All Roll Calls
Yes: 378 • No: 32
118-hr-663118th CongressWALLET
Native American Child Protection Act
Sponsored By: Representative Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
Became Law
Summary
This law expands protections for Native children by widening the situations that trigger protective action, creating a national resource center, and shifting federal roles to strengthen Tribal, state, and urban Indian coordination.
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- Families and children: It broadens the protective criteria to cover cases where a child is dead or shows serious injuries or conditions not plausibly explained by accident, including examples like bruising, burns, fractures, subdural hematoma, malnutrition, failure to thrive, or suspected sexual assault. This clearly raises the threshold for intervention in more severe situations.
- Tribes and Tribal organizations: Tribes and intertribal consortia can apply for grants on their own or with urban Indian organizations, and grants must fund culturally appropriate treatments and services. The law also updates staffing rules to fund at least one child protective services or family violence caseworker per Indian Tribe.
- Federal coordination and services: It creates a National Indian Child Resource and Family Services Center to be established within 1 year and reported to Congress within 2 years, expands training, technical assistance, intergovernmental agreements, and sets a 12-member advisory board.
*This law does not authorize additional appropriations; programs and activities are subject to advance appropriations made available.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
More tribal child protection staff and services
Tribes can get grants for culturally appropriate treatment for child abuse or neglect. Any Tribe or intertribal group can apply alone or with an urban Indian group. The law pays for CPS costs like transportation, assessments, kinship navigators, relative searches, background checks, and home studies. It sets caseload and staffing standards within one year and directs funding for at least one caseworker per Tribe, including benefits and support costs. The Service reports to Congress on these grants within two years.
National center for Indian child services
The law creates a National Indian Child Resource and Family Services Center within one year. Interior must report to Congress on its status within two years. A 12-member board from Tribes and urban Indian groups advises the Center. Members are unpaid but can get travel costs. The Center can be run by an Indian nonprofit under contract.
Stronger triggers to protect abused children
Child protection must act when a child dies or has serious injuries that are not explained. The law lists bruising, bleeding, malnutrition, failure to thrive, burns, broken bones, subdural hematoma, and soft tissue swelling. It also covers sexual assault, molestation, exploitation, sexual contact, and prostitution.
No new funding; programs need appropriations
The law does not add new money. Each program in this law only runs if Congress later approves funding.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4]
WA • R
Sponsored 2/17/2023
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 5/16/2023
Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-47]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/18/2023
Rep. Peltola, Mary Sattler [D-AK-At Large]
AK • D
Sponsored 6/12/2023
Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/20/2023
Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7]
CO • D
Sponsored 6/21/2023
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 7/20/2023
Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]
CA • D
Sponsored 8/25/2023
Roll Call Votes
house vote • 9/18/2023
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
Yes: 378 • No: 32