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Leger Fernández Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Public Safety in Indian Country Advances in Natural Resources Committee

Washington, May 21, 2026

WATCH THE HEARING

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held a hearing on the bipartisan Bridging Agency Data Gaps & Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act, legislation led by Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) alongside Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) to strengthen public safety in Indian Country, improve coordination in missing persons investigations, and support the recruitment and retention of Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers.

During the hearing, Leger Fernández spoke about the urgent need for action to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and strengthen trust between Native communities and law enforcement.

“Native women are murdered at ten times the national average. Eighty-four percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women experience violence in their lifetime,” said Leger Fernández during the hearing.“That should break our hearts and force us to take policy action. The bipartisan BADGES Act helps fill the cracks that have allowed too many missing people to fall through the system.”

The BADGES for Native Communities Act would:

  • Increase Tribal access to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) by creating Tribal facilitators to improve coordination, outreach, training, and reporting across jurisdictions.
  • Require a comprehensive report on Tribal law enforcement needs.
  • Allow the Bureau of Indian Affairs to conduct its own background checks for law enforcement applicants to speed up hiring and improve officer recruitment.
  • Establish a grant program to help states, Tribes, and Tribal organizations coordinate investigations into missing and murdered persons and sexual assault cases.
  • Ensure BIA officers and Tribal police have access to culturally appropriate mental health and wellness programs.
Leger Fernández emphasized that many Tribal communities face severe law enforcement shortages and long response times because of delays in the federal hiring process.
 
“Tribal leaders tell us they need more officers to respond to emergencies and protect their communities,” Leger Fernández said. “Right now, background checks can take up to nine months. People who want to serve their communities simply cannot wait that long. This bill helps us hire officers faster while maintaining high standards and improving coordination to solve missing persons cases.”
 
The Senate passed the BADGES Act unanimously in December. Leger Fernández urged the House to move quickly to pass the legislation into law.
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