Senate Passes Bipartisan Bills to Help Native Children

Statement

U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, praised the Senate's passage of S. 184, the Native American Children's Safety Act and S. 246, the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act.

"On International Children's Day, the Senate has taken important, bipartisan, and commonsense action to help children in Indian Country," said Chairman Barrasso. "Indian children are particularly vulnerable when foster care placements are not thoroughly and properly investigated. By requiring extensive background checks, the Native American Children's Safety Act will help ensure that children are only placed in safe, stable homes.

"The creation of the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children is intended to make government programs more effective and help us better address the needs of Native children.

"I thank Senators Hoeven and Heitkamp for sponsoring these important bipartisan pieces of legislation. These bills have been introduced in past Congresses and it is good to see them finally moving forward. The House should pass these bills as soon as possible and help us better protect and serve the children of Indian Country."

Source