The U.S. House of Representatives debated S.772, the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act, on February 26, 2018.
The bill ensures that tribes can receive federal grants -- for the first time -- to develop AMBER Alert systems. Currently only states are eligible for the grants.
The bill passed the House under a suspension of the rules following the short debate.
The bill is also being titled as the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act, in memory of Ashlynne Mike. The 11-year-old girl was kidnapped and murdered on the Navajo Nation in May 2016.
The Navajo Nation was unable to send out an AMBER Alert immediately after Ashlynne and her brother were abducted on the New Mexico portion of the reservation. An alert was eventually sent out through the state but it was too late to help Ashlynne.
The tribe is now rolling out an AMBER Alert system on its reservation, the largest in the United States.
More information on Indianz.Com:
Bill to help tribes with AMBER Alert systems set to clear another hurdle
https://www.indianz.com/News/2018/02/26/bill-to-help-tribes-with-amber-alert-sys.asp
