BADGES for Native Communities Act
Key claim: The BADGES for Native Communities Act would strengthen federal and tribal responses to missing, unidentified, or murdered Indians through DOJ grants, HHS mental-health resources for tribal and BIA officers, Interior background-investigation reforms, and GAO studies of federal evidence practices.
Abstract
(HR1010 · 119th Congress) Bridging Agency Data Gaps and Ensuring Safety for Native Communities Act or the BADGES for Native Communities Act This bill revises federal policies and procedures related to information sharing, reporting, and investigating cases of missing, unidentified, or murdered Indians. Among other elements, the bill requires the Department of Justice to (1) establish a grant program for specified entities (e.g., tribes) to implement changes to enhance their responses to missing person cases and death investigations of interest to tribes, and (2) work with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that federal training resources and culturally appropriate mental health and wellness programs are available to tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement officers. The Department of the Interior must establish a five-year demonstration program for the purpose of conducting or adjudicating personnel background investigations for applicants for law enforcement positions in the BIA. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct specified studies, including a study on the evidence collection, handling, response times, and processing procedures and practices of federal law enforcement agencies. Latest action (2026-05-21): Subcommittee Hearings Held
Why this matters
MMIP cases have long been complicated by fragmented jurisdiction, inconsistent federal data practices, and understaffed tribal and BIA policing, which affects Native families’ access to timely investigations and due process. The BADGES Act targets these structural gaps through grants, personnel vetting reforms, officer wellness resources, and oversight studies, making it a notable incremental step in the federal response to Indigenous safety.