Heitkamp Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Protect Victims of Domestic Violence

Press Release

U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced that she and Republican Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska reintroduced their bipartisan bill to help combat domestic abuse and sexual violence by increasing access and promoting pro-bono legal services for victims of domestic violence. This week, companion legislation was also reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"No victim of domestic violence should have to live in fear for their safety because they can't afford legal protection or are unaware of their legal rights, but for too many voiceless women and men across the country, that every day fear is their reality. We can do better," said Heitkamp. "By making sure domestic violence victims know what legal services are available to them and have access to those services, our bipartisan bill seeks to help end the cycle of violence that imprisons so many across this country. As former Attorneys General, Senator Sullivan and I both understand how the lack of access to legal services can prevent survivors from finding the assistance necessary to stop the cycle of abuse and escape their abuser. That's why our bill asks U.S. Attorneys across the country to prioritize pro-bono legal work or services to address domestic violence in their states -- particularly for the most vulnerable populations like women in North Dakota's Indian Country -- so victims of domestic violence can obtain the services and information they need to finally walk away from their abusers and move forward with their lives."

"Pro bono assistance from our nation's legal community has been a particularly helpful tool in giving hope to victims of domestic violence. The POWER Act will bring this tool to more communities, encouraging lawyers across the country to get involved and help victims who too often fear or are unfamiliar with the justice system. It will create an army of pro-bono attorneys nationwide that will turn victims into survivors. I am optimistic that in the new Congress, with bills introduced in both chambers and a number of new colleagues signing on, we can get the POWER Act passed and onto President Trump's desk," said Sullivan.

Heitkamp's Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent or POWER Act (POWER Act) 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. Last Congress, the bill unanimously passed in the U.S. Senate.

Across 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. Attorney's 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.

Heitkamp and Sullivan 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.

Heitkamp 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.

Since 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:

Successfully 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. In 2015, Heitkamp supported a year-end spending deal that included a significant increase in federal funding to support domestic violence victims. The $480 million in federal support from the Office on Violence Against Women was a $50 million increase from the previous year, to be used for victims' services, legal, training and technical assistance, as well as research and analysis on violence against Native women.
Raising awareness of domestic violence resources in North Dakota. During Domestic Violence Awareness Month last October, Heitkamp met with staff and board members at Fargo's Rape and Abuse Crisis Center which offers resources for domestic, sexual, and dating violence survivors. In October 2014, Heitkamp met with community leaders, advocates, and victims services in Fargo and Minot to highlight the need to address domestic violence as a public health crisis. Heitkamp also toured the Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC) in Grand Forks and in Minot in 2015 to see programs supporting victims and combatting domestic violence in each region.

Addressing emerging challenges in North Dakota to better combat domestic violence. In 2014, 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. Last August, Heitkamp released her Strong & Safe Communities Report offering a comprehensive set of proposals to address challenges facing North Dakota, including solutions on domestic violence and a host of other issues facing the state.

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