BADGES for Native Communities Act
Introduced Feb 4, 2025 by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto
The Senate passed it. The House has to pass it before it can reach the President.
This bill revises federal policies and procedures related to information sharing, reporting, and investigating cases of missing, unidentified, or murdered Indians.
Among other elements, the bill requires the Department of Justice to (1) establish a grant program for specified entities (e.g., tribes) to implement changes to enhance their responses to missing person cases and death investigations of interest to tribes, and (2) work with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that federal training resources and culturally appropriate mental health and wellness programs are available to tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement officers.
The Department of the Interior must establish a five-year demonstration program for the purpose of conducting or adjudicating personnel background investigations for applicants for law enforcement positions in the BIA.
The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct specified studies, including a study on the evidence collection, handling, response times, and processing procedures and practices of federal law enforcement agencies.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service.
No recorded roll-call vote on this bill — it may have passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record individual votes.
- Dec 15, 2025Held at the desk.
- Dec 15, 2025Received in the House.
- Dec 15, 2025Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 11, 2025Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8685; text: CR S8685-8687)
- Dec 11, 2025Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 31, 2025Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 138.
- Jul 31, 2025Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-53.
- Mar 5, 2025Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Feb 4, 2025Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- Feb 4, 2025Introduced in Senate