WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, today announced she is cosponsoring the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act, a bipartisan bill to identify solutions to unique challenges facing Native American children in Nebraska and across the country. 
 

The legislation, introduced by Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), creates a national Commission on Native American Children. The commission would be tasked with conducting a comprehensive study of current federal, state, and local programs and support for Native American children, who are disproportionately impacted by poverty, child abuse, crime, substance abuse, suicide, and lack of economic opportunity. 
 

“This bipartisan legislation is an important step in recognizing and addressing persistent challenges plaguing Native American communities across the nation and in Nebraska. The limited access to opportunity for children in these communities is simply unacceptable,” said Fischer. “I am proud to join Senator Heitkamp in this effort to better utilize existing funding and strengthen coordination of current programs that help Native American children and their families.” 
 

The legislation utilizes existing funds already allocated to the Department of Justice, Department of the Interior, and Department of Health and Human Services to establish the commission. The commission’s primary missions are to more precisely and efficiently target funding, create stronger data collection methods, and enhance private partnerships in Native communities.
 

Text of the legislation can be found HERE.

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