BISMARCK 鈥� A North Dakota lawmaker will testify before a congressional subcommittee Thursday, March 14, on missing and murdered indigenous women.
Rep. Ruth Buffalo, D-Fargo, said she was invited to discuss her legislative work and potential federal solutions with the House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States.
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Buffalo, a freshman lawmaker and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, has introduced two bills aimed at addressing the problems surrounding missing and murdered indigenous people. One seeks law enforcement training and another, as amended, would create a database on all missing people in the state.
Buffalo's bills are awaiting action in the North Dakota Senate after sailing through the state House.
Buffalo invoked the disappearances and deaths of and , two recent high-profile cases that have elevated awareness of missing and murdered indigenous women. Though studies have said Native women face high rates of violence, a report released last year highlighted data shortcomings on the issue.
A livestream of the hearing, which starts at 9 a.m. on Thursday, will be available on the House Natural Resources Committee's
