Hoeven, Cortez Masto’s Badges Act to Strengthen Indian Country Public Safety Unanimously Passes Senate

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) today announced that the Bridging Agency Data Gaps & Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.V.), Ruben Gallego (D-A.Z.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) to strengthen Tribal public safety, unanimously passed the Senate. This legislation would support the recruitment and retention of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement officers, bolster federal missing persons resources, and give Tribes and states tools to combat violence.
“The BADGES for Native Communities Act will help improve and increase resources for Tribal law enforcement,” said Senator Hoeven. “By enabling the BIA to conduct its own background checks on law enforcement applicants, this legislation gives Tribes critical tools to address staffing shortages. This not only enhances public safety within Tribal communities but also helps ensure offenders are held accountable, empowering Tribes to better protect their citizens and uphold justice.”
“Since my time as Nevada’s Attorney General, I have worked closely with law enforcement to keep families safe in every corner of the Silver State, including in Indian Country,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It is past time to get this bipartisan legislation across the finish line to provide Tribes with the resources they need to protect their communities. I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to quickly send this bill to the President’s desk.”
Specifically, the BADGES for Native Communities Act would:
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