Rep. Sharice Davids Advocates for Tribal Sovereignty, Keeping Indigenous Women and Girls Safe

Rep. Sharice Davids today voted to pass H.R. 312, reaffirming the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reservation as trust land, and H.R. 375, reaffirming the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian Tribes.

Speaking on the House Floor in support of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act, Davids emphasized the importance Congress fulfilling its obligation to recognize tribal sovereignty.

"Tribes don't need Congressmembers' sympathy. What tribes need is for us to properly exercise our duty. This bill would simply do exactly what Congress' job is to do, to recognize the federal-tribal relationship that exists, and the tribal lands that are properly held in trust for an Indian Tribe. We have got to recognize the Mashpee tribe, their sovereignty, and their self-determination," said Davids.

Davids also co-sponsored the reintroduction of Savanna's Act, which aims to help law enforcement better respond to the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women by increasing coordination and data sharing.

"Native women and girls experience violence at far higher rates than any other female population in the country – a crisis that has devastated our communities and has been neglected for too long. I'm committed to working for solutions like Savanna's Act that help protect Native women and girls and ensure the health of our indigenous communities," said Davids.