[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 161 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 161

To establish the Violence Against Women Office within the Department of 
                                Justice.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 24, 2001

 Mr. Wellstone introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the Violence Against Women Office within the Department of 
                                Justice.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Violence Against Women Office Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN OFFICE.

    (a) Office.--There is established within the Department of Justice, 
under the general authority of the Attorney General, a Violence Against 
Women Office (in this Act referred to as the ``Office'').
    (b) Director.--
            (1) In general.--The Office shall be headed by a Director 
        (in this Act referred to as the ``Director''), who shall be 
        appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent 
        of the Senate.
            (2) Authority.--The Director shall--
                    (A) report to the Attorney General through the 
                Associate Attorney General; and
                    (B) have final authority for all grants, 
                cooperative agreements, and contracts awarded by the 
                Office.
            (3) Other employment.--The Director shall not--
                    (A) engage in any employment other than that of 
                serving as the Director; or
                    (B) hold any office in, or act in any capacity for, 
                any organization, agency, or institution with which the 
                Office makes any contract or other arrangement under 
                this Act.

SEC. 3. DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF DIRECTOR OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 
              OFFICE.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall have the following duties:
            (1) Serving as special counsel to the Attorney General on 
        the subject of violence against women.
            (2) Maintaining liaison with the judicial branches of the 
        Federal and State Governments on matters relating to violence 
        against women.
            (3) Providing information to the President, the Congress, 
        the judiciary, State and local governments, and the general 
        public on matters relating to violence against women.
            (4) Serving, at the request of the Attorney General or 
        Associate Attorney General, as the representative of the 
        Department of Justice on domestic task forces, committees, or 
        commissions addressing policy or issues relating to violence 
        against women.
            (5) Serving, at the request of the President, acting 
        through the Attorney General, as the representative of the 
        United States Government on human rights and economic justice 
        matters related to violence against women in international 
        forums, including the United Nations.
            (6) Carrying out the functions of the Department of Justice 
        under the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (title IV of 
        Public Law 103-322) and the amendments made by that Act, and 
        other functions of the Department of Justice on matters 
        relating to violence against women, including with respect to 
        those functions--
                    (A) the development of policy, protocols, and 
                guidelines;
                    (B) the development and management of grant 
                programs and other programs, and the provision of 
                technical assistance under such programs; and
                    (C) the award and termination of grants, 
                cooperative agreements, and contracts.
            (7) Providing technical assistance, coordination, and 
        support to--
                    (A) other elements of the Department of Justice, in 
                efforts to develop policy and to enforce Federal laws 
                relating to violence against women, including the 
                litigation of civil and criminal actions relating to 
                enforcing such laws;
                    (B) other Federal, State, and tribal agencies, in 
                efforts to develop policy, provide technical 
                assistance, and improve coordination among agencies 
                carrying out efforts to eliminate violence against 
                women, including Indian or indigenous women; and
                    (C) grantees, in efforts to combat violence against 
                women and to provide support and assistance to victims 
                of such violence.
            (8) Exercising such other powers and functions as may be 
        vested in the Director pursuant to this Act or by delegation of 
        the Attorney General or Associate Attorney General.
            (9) Establishing such rules, regulations, guidelines, and 
        procedures as are necessary to carry out any function of the 
        Office.

SEC. 4. STAFF OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN OFFICE.

    The Attorney General shall ensure that the Director has adequate 
staff to support the Director in carrying out the Director's 
responsibilities under this Act.
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