"Congress has a lot of high-profile business on table in the next three months, from Supreme Court nominees to Hurricane Katrina relief, to estate-tax repeal.

An issue that should share high priority, if not a high level of public attention, is reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, a 10-year-old law that is set to expire at the end of the month.

Legislation renewing the law is especially important among Native Americans.

Why? Because Indian women are twice as likely to be raped as women nationwide � one in three will become a victim of rape at the present rate, and that's just based on reported cases.

That's a shocking statistic, and it needs to be battled on every front possible."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Renewing act a priority for Indian Country (The Great Falls Tribune 9/11)

Get the Bill:
S.1197: Violence Against Women Act of 2005

Related Stories:
Domestic violence a problem on Montana reservations (9/9)
Violence Against Women Act set to expire this month (9/6)
Column: Genocide of Indian women continues today (08/15)
Violence Against Women Act includes tribal provisions (06/14)
Study finds high rates of trauma among two tribes (06/01)
Harjo: Native women aren't safe in Indian Country (04/29)
Congress puts focus on Indian Country crime (11/22)
Violent crime on the rise on Navajo Nation (11/02)
Tribal rights recognized in domestic violence bill (10/26)
Alaska wants to reduce tribal powers in child welfare (09/09)
Two grants to combat domestic violence on reservation (09/01)
Justice bill shifts priorities in Indian Country (8/4)
Criminals on Navajo Nation sometimes set free (07/30)
Tribal authority over all Indians still unsettled question (06/23)
Native women in Oklahoma at high risk for violence (05/26)
Federal prosecutor seeks to change 'national shame' (04/19)
IHS compiles domestic violence research (10/29)
Native youth victimization outpaces nation (07/17)
Natives top violent crime list again (4/8)
One in 10 hate crimes target American Indians (10/1)
DOJ: American Indians highest injured (6/25)
DOJ: Violent crime plagues Indian Country (3/19)
Violence in Indian Country (6/15)