Summary of HRES 381: National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Bill Number: HRES 381

Introduced: May 5, 2025

Status: Submitted in House

Classification: Resolution

Purpose and Intent

HRES 381 aims to express support for the designation of May 5, 2025, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls." The resolution seeks to raise awareness about the ongoing crisis affecting Indigenous women and girls in the United States, highlighting the need for recognition, solidarity, and further research into this critical issue.

Key Provisions

The resolution includes several important provisions:

1. Support for Designation: The House of Representatives expresses its support for establishing a national day dedicated to raising awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

2. Call to Action: It encourages the American public and relevant organizations to:

   • Commemorate the lives of Indigenous women and girls who are missing or have been murdered, regardless of whether their cases are documented.
   • Show solidarity with the families of victims affected by these tragedies.

3. Research Recommendation: The resolution recommends that the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice conduct a new study focused on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. This study aims to provide updated statistics and insights, as the last comprehensive study was published in 2016.

4. Recognition of Ongoing Issues: It acknowledges the progress made in addressing this crisis but emphasizes that significant work remains to be done.

Affected Parties

The resolution primarily affects:
- Indigenous women and girls who are victims of violence or are missing.
- Families of victims, who are encouraged to receive support and recognition.
- Communities and organizations working on issues related to Indigenous rights and safety.

Legislative Actions

• May 5, 2025: The resolution was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on the Judiciary for further consideration. The duration of this referral will be determined by the Speaker of the House.

Sponsors

The resolution is sponsored by a bipartisan group of representatives, including:
- Dan Newhouse (Primary Sponsor)
- Teresa Leger Fernandez
- Dusty Johnson
- Ed Case
- Maria Elvira Salazar
- Stephanie I. Bice
- Greg Stanton
- Tom Cole
- Adrian Smith
- Mark Pocan
- Chellie Pingree
- Suzanne Bonamici
- Jared Huffman
- Kim Schrier

Related Legislation

HRES 381 has a companion bill in the Senate, SRES 200, which seeks to address similar issues regarding missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

This resolution serves as a significant step towards acknowledging and addressing the crisis faced by Indigenous women and girls in the United States, promoting awareness and the need for further action and research.