AG Nominee Jeff Sessions Testifies on VAWA 2015 Tribal Court Jurisdiction(Sorta)

Here is the CSPAN transcript and video link.

Here are excerpts (taken from uncorrected closed captioning) from the testimony at 1:41:48:

SO, WHEN WE VOTED IN THE COMMITTEE, EIGHT OF THE NINE REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THE BILL. ONE OF THE MORE CONCERNINGPROVISIONS WAS A PROVISION THAT GAVE TRIBAL COURTS JURISDICTION TO TRY PERSONS WHO WERE NOT TRIBAL MEMBERS. AS CONTRARY, I BELIEVE THE ONLY TIMEHAT GAVE TRIBAL COURTS JURISDICTION TO TRY PERSONS WHO WERE NOT TRIBAL MEMBERS. AS CONTRARY, I BELIEVE THE ONLY TIME THAT’S EVER HAPPENED, THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN THAT I RAISED I BELIEVE PRIMARILY. ON THE LEGISLATION, SO I VOTED WITH THE CHAIRMAN AND THE LEGISLATION HE HAD THAT I THOUGHT DID THE JOB FOR PROTECTING WOMEN, TO REAUTHORIZE THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, DID NOT HAVE OTHER THINGS ATTACHED TO IT THAT I THOUGHT WERE CONCERNING.

At 1:43:31:

MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF THAT. BUT IN OTHER RESULT, OF IT SO FAR, I’M INTERESTED FIRST TIME I’VE HEARD IT COMING ON. LET ME SAY THIS TO YOU DIRECTLY. IN MEETING WITH SENATORS PRIOR TO THIS HEAR, I’VE HAD QUITE A NUMBER, PERHAPS MORE THAN ANY OTHER ISSUE THAT NONINDIANS THAT HAVE GONE ON TO TRIBAL LANDS THAT HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES INCLUDING RAPE HAVE NOT BEEN EFFECTIVELY PROOS CUTED. THEY HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BY THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN HAPPENING SUFFICIENTLY. I AM NOT CONVINCED, SO I DO THINK THE FBI PARTICULARLY MAYBE THE BUREAU OF THE INDIAN AFFAIRS INVESTIGATEORS SHOULD BE BEEFED UP AND THE U.S. ATTORNEYS NEED TO DO PROBABLY A BETTER JOB OF PROSINGING CASES THAT NEED TO BE PROSECUTED IN FEDERAL FORTCOURT.

And at 1:44:58:

I WOULD DEFEND THE STATUTE IF IT’S REASONABLY DEFENSIBLE. YES, IT’S PASSED BY CONGRESS. IT WOULD BE THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. WHETHER THEY VOTED FOR IT OR SUPPORTED IT, TO DEFEND IT.