BADGES for Native Communities Act

The BADGES for Native Communities Act would revise federal policies governing how cases of missing, unidentified, or murdered Native Americans are handled. The bill has passed the Senate and is currently being debated in the House of Representatives.

Under this legislation, the Department of Justice would establish a grant program to help tribes and other specified entities improve their responses to missing person cases and death investigations. The bill would also require the Justice Department to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to make federal training resources and culturally appropriate mental health and wellness programs available to tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers.

Additionally, the Department of the Interior would create a five-year demonstration program to conduct and adjudicate personnel background investigations for applicants seeking law enforcement positions in the BIA. The Government Accountability Office would be required to conduct studies examining how federal law enforcement agencies collect and handle evidence, their response times, and their investigation procedures and practices.

If enacted, this bill would provide resources and support to tribal communities and federal agencies to better address cases involving missing and murdered Native Americans, while also improving training and investigative standards for law enforcement personnel working in Indian Country.