(Sacramento, CA) – Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D – Highland) is proud to report AJR 17 which requests that the Attorney General of California identify comprehensive solutions to accurately investigate, document and share data as it relates to Missing and Murdered Native American Women and Girls has been adopted by the Assembly.
“There is an epidemic of Missing and Murdered Native American Women and Girls. This is a nationwide issue that especially affects California, as we are home to more people of Native American/Alaskan Native heritage than any other state in the country. California is number six on the top ten states with the highest number of such cases. By utilizing the statewide resources of the Attorney General’s office and bringing federal, state, local and tribal officials to the table, we can more effectively understand and investigate these cases better and protect Native American women and girls,” said Assemblymember Ramos.
Across the United States and Canada, Native American women and girls have been kidnapped or murdered at an alarming rate. According to the Department of Justice, Native American/Alaskan Native women living on tribal land are ten times more likely to be murdered than the national average. Among Native American women and girls, homicide is the third leading cause of death between ages 10 and 24, it is the fifth leading cause of death for Native American women between ages 25 and 34.
In 2016, the National Crime and Information Center highlighted almost 6,000 reports of missing Native American and Alaskan Native women and girls in the United States, but the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System within the U.S. Department of Justice’s federal missing persons database only reported 116 cases. The true number of missing indigenous women and girls is currently unknown.
A study by the Urban Indian Health Institute analysis of media and law enforcement agencies concluded that the lack of accurate data on missing and murdered Native American women and girls is due to deeply rooted institutional bias throughout the country, especially for Native American and Alaskan Native women and girls.
AJR 17 also directs the President and Congress to enact legislation that would strengthen the communication between federal, state, local, and tribal officials in response to the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Native American Women and Girls. It also requests that the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seek recommendations from tribes in enhancing the safety of Native American women and girls.
AJR 17 will now move to the Senate.
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For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Contact: Brendan Wiles (909) 476-5023
Follow Assemblymember Ramos on social media: Facebook @AsmJamesRamos / Twitter @AsmJamesRamos / Instagram @asmjamesramos
Assemblymember James Ramos proudly represents the 40th Assembly district which includes Highland, Loma Linda, Mentone, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, and San Bernardino.
Assemblymember James Ramos secured $16 million in state funding for the 40th Assembly District in the 2019-2020 State Budget. Click here to read more.