Indian Affairs Leader to Testify at Senate Hearing on Seeking Justice in Indigenous Communities

WASHINGTON — On December 8, 2021, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Wizipan Little Elk Garriott will testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs regarding efforts to restore justice and address violence in Indigenous communities. The hearing will focus on strengthening provisions of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that apply to Tribal communities.

Garriott will speak on behalf of the Administration and Secretary Deb Haaland about the Department’s work to implement the special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction provisions in VAWA 2013, and in support of legislation to reauthorize VAWA and expand jurisdiction to better protect women and children as part of the effort to end the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples.

On April 1, 2021, Secretary Haaland announced the formation of a new Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) within the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services to provide leadership and direction for cross-departmental and interagency work involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The MMU is marshalling law enforcement resources across federal agencies, and throughout Indian country, to focus on this crisis.

The hearing begins at 2:30 PM ET and can be viewed at the Committee’s website.