This joint resolution, introduced by T. Running Wolf at the request of the State Tribal Relations Committee, urges the United States Congress to fully fund public safety and law enforcement agencies, programs, services, and activities within Montana's Indian reservations. It highlights the ongoing issues of drug and alcohol abuse, violent crime, and the high rates of victimization among Native Americans in Montana, emphasizing the need for adequate federal funding to address these challenges. The resolution calls for collaboration between the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior to improve public safety in Indian Country and encourages tribal governments to adopt their own resolutions to support this funding initiative.
Additionally, the resolution requests that Governor Gianforte write a letter to Congress advocating for the same funding support and sets a deadline for tribal governments to submit their resolutions and the Governor's letter by June 30, 2025. The Secretary of State is tasked with collecting these communications and forwarding them to key congressional leaders. Notably, the resolution removes the phrase "WITHIN" when referring to Montana's Indian reservations and replaces "RESERVATION" with "INDIAN" in the context of law enforcement and public safety programs.