Op-Ed: Rep. Mike Simpson: We must address the ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis
For too long, we have seen countless Indigenous women and girls who have been murdered or gone missing at a disproportional rate. While the issue has received greater attention in recent years, we must continue bringing awareness to these heartbreaking tragedies so that affected families may find the justice they deserve. We must continue to do what we can to address the devastating rates of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and Girls.
For decades, our American Indian and Alaska Native brothers and sisters have dealt with high rates of violence in their communities. Homicide is the number three leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native females between the ages of 10 and 24 and the number five leading cause of death for 25 to 34-year-olds. Additionally, 40 percent of all victims of sex trafficking are identified as American Indian and Alaska Native women. In 2023 alone, over 5,800 American Indian and Alaska Native females were missing—and 74 percent were children.
Looking at my home state of Idaho, where we have five federally recognized Tribes, Indigenous people go missing at nearly twice the rate of others — and 75 percent of the missing Indigenous people are women. These numbers are tragic and unacceptable.
The alarming rate of MMIW shows that there are significant flaws in the partnerships between Tribal, state, and federal law enforcement. Tribal communities deserve adequate law enforcement coordination, as well as necessary resources and accurate data collection and availability. By increasing critical federal resources, we can continue to work towards upholding our responsibilities to the Tribes and help bolster public safety in Indian Country.
As Chairman of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I fully recognize that to address some of the greatest Tribal needs, we must strengthen law enforcement resources.
The fiscal year 2025 House Interior Appropriations Bill increased funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), including robust funding for law enforcement programs and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Initiative. To help address this crisis, we included additional resources for criminal investigators, software platforms, and evidence recovery equipment.
While federal resources are a step in the right direction, I also recognize that improved data collection capabilities are needed to provide communities with information to assist in responses. That is why I was proud to co-sponsor the Savanna’s Act, which became law in 2020. The bill required the Department of Justice to strengthen training, coordination, data collection, and other guidelines related to cases of murdered or missing Native Americans.
My stance has always been to support Tribal health, human, and community services for our Indian brothers and sisters. Throughout my time in Congress, I have deeply valued the opportunity to listen to Tribal leaders share the challenges they face as they work to improve the lives of their communities. But I believe that the federal government must do more to address these challenges.
Tribal communities and law enforcement agencies face an uphill battle. While I don’t believe the federal government should overstep Tribal, local, and state law enforcement, I believe we can make positive changes if we work together to address this issue. The serious crisis of MMIW demands urgent action. That’s why I’m calling for answers.
Later this week, I will lead the charge by holding a House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the ongoing MMIW crisis. We must give Tribal advocates, Congress, and our federal partners a place to raise awareness of the alarming rates of these cases.
As Chairman of the subcommittee overseeing this hearing, I will hear from Tribal leaders on ways Congress can tackle this terrible crisis. I will also press relevant agency officials for answers on how we can better support and protect some of our nation’s most vulnerable. Beyond my work as Chairman, I will continue to use my role in Congress to support the federal agencies working to address this crisis. These efforts are just the beginning, and much work remains to be done, but I look forward to this initiative serving as a reminder that we need to do more to end this violence.
Rep. Mike Simpson represents Idaho’s 2nd District in Congress. He is also the Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which is holding an oversight hearing on the ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis.
