Hi John,

Today is Indigenous Peoples' Day -- a day we honor the people whose ancestors lived here long before Christopher Columbus ever set foot on the shores of the continent, the people who have endured genocide and broken promises from our own government.

Here in Washington, there are 29 federally recognized Native Tribes, as well as the Duwamish, Wanapum, and Chinook tribes, each with long and significant histories.

As Congresswoman for WA-01, I consider it an important part of my duties to fight for Native communities in Congress with legislation that puts the health, safety, and prosperity of Indigenous peoples at the forefront of policy-making.

Here are just a few of the bills I have cosponsored:

● Savanna's Act - requires the Department of Justice to review, revise, and develop law enforcement and justice protocols to address missing or murdered Native Americans. This law is meant to address the horrifyingly high rates of violence against Indigenous women like Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind.

● Not Invisible Act of 2020 - increases the coordination of efforts to reduce violent crime within Indian lands and against Indians. This bill is meant to close bureaucratic gaps that have left Indigenous people without justice when they are the victims of violent crimes.

● Tribal Social Security Fairness Act of 2018 - directs the Social Security Administration to extend Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance benefits to tribal council members. Before this law, tribal council members could not access Social Security in the same ways many state and local legislators could.

● Indigenous Peoples' Day Resolution - This resolution honors and recognizes the unique contributions Indigenous peoples have made to the United States and supports the official designation of an Indigenous Peoples' Day.

There is still far more work we must do to right wrongs and support Indigenous and Native communities -- from passing a resolution to make Indigenous Peoples' Day a federally-recognized holiday to honoring tribal sovereignty to addressing high rates of poverty and health disparities on many reservations.

Let's keep pushing for change,

-- Suzan DelBene



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PO Box 477, Kirkland, WA 98083

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