{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=87f9e4aa-8eae-4f3d-8cf2-f6e6fa6ae578", "Heitkamps Bipartisan Bill to Combat Domestic Violence Unanimously Passes Senate", "2015-11-12", "2015", "2015-11", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced that the Senate unanimously passed her bipartisan bill to help combat domestic abuse and sexual violence by increasing access and promoting pro-bono legal services for victims of domestic violence.\r\nMaking sure domestic violence victims everywhere, including in Indian Country, have access to affordable legal services could change many lives, and thats what the bipartisan bill Senator Sullivan and I introduced aims to do, said Heitkamp. In tribal communities, rates of victimization are staggering, but far too often, victims arent able to pay for legal services to help make changes. In this bill, we require states like North Dakota to focus on support for Indian Country as part of these efforts, as well as all victims of these terrible crimes. As North Dakotas Attorney General, I was proud to implement the original Violence Against Women Act across the state in the 1990s, and to reauthorize it as a U.S. Senator. No victim should live in the shadows of fear  and with strong action, we can help many victims of domestic violence end their nightmares of abuse.\r\nHeitkamps Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent or POWER Act (POWER Act), introduced with Republican Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska, would require U.S. Attorneys in each judicial district across the country to work with domestic violence service providers or coalitions and an area volunteer lawyer project to hold at least one event promoting pro-bono legal services. The purpose is to reinforce a critical way to empower survivors of domestic violence, engage citizens, and help lift victims out of the cycle of abuse. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, cosponsored the bill.\r\nAcross Native populations in North Dakota and Alaska, rates of domestic and sexual violence are staggering. To address these crimes specifically in Indian Country and among Native communities, Heitkamp and Sullivan included a provision in the bill mandating U.S. Attorneys offices work with the Native populations in their judicial district in planning and holding an event every few years with a focus on addressing these crimes in Indian Country and among Native populations.\r\nSenators Sullivan and Heitkamp are both former attorneys general of their states and understand how the legal system can help prevent the probability that victims will again be abused.\r\nHeitkamp has long worked to combat domestic violence in North Dakota and across the country. As North Dakota Attorney General in the 1990s, she implemented the original Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) across the state, and worked to change the perception of domestic violence as a public health issue, so it would be treated and viewed as what it is  a criminal act. As a result, Heitkamp saw firsthand the dramatic changes in the number of incidents that followed after domestic violence was criminalized. Largely due to VAWA, according to the Justice Department, the annual incidences of domestic violence have fallen more than 60 percent since 1993.\r\nSince joining the Senate, Heitkamp has built on her work as Attorney General to combat domestic violence and stop those who seek to harm adults and children:\r\n \r\nSuccessfully fighting for greater protections for tribal communities in Violence Against Women Act reauthorization: The first bill Heitkamp cosponsored in the U.S. Senate was the reauthorization of VAWA which she then played a key role in pushing through Congress. Heitkamp worked to include a key provision in VAWA to address the continuing crisis of violence against women in tribal communities. The provision strengthens the existing programs and provides tribal governments the force they need to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators who commit these crimes on tribal land.\r\n \r\n \r\nRaising awareness of domestic violence awareness and resources available in North Dakota communities: In October 2014, Heitkamp met with community leaders, advocates, and victims services inFargoandMinotto highlight the urgent need to address domestic violence as a public health crisis in North Dakota. Heitkamp also toured the Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC) both in Grand Forks this past January and in Minot this past March to see the programs its implemented to support victims and combat domestic violence in the region.\r\n \r\n \r\nAddressing emerging challenges in North Dakota to better combat domestic violence: Last fall, Heitkamp convened a task force of experts, law enforcement and leaders across the state in launching her Strong & Safe Communities Initiative to address emerging challenges  including a rise in domestic violence  in the wake of the oil and gas boom. Earlier this month, Heitkamp hosted her Strong & Safe Communities Summit with about 150 community leaders to discuss solutions on domestic violence and a host of other issues facing the state.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=87f9e4aa-8eae-4f3d-8cf2-f6e6fa6ae578"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0915771126747131, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}