Presidential Task Force on Missing & Murdered American Indians & Alaska Natives Announces Tribal Consultations/Listening Sessions

Jean Hovland, HHS, Tara Sweeney, DOI and Katharine Sullivan, DOJ joined the first meeting of the Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives last month – Photo credit, DOI Photographer Tami Heilemann

Published March 6, 2020

From Press Release

WASHINGTON — The Presidential Task force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives announced a series of field consultations and listening sessions to occur across the United States in the coming months.

One of the consultations will be held on July 7 in Billings, Mt.

American Indians and Alaska Natives experience disproportionately high rates of violence. President Trump has called the crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans “sobering and heartbreaking.” The task force, designated Operation Lady Justice, has been empowered to review Indian Country cold cases, to strengthen law enforcement protocols, and work with tribes to improve investigations, information sharing and a more seamless response to missing persons investigations.

Confirmed Dates and Locations

March 12 – 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.                             

Tribal Interior Budget Council Listening Session

Washington, DC (CLOSED PRESS)

 

March 17 – 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

United South & Eastern Tribes (USET)

Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes (MAST) Listening Session

Marriott Marquis, 901 Massachusetts Ave NW

Washington, D.C.

 

March 24 – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.                           

Muscogee Creek Listening Session

River Spirit Casino

8330 Riverside Parkway, Tulsa, OK

 

March 31 – 10:30 a.m. – noon

38th Annual Protecting Our Children Conference Listening Session

Marriott Denver Tech Center- Host Hotel

Denver, CO (CLOSED PRESS)

 

April 15 – 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Pascua Yaqui Listening Session

Casino Del Sol

5655 W. Valencia Rd., Tucson, AZ

 

April 21 – 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.                                  

Sycuan Band, California Listening Session

3 Kwaaypaay Court, El Cajon, CA

 

April 28 – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

National Indian Programs Training Center – CONSULTATION

1101 Indian School Road NW, rooms 233-234

Albuquerque, NM

 

May 12 – 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.                          

Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Listening Session

Grand Traverse Resort & Spa

100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd, Acme Township, MI

 

May 21- 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Yakama Nation, Washington Listening Session

Legends Casino and Hotel

580 Fort Road, Toppenish WA

 

June 7 – 11 – Date and Location TBD            

Anchorage, Alaska – CONSULTATION

 

June 16 – 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

North Dakota/South Dakota Listening Session

North Dakota Heritage Center

Bismarck, ND

 

June 23 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Women are Sacred Conference Listening Session

Intercontinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel

11 E. Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, MN

 

July 7 – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Billings, Montana – CONSULTATION

Double Tree Hotel, 27 N 27th, Billings, MT

 

The members of the task force are:

Katharine Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, designee for the Attorney General;

Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, designee for the Secretary of the Interior;

Terry Wade, Executive Assistant Director, Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch, Federal Bureau of Investigation;

Laura Rogers, Acting Director, Office on Violence Against Women;

Charles Addington, Deputy Bureau Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services;

Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Chair of the Native American Issues Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee; and

Jean Hovland, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs and Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans, Department of Health and Human Services.

Marcia Good of the Department of Justice serves as the Executive Director of the task force. The task force will present a progress report to the President by Nov. 26, 2020, and a final report detailing its activities and accomplishments by Nov. 26, 2021.

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