House Judiciary Committee Unanimously Approves Savanna's Act

Statement

The House Judiciary Committee today unanimously approved Savanna's Act, a bill named after Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a 22-year-old pregnant member of the Spirit Lake Tribe and Fargo resident who was murdered in 2017. Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R, N.D.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, is a cosponsor of Savanna's Act and voted for its approval today.

"Congress must do more to address violence against Native Americans. On some reservations, Native American women are murdered at a rate of more than 10 times the national average," Armstrong said. "Savanna's Act will help bring justice to victims and prevent these crimes from happening. With unanimous support in Committee, this bill is one step closer to becoming law."

Savanna's Act would require the Justice Department to develop protocols to address missing and murdered Native Americans, including information sharing and training for law enforcement.

Armstrong spoke on the House floor in support of Savanna's Act in October as part of a congressional call to action on the crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans hosted by Congressman Dan Newhouse (R, Wash.).

Savanna's Act (H.R. 2733) was introduced by Congresswoman Norma Torres (D, Calif.) and has 47 cosponsors, including Armstrong.

Armstrong is serving his first term representing the state of North Dakota in the U.S. House of Representatives. In addition to the Judiciary Committee, Armstrong serves on the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

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