A resolution expressing support for the designation of May 5, 2026, as "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls".
- Bill Number
- S.Res. 726
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Native Americans
- Status
- Passed Senate
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-12: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2241; text: CR S2240-2241)
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-16T13:09:18Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This Senate Resolution (S. Res. 726) expresses support for designating May 5, 2026, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls" (MMIWG). It highlights the high rates of violence against American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women and girls, and honors efforts to address the crisis.
Key Provisions
- Supports the designation of May 5, 2026, as a national awareness day.
- Calls on the public and groups to:
- Commemorate the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, including undocumented cases.
- Show solidarity with victims' families.
- Recommends that the Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) commission a new study on MMIWG to update statistics (noting 10 years since the last 2016 study).
- Recognizes ongoing efforts like Operation Lady Justice, Savanna's Act (2020), Not Invisible Act (2020), and the Department of the Interior's Missing and Murdered Unit (2021), while stating more work is needed.
The resolution includes background "Whereas" clauses citing statistics, such as:
- 84.3% of American Indian and Alaska Native women facing lifetime violence.
- Homicide as the 6th leading cause of death for Indigenous women under 44, with rates 10x the national average.
- Over 1,500 missing persons and 2,700 homicide cases involving Indigenous victims reported.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- None. This is a non-binding Senate resolution, not a law. It does not create new legal requirements or amend statutes.
Potential Impacts
- On citizens and communities: Increases public awareness, encourages remembrance events, and fosters solidarity with affected families and Tribal communities.
- On government agencies: Recommends (but does not require) a new NIJ study, potentially informing future DOJ and Department of the Interior policies on violence prevention and investigations.
- No direct impact on international relations.
- Symbolic emphasis on the MMIWG crisis may boost funding or collaboration for Tribal justice initiatives.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Primary: American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women and girls; their families; Tribal communities and leaders.
- Government: Department of Justice (including NIJ), Department of the Interior (Bureau of Indian Affairs), Federal law enforcement.
- Others: General public, advocacy groups, state commissions (e.g., Hawaii's).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: No enforceable obligations; purely expressive and recommendatory.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's power to recognize days of observance; no First Amendment or other challenges implied.
- Political: Bipartisan support (25 cosponsors from both parties); builds on prior executive and legislative actions, signaling sustained congressional attention to Tribal issues without mandating action.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (22)
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA], Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK], Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI], Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK], Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM], Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT], Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV], Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK], Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO], Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND], Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA], Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD], Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN], Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI], Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM], Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ], Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-12: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2241; text: CR S2240-2241)
- 2026-05-12: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.
Bill Versions
- Expressing support for the designation of May 5, 2026, as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. — issued 2026-05-12 — PDF (4 pages)