{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D14E567E-68F1-462F-8FC2-4047DE59ACDA", "ND Congressional Delegation Denounce Criminal Displacement of Livestock, Call for Federal Reinforcements", "2016-10-18", "2016", "2016-10", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In denouncing the recent news of the unlawful butchering and displacement of livestock near Cannon Ball, U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp, John Hoeven, and Congressman Kevin Cramer today called for federal resources to support the efforts of Morton County law enforcement to keep tribes, ranchers, workers, and their property safe.\r\n\u201cWhen tensions are high, North Dakotans have always been able to count on one another to treat our neighbors, our land, and our livestock with dignity and respect,\u201d said Heitkamp. \u201cThat\u2019s what makes the news of unlawful butchering and taking of livestock so appalling. If the Administration is serious about maintaining the peace and sanctity of this land and our communities, it\u2019s absolutely critical that it steps in with the support our local law enforcement needs to keep our ranchers, our tribes, and the protesters protected. For months I\u2019ve been pushing our federal agencies to provide the resources and certainty North Dakotans need, and I\u2019ll keep it up \u2013 because no family or business should have to fear for their personal safety or the safety of their property.\u201d\r\n\u201cStealing and butchering livestock is something no one can justify,\u201d said Hoeven. \u201cIt represents not only the destruction of private property, but also deprives hardworking ranchers of their livelihood and causes them to fear for the safety of themselves and their families. We continue our call for the Obama Administration to provide much-needed assistance to state and local law enforcement to ensure that people and property are protected from this kind of unlawful activity. Also, the administration needs to act decisively and allow pipeline construction to proceed to completion so that the protest can be brought to an end and residents can resume their lives without fear of harm.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Administration is to blame for this senseless act,\u201d said Cramer.\u00a0 \u201cUnfortunately, the President and his bureaucrats will be able to hide behind sovereign immunity, providing no means for civil relief from those who are most at fault.\u00a0 Just what must occur before Washington will step in and end this?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nClick here to read the letter sent to U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General Loretta Lynch, U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commanding General Lieutenant Todd Semonite, requesting federal reinforcements for North Dakota state and federal law enforcement.\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=D14E567E-68F1-462F-8FC2-4047DE59ACDA"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1682393960654736, "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"}