The House passed S.1474, the Alaska Safe Families and Villages Act, by a voice vote on Thursday, bringing Alaska tribes into the Violence Against Women Act.
The bill repeals Section 910 of S.47, the 2013 reauthorization of VAWA. That means Alaska tribes -- like those in the lower 48 -- will be able to arrest, prosecute and sentence certain non-Indian domestic violence offenders.
"In the many conversations I have had with Alaska Native leaders and families since the reauthorization of VAWA last year, I heard a consistent, clear, and powerful message: that Section 910 was an error and must be repealed,” Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) said in a press release.
Indianz.Com SoundCloud: Vice President Joe Biden at White House Tribal Nations Conference
The bill now heads to President Barack Obama. His administration supports the repeal of Section 910 and Vice President Joe Biden spoke about it at the White House Tribal Nations Conference last week.
"We need to give the nations of Alaska the same authority," Biden said to loud applause.
The tribal jurisdiction provisions of VAWA become effective in March 2015. The timing has allowed tribes who wish to participate more time to ensure their justice systems protect the rights of non-Indian and Indian offenders.
Young said he plans to work with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in the next session of Congress to help Alaska tribes develop their court systems. Most have been restricted by a lack of funding and even those that started their own courts have faced opposition from the state over jurisdiction issues.
