Rep. Stansbury Proposes New Legislative Concept Supporting Tribes Across the Country

WASHINGTON—This week, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) proposed several concepts for new legislation that would support Tribal law enforcement agencies across the country.  

“Our Tribal nations have been asking the U.S. government not just for years but for generations to make good on their treaty and trust responsibilities,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) said during a House Natural Resources Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing. “It was literally signed into the treaties that the United States signed with many of our Tribal nations that safety and protection would be provided.” 

If Congress is serious about addressing the fentanyl crisis and other health and safety issues in Indian Country, it should take swift action to fully fund tribal law enforcement and addiction treatment services, as well as increase funding for border patrol officers.    

Rep. Stansbury’s proposal outlines the following legislative concepts:  

• Provide mandatory funding for public safety and justice services provided by BIA, and the BIA Office of Justice Services.  

• Provide mandatory funding for substance use disorder prevention and treatment services provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Indian Health Service (IHS), and/or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

• Incorporate language from the H.R.5424, Tribal Law Enforcement Parity Act, which would authorize tribal law enforcement officers to be considered as federal law enforcement officers for the purposes of federal benefits and pensions, tort claim coverage, and penalties for crimes against tribal law enforcement officers, creating parity between federal and tribal law enforcement officers which can help with retention and recruitment of tribal law enforcement officers.  

• Provide mandatory funding for CBP officers. 

Congresswoman Stansbury’s full remarks can be found here.