Board, who last November
released a landmark new report—the first of its kind—on the crisis of
missing and murdered indigenous women—collecting important data and
insights, a major step toward removing a significant barrier that has
burdened efforts to end the decades-long epidemic.
“But there’s much more we must do to keep
Native women and girls safe and seek justice. And as important as it is
to bring awareness to this devastating crisis, more than awareness—we
need action.
“Congress must wake up to the crisis
affecting our Native women, and recognize the federal government’s
responsibility and role in ending it.
“That includes improving and reauthorizing
the Violence Against Women Act—a critical law that for years has worked
to help communities decrease assaults against women and girls, and that
Republicans let lapse earlier this year…
“Now M. President—this law has long-garnered bipartisan support…
“In fact, we were able to come together
just six years ago to pass an even stronger version of the law that
strengthened protections and resources for tribal communities.
“And I know there are champions for this
issue on both sides of the aisle—members who have listened to the Native
voices in their state, and understand why we must equip tribal
communities with the tools and resources they need to protect tribal
members and hold others accountable when they cause harm or bring
violence.
“There’s no excuse not to get this done—we’ve done it before, and I know we can do it again….
“So now that VAWA has passed the House,
know that I will keep pushing my Republican colleagues to get it over
the finish line here in the Senate.
“In the meantime, I will continue lifting up the stories of Native women and girls—as well as tribal leaders and members…
“…and as a partner to Washington state’s
tribal communities here in the Senate, know I will keep fighting to
strengthen federal support for tribal priorities and listening to Native
voices as we all work together to end the tragedy of this senseless
epidemic.
“Thank you, M. President—I yield the floor.”
