BADGES for Native Communities Act

The BADGES for Native Communities Act would strengthen federal attention to cases involving missing or murdered Indigenous people and related death investigations, while boosting data sharing, reporting, and coordination among tribal, federal, state, and local law enforcement. It creates a framework to better collect and synchronize information about missing persons, unclaimed or unidentified human remains, and death investigations that are of interest to Indian Tribes. It also adds targeted programs and oversight to improve law enforcement staffing, background checks for Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) agents, and cross-agency support, including mental health resources for officers. In short, the bill seeks to close data gaps, improve interagency cooperation, and fund tribal-led efforts to respond to missing and murdered Indigenous persons and related investigations. Key elements include establishing tribal facilitators for the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NMIS), requiring annual and public reporting on NMIS activities, mandating a comprehensive DOJ staffing/resources report (with a concurrent GAO study on investigative capacity and evidence handling), launching a pilots program for BIA background checks, and creating a grant program to coordinate missing/murdered response efforts across tribes, states, and local jurisdictions. A sunset is placed on the BIA background-check demonstration, and there is an emphasis on interdepartmental coordination to provide counseling and wellness resources for law enforcement personnel serving in Indian Country.