Honorable Heidi Heitkamp from North Dakota (28th Attorney General of North Dakota and former U.S. Senator from North Dakota)

 

3/28/2024

Honorable Heidi Heitkamp

c/o The University of Chicago Institute of Politics

5707 S Woodlawn Avenue

Chicago, IL  60637

Dear Honorable Heitkamp,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history including social justice. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, and many others. Honorable Heitkamp, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work when you served as 28th Attorney General of North Dakota and as U.S. Senator from North Dakota to be very inspiring to me. 

When you served as 28th Attorney General of North Dakota from 1992-2000, I truly appreciated on how you were a strong supporter of civil rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, prosecuting people who commit hate crimes to help protect minorities including people who are different, and investigating public places that practice different forms of discrimination. Supporting drug treatment programs to help drug users get the care they need to reduce drug abuse, expanding resources to help victims of crime or victims of domestic violence get help on dealing with their trauma,  and expressing along with supporting  funds to improve DNA testing including forensic science to help solve evidence or cases efficiently to reduce sending an innocent person to jail or to reduce wrongful convictions is common sense for criminal justice reform. Another thing that I like about your work as Attorney General of North Dakota is how you launch investigation into public officials including law enforcement who accept illegal bribes or do misconduct to reduce corruption, went after industries that illegally pollute the environment or violate environmental protection laws, and create educational awareness about the need to reduce drug abuse along with gun violence. In January 2013, I was amazed on how you made history on becoming the first woman to be U.S. Senator from North Dakota. In your role as U.S. Senator from North Dakota from 2013-2019, I liked on how you were a continuous strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights. Also in the Senate, I like on how you worked on continuing to protect The Affordable Care Act from being repealed in order to help protect people with pre-existing conditions from losing their health care, work on agriculture reform like crop insurance including funds for farmers who are dealing with drought issues, push for funds to help Native American reservations improve their community, and support renewable energy resources to reduce pollution. 

Honorable Heitkamp, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advanced subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts in different settings, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Also your role as former Attorney General of North Dakota and as former U.S. Senator from North Dakota helps give me motivation to continue to learn history including social justice. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, and many others. 

I strongly believe that you made a great difference when you served in public service. I’m very proud on how you  are working hard to support civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights, expand on criminal justice reform, and many others. You truly inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn more about your work, and continue to learn different subjects. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to advocate for common sense ideas.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick