Debra Haaland

Ms. HAALAND

Ms. HAALAND. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3465) to authorize the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 3465, the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act introduced by my fellow committee member, Representative Napolitano. This bill would authorize a memorial to honor the reporters, photojournalists, producers, editors, and countless others who have lost their lives while performing their jobs. Every day, journalists at home and abroad place their lives at risk in pursuit of the truth and in defense of our First Amendment right to a free and independent press. In 2018 alone, nearly 80 journalists from around the world were murdered in their line of work. Yet, with the closure of the Newseum earlier this year, there is no memorial that commemorates those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while fulfilling their duty to deliver the news. The memorial envisioned in H.R. 3465 would be a fitting tribute to their sacrifices and an affirmation of our Nation's commitment to a free press. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3349) to authorize the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to establish the Republic of Texas Legation Memorial as a commemorative work in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3349, the Republic of Texas Legation Memorial Act, introduced by Representative Lloyd Doggett. This bill would authorize the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to establish a commemorative work to honor the representatives of the Republic of Texas who served here in the District of Columbia as diplomats to the United States. Shortly after Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836, the Republic of Texas sent diplomats to several countries to represent the Republic's interests. Among other things, these diplomats advocated for protection from Mexico, financial assistance, and annexation by the United States. London and Paris have each erected commemorative works to recognize the role their Texas legations played in their countries, and it seems only fitting to install one here in the capital of the country proud to claim Texas as its own. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Representative Doggett for his efforts to elevate this unique and often untold story of our Nation's history, and urge my colleagues to support this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks, and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. HAALAND

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 3160, introduced by our colleague, Representative Tom O'Halleran of Arizona, authorizes the United States to place 55.3 acres of historically and culturally significant land into trust on behalf of the Gila River Indian Community of Arizona. This parcel of land is commonly referred to as the Blackwater Trading Post Land, because it once contained the Ellis family's Blackwater Trading Post, which sold goods to members of the Gila River Indian Community since the 1930s. After purchasing the trading post in 2010, the community found around 1,000 cultural artifacts on the property, including 126 Akimel O'odham baskets. Following this discovery, the community decided to apply to take the parcel of land into trust. However, legislation is required for this exchange, as the community's 2004 water rights settlement explicitly requires that any lands located outside of the community's existing reservation boundaries be taken into trust through Congressional action. Passage of H.R. 3160 will ultimately allow the community to preserve a piece of their heritage by incorporating this contiguous parcel of land into its reservation land base. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Representative O'Halleran for his work on this legislation, and urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3160) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to take certain land located in Pinal County, Arizona, into trust for the benefit of the Gila River Indian Community, and for other purposes.

Ms. HAALAND

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As I stated before, this legislation is a result of over a decade of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations. Since self-governance was first enacted in 1994, there have been no assumptions by Tribes of Bureau of Reclamation projects--none. Under the 1994 law, the conditions, requirements, and limitations mitigating against any such Tribal assumption of a Bureau of Reclamation project have resulted in no such assumptions. S. 209 does not change the 1994 authority in this regard. This is why the gentlewoman's concerns are completely unfounded and why we defeated an amendment on this in committee in the first place. More so, S. 209 already contains a lengthy disclaimer specifically stating that it does not affect, in any way, the ability of Tribes to take over programs or projects of Interior agencies other than the BIA. Unless I'm not privy to yet another department reorganization, the Bureau of Reclamation is not part of the BIA. This bipartisan bill is critical to the furtherance of self- governance and improvements in Tribal communities. I strongly urge my colleagues to do the right thing and support this legislation. Madam Speaker, versions of this bipartisan bill have lain before this House and the Senate for nearly 2 decades, passing each body several times. It is time to finally push this legislation across the finish line so that Tribes can finally move to effectively-managed programs for their people. I urge my colleagues to show their support for Tribal self-governance and Tribal sovereignty by passing S. 209, the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 209) to amend the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to provide further self-governance by Indian Tribes, and for other purposes.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, S. 209, the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act, introduced by Senator Hoeven of North Dakota, will enhance the Department of the Interior's self-governance process and provide Indian Tribes with greater flexibility. The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act is one of the most important legislative acts affecting Indian Country in the last 40-plus years as a key driver to improving the Tribal communities. Enacted in 1975, the act was a Nixon-era initiative signed into law by President Gerald Ford yet strongly supported by Democrats at the time. Pursuant to the act, Tribes are able to enter into self-governance contracts, commonly known as 638 contracts, with BIA and IHS, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service, to manage and administer Federal Indian programs. In 1994, the ISDEAA was amended by adding title IV, which authorized Tribes to enter into negotiated compact agreements with the BIA under which Tribes can assume control of the Department programs and associated funding and tailor those programs to the needs of their Tribal communities. In 2000, the act was again amended to add title V, which authorizes similar Tribal compacts with the Indian Health Service, the IHS, through the Department of Health and Human Services. There are more than 350 self-governance Tribes in the country, and the vast majority of them manage programs within both DOI and IHS and have achieved great success. In my home State of New Mexico, there are six pueblos engaged in self-governance: Sandia, Santa Clara, Taos, Cochiti, Jemez, and Ohkay Owingeh. Tribal self-governance programs are successful in their acknowledgment that Tribes have the right to govern themselves with minimal Federal oversight and maximum flexibility to meet local Tribal needs. However, significant differences between the title IV and title V amendments have forced self-governance Tribes to operate under two separate sets of legislative and administrative requirements. The PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act would largely reconcile these differences, streamline the self-governance process, improve efficiencies, and strengthen reservation economies. Passage of the PROGRESS Act is a top legislative priority for self- governance Tribes and is supported by the National Congress of American Indians, United South and Eastern Tribes, the Alaska Federation of Natives, the Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and many more Indian Tribes. The administration and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are also on record in support of this legislation. This legislation is a product of over a decade of bipartisan negotiations, which is why S. 209 passed the Republican-controlled Senate on a voice vote. If bipartisan consensus was so easily found in the Senate in this Congress, then it should be clear that this is a commonsense bill that both sides of the aisle can support as well. Madam Speaker, I am proud to be the sponsor of the House version of the legislation, H.R. 2031, along with my dear colleagues, Representatives Tom Cole of Oklahoma and Don Young of Alaska and others. I hope that you will join me in passing S. 209 and sending it to the President's desk. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 4957, introduced by Representative Ruben Gallego from Arizona, amends and reauthorizes several programs within the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act in order to improve the prevention, investigation, treatment, and prosecution of family violence, child abuse, and child neglect involving Native American children and families. There is an enormous need for family violence prevention and treatment resources in Tribal communities. Native children experience child abuse and neglect at an elevated rate, which leads many to require special education services, to be more likely to be involved in the juvenile and criminal justice systems, and to have long-term mental health needs. The passage of H.R. 4957 will create technical assistance programs in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, allow for urban Indian organizations to partner with Tribal governments, and ensure culturally competent care. I thank subcommittee Chair Ruben Gallego for introducing and championing this vitally important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4957. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 294) to establish a business incubators program within the Department of the Interior to promote economic development in Indian reservation communities.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, S. 294, introduced by Senator Tom Udall from the great State of New Mexico, will establish a business incubators program within the Department of the Interior to promote entrepreneurship and economic development on Indian reservations. Indian Tribes face many unique obstacles in their mission to bring industry and economic development to Indian Country. The end result is an increased cost of doing business in Indian Country, which stifles outside investment. Moreover, every entrepreneur faces challenges when transforming ideas into a profitable business. However, there are specific and unique challenges associated with establishing a business in Indian Country that put native entrepreneurs at a disadvantage. For example, much of the land in Indian Country is held in trust by the Federal Government. Consequently, the Secretary of the Interior must approve activities on these lands as part of the Federal trust responsibility, which creates added expenses and uncertainty for Native entrepreneurs and their potential business partners. Additionally, since trust land cannot be alienated and cannot be used as collateral to obtain financing, Native entrepreneurs must look to other methods of raising capital to start and grow their businesses. Finally, many Indian nations and reservations are located in rural, often remote, areas. The lack of infrastructure in these areas, including access to high-speed broadband, is another roadblock that prevents Native entrepreneurs from succeeding. Enactment of S. 294 will enhance Indian Country's ability to become more self-reliant by giving Native entrepreneurs the tools they need to develop their businesses and create jobs in reservation communities. These incubators will provide essential services, such as a workspace, a collaborative environment, comprehensive business skills, training, and opportunities to build professional networks. Also, by involving institutions of higher learning in the incubator program, including Tribal colleges and universities, the bill will establish the vital school-to-business pipeline that has been proven to be so successful for startups. I am proud to be the sponsor of the House version of this legislation, along with members of the Congressional Native American Caucus, Representatives Tom Cole, Don Young, and Norma Torres, and I hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting S. 294. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, because I won't be here this afternoon, I would like to take a moment to speak on two significant missing and murdered indigenous women bills coming to the floor today: S. 982, the Not Invisible Act, and S. 227, Savanna's Act. Madam Speaker, I thank the majority leader, Mr. Hoyer, for ensuring these bills are heard today and highlighting this critical issue that has been overlooked for too long. First, S. 982, the Not Invisible Act, introduced by Senator Cortez Masto of Nevada, will help combat the longstanding missing and murdered indigenous women crisis. This bill will establish an advisory committee on violent crime to make recommendations to the Department of the Interior and Department of Justice to establish best practices to combat the epidemic of missing persons, murder, and trafficking of Native Americans and Alaska Natives. It will also create a point person within the Bureau of Indian Affairs charged with improving coordination of violent crime prevention efforts across Federal agencies. All this work will be undertaken with an understanding of the unique challenges faced by Tribal communities when combating crime, violence, and human trafficking. The advisory committee will be comprised of local law enforcement, Federal partners, service providers, and, most importantly, survivors and Tribal leaders. This bill is about including indigenous voices by putting Native American survivors in the driver's seat on the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women that has plagued Tribal communities for centuries. The Not Invisible Act is about elevating indigenous voices, because survivors of these horrific crimes and Tribal leaders know what is best for their own communities. Throughout history, the Federal Government has told Tribes and Native people how they should approach issues on their own lands without intentionally including their voices. Often, these one-sided solutions have fallen short or no real action was taken. I am here today to tell you that photo ops and empty promises are no longer enough. While there are many Federal programs and resources that can be used to combat violent crimes in Indian Country, there is no overarching plan or strategy to do so. There is little awareness or coordination of services, and Federal resources may not consider the actual needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives. These unique cultural considerations and the complex framework of criminal jurisdiction on Tribal lands simply cannot be navigated by a one-size-fits-all approach. More importantly, a real solution will never be found without the voices of indigenous survivors, which is what is so special about this bill. The crisis of missing, murdered, and trafficked Native women has devastated families and communities but has gone unaddressed throughout history. These losses are an open wound in our Tribal communities and add to the generational trauma facing Native American families that many of us have experienced. That is why my dear friends and colleagues, Representatives Tom Cole, Sharice Davids, and Markwayne Mullin, helped me introduce this bill in the House as the first bill in history to be sponsored by four federally recognized Tribal members of the Pueblo of Laguna, the Chickasaw Nation, the Ho-Chunk Nation, and the Cherokee Nation, respectively. Enactment of S. 982 will be one step toward finally acknowledging the pain that our families have felt and giving our survivors the platform that they need to begin healing the open wound Native American people, especially our women, have felt in this country for so long. My hope is that, together, we can use the Not Invisible Act to do just that: not be invisible anymore. The second bill that I would like to highlight is S. 227, Savanna's Act. This bill was introduced by Senator Murkowski and is named in honor of Savanna Greywind, who was a 22-year-old member of the Spirit Lake Tribe. Savanna was 8 months pregnant when she was tragically murdered in August of 2017. At the time of her death, she had recently gotten a job as a nursing assistant and was looking forward to starting her family by welcoming her first child with her partner, Ashton, in North Dakota. However, this ended abruptly when Savanna was brutally strangled after having her child removed from her belly in a violent attack. Savanna was just one of the many Native American women who have been victims of the silent crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women in the United States. Native women experience murder rates 10 times higher than the national average, and murder is the third leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Eighty-four percent of Native women endure violence during their lifetime, and they are twice as likely to experience sexual assault or rape in their lifetimes than any other group. This is unacceptable. Even though these alarming rates persist, there are no reliable systems available to track this data or know exactly how many Native American women and girls go missing each year, because the databases that hold statistics of these cases are outdated and there is a lack of coordination between local, State, and Tribal law enforcement agencies. Savanna's Act addresses these discrepancies to find practical solutions to address the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women by approving Tribes' access to Federal crime information databases, requiring the United States to track and publish data relating to the disappearance of our women, and providing training and technical assistance to Tribal law enforcement agencies to adequately respond to these cases. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Norma Torres for inviting me to colead this critical piece of legislation to help improve data collection of indigenous women where none exists to help law enforcement follow-up rates and response times for cases that take place on and off Tribal lands. Most importantly, this bill will help develop new guidelines to improve law enforcement communications with families of victims to disseminate information of cases involving their loved ones, which is crucial, because many times no efforts are made to update families currently. To the former partner of Savanna, Ashton Matheny, and her daughter, Haisley Jo, who turned 3, 1 month ago today, I would like to send my sincerest condolences to their family. While the passage of this bill will never make up for their devastating loss, I hope that it brings honor to Haisley's mother, and know that it will impact generations to come. I am proud to be the sponsor and colead of the House versions of S. 982, the Not Invisible Act, and S. 227, Savanna's Act, to help address the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting both of these bills. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HAALAND

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 832) to nullify the Supplemental Treaty Between the United States of America and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of Indians of Middle Oregon, concluded on November 15, 1865.

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. HAALAND

Ms. HAALAND. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 139) to establish the Springfield Race Riot National Historic Monument in the State of Illinois, and for other purposes, as amended.