[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 17, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10615-S10616]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              CASSIE'S LAW

  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate the Senate on 
its unanimous passage of the Violence Against Women Act. In particular, 
I would like to commend the members of the conference committee for 
including language that establishes a legal definition of dating 
violence.
  In domestic violence situations, victims are victims regardless of 
their age or legal relationship to the abuser. The seriousness of this 
issue was brought home by a tragic case in Idaho. In December 1999, a 
17-year-old Soda Springs, Idaho, girl, Cassie Dehl, was killed in an 
accident involving her abusive boyfriend. Prior to her death, the 
numerous attempts by her mother to obtain legal protection for her 
daughter failed because Idaho's domestic violence laws did not apply to 
teenage dating relationships. Earlier this year, Idaho Governor Dirk 
Kempthorne and the Idaho State Legislature enacted legislation, named 
in Cassie's memory, which extended Idaho domestic violence laws to 
dating relationships. I am pleased that Federal law will now also 
protect teenagers involved in abusive dating relationships.

[[Page S10616]]

  While the reauthorization of VAWA is an important step in protecting 
all victims of domestic violence, our work is not yet done. Under VAWA, 
dating violence has been included in four of the five major domestic 
violence grant programs. However, one major grant program was left 
behind. I am committed to working with my colleagues in the next 
Congress to expand dating violence to all domestic violence programs 
under VAWA.
  I ask unanimous consent that the vote total be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                       U.S. Senate Rollcall Vote

                      (106th Congress, 2d Session)

       Vote Number: 269.
       Vote Date: October 11, 2000.
       Title: H.R. 3244 Conference Report.
       Req. for Majority: \1/2\.
       Bill Number: H.R. 3244.
       Result: Conference Report Agreed to.


                              vote summary

       Yea: 95.
       Nay: 0.
       Present: 0.
       No Vote: 5.

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