JT Shining Oneside shared stories about her Ojibwe and Anishinaabe inheritance during the Native American Heritage Month Celebration on Nov. 15. She spoke about the coming-of-age and traditional birth ceremonies. (Photo credit/ Adrianna Adame)
The Senate approved two bipartisan amendments to the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that would help protect victims of human trafficking.
Sen. Patrick Leahy’s (D-Vt.) amendment passed on a 93-5 vote and would reauthorize appropriations for fiscal years 2014 through 2017 for the Trafficking Victims Protection Act to combat human trafficking. Leahy and the amendment’s co-sponsor, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), said the bill includes accountability measures to make sure the funds are being spent wisely and also streamlines programs to help victims.
