Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, 66059-66061 [2019-26178]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 231 (Monday, December 2, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 66059-66061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26178]



[[Page 66057]]

Vol. 84

Monday,

No. 231

December 2, 2019

Part II





The President





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Executive Order 13898--Establishing the Task Force on Missing and 
Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives


                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 231 / Monday, December 2, 2019 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 66059]]

                Executive Order 13898 of November 26, 2019

                
Establishing the Task Force on Missing and 
                Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and in order to enhance the operation of the 
                criminal justice system and address the legitimate 
                concerns of American Indian and Alaska Native 
                communities regarding missing and murdered people--
                particularly missing and murdered indigenous women and 
                girls--it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Purpose. My Administration has heard the 
                ongoing and serious concerns of tribal governments 
                regarding missing and murdered members of American 
                Indian and Alaska Native communities, particularly 
                women and girls. To address the severity of those 
                concerns, top officials within the Federal Government 
                will coordinate and engage with the tribal governments.

                Sec. 2. Establishment. (a) There is hereby established 
                the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians 
                and Alaska Natives (Task Force), co-chaired by the 
                Attorney General and the Secretary of the Interior 
                (Secretary) or their designees.

                    (b) The Department of Justice shall provide funding 
                and administrative support as may be necessary for the 
                performance and functions of the Task Force. The 
                Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary, 
                shall designate an official of the Department of 
                Justice to serve as the Executive Director of the Task 
                Force, responsible for coordinating its day-to-day 
                functions. As necessary and appropriate, the Co-Chairs 
                may afford the other members of the Task Force an 
                opportunity to provide input into the decision of whom 
                to designate as the Executive Director.

                Sec. 3. Membership. (a) In addition to the Co-Chairs, 
                the Task Force shall be composed wholly of full-time, 
                or permanent part-time, officers or employees of the 
                Federal Government and shall include the following 
                members:

(i) the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;

(ii) the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Department of the 
Interior;

(iii) the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, Department of 
Justice;

(iv) the Director of the Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, Department of the Interior;

(v) the Chair of the Native American Issues Subcommittee of the Attorney 
General's Advisory Committee;

(vi) the Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and

(vii) such representatives of other executive departments, agencies, and 
offices as the Co-Chairs may, from time to time, designate.

                    (b) In performing the functions set forth in 
                sections 4 and 5 of this order, the Co-Chairs and 
                members may designate representatives of their 
                respective departments, agencies, offices, or entities 
                under their direction to participate in the Task Force 
                as necessary, and the Co-Chairs may also direct 
                coordination with other Presidential task forces. In 
                carrying out its functions, the Task Force shall 
                coordinate with appropriate White House officials, 
                including the Senior Counselor to the President, the 
                Assistant

[[Page 66060]]

                to the President for Domestic Policy, and the Deputy 
                Assistant to the President and Director of 
                Intergovernmental Affairs.

                Sec. 4. Mission and Functions. (a) The Task Force 
                shall:

(i) conduct appropriate consultations with tribal governments on the scope 
and nature of the issues regarding missing and murdered American Indians 
and Alaska Natives;

(ii) develop model protocols and procedures to apply to new and unsolved 
cases of missing or murdered persons in American Indian and Alaska Native 
communities, including best practices for:

  (A) improving the way law enforcement investigators and prosecutors 
respond to the high volume of such cases, and to the investigative 
challenges that might be presented in cases involving female victims;

  (B) collecting and sharing data among various jurisdictions and law 
enforcement agencies; and

  (C) better use of existing criminal databases, such as the National 
Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), the National Crime 
Information Center (NCIC), and the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) 
including the National DNA Index System (NDIS);

(iii) establish a multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional team including 
representatives from tribal law enforcement and the Departments of Justice 
and the Interior to review cold cases involving missing and murdered 
American Indians and Alaska Natives;

(iv) address the need for greater clarity concerning roles, authorities, 
and jurisdiction throughout the lifecycle of cases involving missing and 
murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives by:

  (A) developing and publishing best-practices guidance for use by Federal, 
State, local, and tribal law enforcement in cases involving missing and 
murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, to include best practices 
related to communication with affected families from initiation of an 
investigation through case resolution or closure;

  (B) facilitating formal agreements or arrangements among Federal, State, 
local, and tribal law enforcement to promote maximally cooperative, trauma-
informed responses to cases involving missing and murdered American Indians 
and Alaska Natives;

  (C) developing and executing an education and outreach campaign for 
communities that are most affected by crime against American Indians and 
Alaska Natives to identify and reduce such crime; and

  (D) developing, in partnership with NamUs, a public-awareness campaign to 
educate both rural and urban communities about the needs of affected 
families and resources that are both needed and available.

                Sec. 5. Reporting. (a) No later than 1 year after the 
                date of this order, the Task Force shall develop and 
                submit to the President, through the Assistant to the 
                President for Domestic Policy, a written report 
                regarding the activities and accomplishments of the 
                Task Force, the status of projects the Task Force has 
                not yet completed, and specific recommendations for 
                future action of the Task Force.

                    (b) No later than 2 years after the date of this 
                order, the Task Force shall develop and submit to the 
                President, through the Assistant to the President for 
                Domestic Policy, a final written report regarding the 
                activities and accomplishments of the Task Force.

                Sec. 6. Termination. The Task Force shall terminate 2 
                years after the date of this order, unless otherwise 
                directed by the President.

                Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

[[Page 66061]]

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    November 26, 2019.

[FR Doc. 2019-26178
Filed 11-29-19; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F0-P