Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the heartbreaking trend of violence troubling our Native American communities and recognize the Tribal leaders from my district who are taking a stand on this issue. Native American women in particular face a disproportionately high risk of violence. According to one study, the murder rate of Native American women is 10 times the national average. During my 23 years as a law enforcement officer in northern Minnesota, I heard far too many horror stories about trafficked or murdered Native American women. Too often, these cases go unresolved. These victims and their families deserve action. I was glad to hear that President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order establishing an interagency task force to review unsolved cases. I was especially pleased to see Fond du Lac council member Roger Smith, Fond du Lac chairman Kevin Dupuis, and Mille Lacs band chief Melanie Benjamin standing alongside our President in the Oval Office as he signed this executive order. I applaud Minnesota's Tribal leaders for standing united against this epidemic of violence, and I remain committed to supporting them in this critical mission. ____________________”