[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 114 (Friday, September 22, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S9019]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I come to the Senate floor to speak about 
the importance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act before 
September 30. Since enactment of the Violence Against Women Act in 
1994, the number of forcible rapes of women have declined, and the 
number of sexual assaults nationwide have gone down as well.
  Despite the success of the Violence Against Women, Act, domestic 
abuse and violence against women continue to plague our communities. 
Consider the fact that a woman is raped every five minutes in this 
country, and that nearly one in every three adult women experiences at 
least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood. In fact, more 
women are injured by domestic violence each year than by automobile 
accidents and cancer deaths combined.
  In South Dakota alone, approximately 15,000 victims of domestic 
violence were provided assistance last year. Shelters, victims' service 
providers, and counseling centers in my state rely heavily on VAWA 
funds to provide assistance to these women and children. VAWA 
reauthorization assures that states and communities will continue to 
have access to critical funds for domestic violence services. We must 
not allow this opportunity to pass us by.
  As you know, legislation to reauthorize VAWA has received broad, 
bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. I am pleased to join 
68 of my Senate colleagues in cosponsoring VAWA legislation that 
unanimously passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in June. Similar 
legislation in the House has 233 bipartisan cosponsors and was also 
approved in June by the House Judiciary Committee.
  Since the Violence Against Women Act became law, South Dakota 
organizations have received over $6.7 million in federal funding for 
domestic abuse programs. In addition, the Violence Against Women Act 
doubled prison time for repeat sex offenders; established mandatory 
restitution to victims of violence against women; codified much of our 
existing laws on rape; and strengthened interstate enforcement of 
violent crimes against women.
  The law also created a national toll-free hotline to provide women 
with crisis intervention help, information about violence against 
women, and free referrals to local services. Last year, the hotline 
took its 300,000th call. The number for women to call for help is: 1-
800-799-SAFE.
  In addition to reauthorizing the provisions of the original Violence 
Against Women Act, the legislation that I am supporting would improve 
our overall efforts to reduce violence against women by strengthening 
law enforcement's role in reducing violence against women. The 
legislation also expands legal services and assistance to victims of 
violence, while also addressing the effects of domestic violence on 
children. Finally, programs are funded to strengthen education and 
training to combat violence against women.
  A woman from South Dakota recently wrote me about this issue, and I'd 
like to share her story with you because I believe it makes the most 
compelling case for reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
  The letter begins:

       My story is that I was abused as a child, raped as a 
     teenager, and emotionally abused as a wife. I survived that, 
     but I almost didn't emotionally survive the last two and a 
     half years knowing that my grandchildren were being abused 
     and having my hands tied to be patient while our laws worked. 
     My son has been fighting for custody of his triplets.

  The letter continues:

       Their story is horrible. While in the custody of their 
     mother and her live-in boyfriend, they were battered, 
     bruised, emotionally and sexually assaulted.

  She writes that one of her grandchildren got her ear cut off, another 
had his head split open, and the third child's throat was slit.
  Thankfully, the woman writes that her son finally got custody of her 
grandchildren and removed them from the abusive environment.
  The letter concludes:

       This is my story, and at least it has a happy ending, but 
     there are hundreds of women and children out there still 
     living in danger. Please reauthorize the Violence Against 
     Women Act. Don't let another woman go through what I went 
     through, and please don't let another child go through what 
     my grandchildren have gone through. You can make a 
     difference.

  Simply stated, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act will 
provide much needed resources to prevent domestic violence in our 
country. I appreciate that we have many worthwhile legislative 
priorities remaining to be decided, including a majority of 
appropriations bills that must be passed this year. However, I can 
think of no better accomplishment for Congress than to reauthorize VAWA 
and help keep wives, daughters, sisters, and friends from becoming 
victims of domestic violence.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota is recognized.
  Mr. DORGAN. Am I recognized in morning business under a previous 
order?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.

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