The US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a “field oversight hearing” at United Tribes in Bismarck Wednesday.
The hearing concerned law enforcement, and stopping dangerous drugs from entering Indian Country.
North Dakota Senator John Hoeven chairs the Indian Affairs Committee. He said the committee heard from tribal chairmen and law enforcement.
"We heard what's going on on the reservation," Hoeven said in an interview. "How they're dealing with it, and how we can help, when it comes to safety, security, protecting women and children, and supporting law enforcement."
Hoeven said there are several bills in the hopper to address that. One is dubbed “The Survive Act.”
"We have a crime victim's fund that takes in about $3 billion a year," Hoeven said. "The Survive Act would allocate 5 percent of that for Indian Country."
That would be about $150 million a year.
"It would help law enforcement, and victims," Hoeven said. "That's a big bill I'm trying to advance."
Another is “The Tribal Law and Order Act.”
"That again goes to making sure that in Indian Country, they're able to participate in programs that help reduce crime and violence, and help with reabiliation, and to lower recidivism for people who are incarcerated," Hoeven said. "We're trying to get Native Americans into those programs."
Hoeven said having the testimony from the field hearing will help strengthen the case for the bills, once they get to the Senate floor.
"If we can pass them, it would really help safety on the reservation," Hoeven said.