Columbus Day overlooks a painful colonial history and minimizes the important contributions made by Indigenous peoples throughout this continent’s history. That’s why FCNL has chosen to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead.

I attended (10/23/19) the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) program Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day: The Long Arc of FCNL Advocacy from the Quaker Welcome Center, which I was able to see via Zoom. Here is a recording of that presentation:

Goals for VAWA 2019 Reauthorization: Expanding Victim Protections

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) addresses violence and sexual assault by providing the resources and services necessary for public safety. This bill is especially significant for Native American communities as it restores tribal jurisdiction over non-Indian assailants for crimes of domestic violence. Restoring tribal jurisdiction over these crimes would provide Native communities with the resources they need to bring justice for victims of violence.

The House recently passed H.R. 1585, a VAWA reauthorization bill which included strong provisions protecting Native communities. The Senate must now introduce a reauthorization of VAWA with the same strong tribal provisions as H.R. 1585. This reauthorization should expand the current Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction to protect children, tribal law enforcement officers, and victims of all forms of violence including: sexual assault, sex trafficking, stalking, and child abuse

Right now, the Senate Judiciary Committee is negotiating their version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization. This is a critical hurdle since the House passed its version (H.R. 1585) a few months ago.

Legislative Ask: Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act with Strong Provisions for Native Women

Contact your senators today! Tell them that VAWA reauthorization MUST restore tribal jurisdiction over non-Native American perpetrators!

This link will help you write your letter and send it to your Senators: https://cqrcengage.com/fcnl/app/write-a-letter?1&engagementId=499064

On November 20, 2018, Shari Hrdnia, Sid Barfot, Christine Nobiss, Shazi and Fox Knight, and I met with Carol Olson, Senator Chuck Grassley’s State Director at the Federal Building in Des Moines. Two of Senator Grassley’s staff from Washington, DC, joined us via a conference call. The meeting was a chance for us to get to know each other and find ways we can work with Senator Grassley and others to pass legislation to support Native American communities.

During this meeting, I talked about the Friends Committee on National Legislation and the SURVIVE Act. Christine Nobiss spoke about the racism and violence against Native women and Savanna’s Act. Everyone else then contributed to the discussions.