Violence Against Women Act | Video

Jessica Roose | 2/19/2013

Last week the United States Senate voted to renew the Violence Against Women Act with 78 Senators in support. The act was the first piece of legislation that Freshman Senator Heidi Heitkamp co-sponsored. This morning she discussed the need for the House to now pass the bill with a group of local law enforcement, victim advocates and community leaders.

Heitkamp says there are two reasons she believes the bill could get held up in the House. "Number one is the provisions for Native Americans which mean that all women on the reservation would be protected regardless of who the perpetrator is. We gave tribal courts jurisdiction, a lot of people think that`s unconstitutional. I don`t think they understand tribal sovereignty."

She says the other reason is a section that includes members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered community. Heitkamp says it`s important these provisions stay in the bill to protect all victims of domestic violence.

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