Modifying Deadline Relating To Election By Indian Tribes
Floor Speech
MODIFYING DEADLINE RELATING TO ELECTION BY INDIAN TRIBES -- (House of Representatives - July 23, 2007)
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Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
First, let me thank Mr. Kildee for moving this legislation and thank him for his leadership. Two years ago, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act was enacted. The act was a major advance in our Nation's efforts to protect our children from sexual and other violent crimes, to prevent child pornography, and to make the Internet safer for our sons and daughters.
Among its provisions, the act includes a mandate that each tribe either affirmatively opt-in to the new sex offender requirements enacted as part of that act, or cede its authority for enforcement to the State in which the tribe is located. The act requires all tribes register their intentions by July 27, 2007.
While initially this deadline appeared to be reasonable, the tribes' ability to comply with it has been made virtually impossible in light of the fact that the Justice Department has taken much longer than expected to issue the necessary guidelines that will help implement the new requirements under the Adam Walsh Act.
In fact, we are advised that these guidelines will not be finalized until after the registration deadline. Under these circumstances, it only stands to reason that the tribes should be given additional time to make the necessary certification.
H.R. 3095, offered by Mr. Kildee, addresses this problem by simply extending the registration deadline for one year until July 27, 2008. Without this brief extension, the sovereign authority of countless tribal lands will be substantially undermined.
I commend my colleagues, from Michigan Mr. Kildee and Mr. Renzi of Arizona, for their leadership on this measure. H.R. 3095 goes a long way toward protecting the sovereign authority that historically has bestowed upon tribal lands.
Accordingly, I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan, commonsense proposal.
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Two years ago, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act was enacted. The act was a major advance in our Nation's efforts to protect our children from sexual and other violent crimes, to prevent child pornography, and to make the Internet safer for our sons and daughters.
Among its provisions, the act includes a mandate that each tribe either affirmatively opt-in to the new sex offender requirements enacted as part of that act, or cede its authority for enforcement to the State in which the tribe is located. The act requires all tribes to register their intentions by July 27, 2007.
While initially this deadline appeared to be reasonable, the tribes' ability to comply with it has been made virtually impossible in light of the fact that the Justice Department has taken much longer than expected to issue the necessary guidelines that will help implement the new requirements under the Adam Walsh Act.
In fact, we are advised that these guidelines will not be finalized until after the registration deadline. Under these circumstances, it only stands to reason that the tribes should be given additional time to make the necessary certification.
H.R. 3095 addresses this problem by simply extending the registration deadline for 1 year until July 27, 2008. Without this brief extension, the sovereign authority of countless tribal lands will be substantially undermined.
I commend my colleagues from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) and Arizona (Mr. Renzi) for their leadership on this measure. H.R. 3095 goes a long way toward protecting the sovereign authority that historically has been bestowed upon tribal lands.
Accordingly, I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan, commonsense proposal.
H.R. 3095 offers a commonsense solution that respects the historically recognized sovereignty of our Nation's tribes while not compromising the critical objectives of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act with respect to protecting our Nation's children from sexual and other violent crimes.
This bipartisan measure warrants our support.
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Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
This is a very wise and important judgment that has been made by this legislation. H.R. 3095 offers a commonsense solution that respects the historically recognized sovereignty of our Nation's tribes, while not compromising the critical objectives of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act with respect to protecting our Nation children's from sexual and other violent crimes.
I ask my colleagues to support this bipartisan measure. It is deserving of our support. I would ask that this measure be supported.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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