This bill establishes a new Office for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls within the Department of Justice to address what Congress identifies as a significant disparity in how these cases are handled. The legislation notes that Black women and girls represent 34 percent of missing persons reports despite making up only 15 percent of the female population, and their cases remain open four times longer than cases involving other groups on average. The Director of the Office would coordinate with federal, state, local, and tribal agencies to collect data on missing persons and homicide cases, conduct case reviews, and maintain a public dashboard tracking these cases. The bill also requires the Director to establish a national advisory commission of Black women and girls with lived experience of violence and family members affected by these crimes, and to submit biennial reports to Congress analyzing the data and recommending policy changes. Additionally, the legislation requires the Attorney General to provide necessary personnel and funding within 90 days of enactment and directs the Office to establish a grant program within 180 days to fund community-based organizations providing prevention services, law enforcement training, and victim support tailored to Black women and girls.
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