[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 28, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1050
 
                      DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Cantwell). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of February 11, 1994, and June 10, 1994, the gentlewoman from 
Oregon [Ms. Furse] is recognized during morning business for 2 minutes.
  Ms. FURSE. Madam Speaker, when people in America think of violent 
crime, they often think of gang members killing each other over turf 
wars. Unfortunately, violent crime is prevalent in American homes.
  Domestic violence is a problem that potentially strikes all women, 
whether they are rich or poor. It makes the place that should be safe--
their own home--unsafe. The House and Senate must complete work on the 
conference of the Violence Against Women Act to begin to address the 
problem of family violence in our communities.
  Last year, in the city of Portland, OR, domestic violence claimed the 
lives of 22 people. Three babies were killed by their parents, three 
men were killed for intervening in a domestic dispute, three men killed 
themselves after killing a partner or family member, a woman who feared 
for her own life killed her boyfriend, and 12 women were murdered by 
their husbands, their boyfriends, former partners or family members.
  The House and Senate have passed the Violence Against Women Act as 
part of the crime bill to address the problems our communities face in 
dealing with violence in the home. One of the provisions of the 
Violence Against Women Act is my own Domestic Violence Community 
Initiatives Act which will assist communities in bringing together the 
shelters, law enforcement, religious organizations, health care 
providers, teachers and principals to develop a coordinated community 
response to the problem. Because the problem of domestic violence 
involves so many different aspects of our society, only a coordinated 
approach can produce truly effective solutions.
  It's time we make domestic violence prevention a priority. We can 
prevent these horror stories and help make homes a safe place, a haven 
once again.

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