© 2025 KUNR
Illustration of rolling hills with occasional trees and a radio tower.
Serving Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The threat of catastrophic funding cuts for public media looms, and while we don’t know what the U.S. Senate will do, we do know this: We need your help protecting this vital service.
Learn what you can do to support KUNR and public media today ➡️

Commission delivers report on missing, murdered and trafficked Indigenous people

A black banner that says  “Not one more”: Findings and recommendations of the Not Invisible Act Commission.
Screenshot
“Not one more”: Findings and recommendations of the Not Invisible Act Commission.

Six recommendations have been given to the federal government to better address the crisis of missing, murdered, and trafficked American Indians and Alaska Natives and to reduce those numbers.

Over the past two years, the Not Invisible Act Commission held seven in-person hearings across the United States and one virtual national hearing.

They received testimony from 260 individuals, including victims, survivors, and family members.

Tribal programs are “chronically underfunded” and the current federal funding for criminal justice is not enough, the commission said.

One of the recommendations is for federal agencies to declare a “Decade of Action and Healing,” which involves partnering with tribal entities with the goal of improving justice through increased funding, policy reform and training.

The report is valuable because it shares the experience of survivors, families and all entities, said commission member and former chairwoman of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Janet Davis.

The crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans is affecting her tribe, Davis said.

“We have an unsolved case right now, the young girl Anna Scott that was shot and burned in her vehicle, up on the 580 freeway. My niece was murdered in front of her children in her house. It affects a lot of people on a bunch of different levels and right here at home, where you would think in our small community, it wouldn't happen, but it's happened,” she said.

Many of these cases go unreported or there’s not enough data, she said.

Davis hopes the federal government will use these recommendations consistently to help protect Native communities across the country.

Federal agencies have 90 days to respond to the report and recommendations.

Maria joined KUNR Public Radio in December 2022 as a staff reporter.

Calls to defund public media are getting louder — but your voice is power


Personal stories are powerful, and your voice matters now more than ever. Call the KUNR Testimonial Line at 775-682-6039 to share what KUNR and public media mean to you. 💙