S.982 – Not Invisible Act of 2019: Became Public Law No: 116-166 on Oct. 10, 2020. This bill increases the coordination of efforts to reduce violent crime within Indian lands and against Indians.
Specifically, the DOI must designate an official within the Bureau of Indian Affairs to coordinate prevention efforts, grants, and programs related to missing Indians and the murder and human trafficking of Indians.In addition, the DOJ must (1) establish a joint commission on violent crime within Indian lands and against Indians, and (2) submit a written response to the recommendations developed by the joint commission.The joint commission must develop and make publicly available recommendations to the Interior and DOJ on actions to combat violent crime against Indians and within Indian lands, identify, report, and respond to instances of missing persons, murder, and human trafficking.The Meherrin Indian Tribe supports the new Missing & Murdered Unit (MNU).