[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 158 (Monday, December 12, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TORTURE VICTIMS RELIEF REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. LEE TERRY

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 6, 2005

  Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2017, the 
Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act of 2005.
  Congress originally approved the Torture Victims Relief Act in 1998 
to provide medical, psychological and social services for survivors of 
torture in the United States. These survivors are primarily refugees 
from war-torn nations such as Bosnia, Iraq, the Sudan, Rwanda, Liberia, 
Afghanistan and others. Since the TVRA became law, over three dozen 
centers have been established nationwide to help survivors of torture 
regain the ability to care for themselves and their families, and 
positively contribute to our society. Most programs are at-capacity and 
must refer ``waiting list'' survivors to less-specialized clinics until 
treatment becomes available.
  Reauthorization is critical to the estimated 400,000 torture 
survivors residing in the United States. The city of Lincoln, Nebraska, 
is home to the second highest refugee population in the Nation, and a 
corresponding treatment center that effectively transforms the lives of 
torture survivors to benefit the entire community. H.R. 2017 will help 
ensure such critical treatment centers remain available for torture 
survivors nationwide by reauthorizing the TVRA. The demand for 
treatment is so high that federal funding had to be cut to some 
existing centers last year in order to open new centers. Reauthorizing 
the TVRA will help provide critical support to all existing centers 
working to restore the lives and health of many refugees.
  H.R. 2017 will authorize $25 million in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 to 
fund domestic treatment centers, $25 million over 2 years for the 
United States Agency for International Development, USAID, Victims of 
Torture Fund, and $15 million over two years for the United Nations' 
Voluntary Fund for the Victims of Torture, which supports almost all 
U.S. centers. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, on which I 
serve, unanimously reported this legislation during the last Congress.
  Here are some facts underlining the importance of this legislation:
  The Office of Refugee Resettlement of the U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services currently funds 27 treatment centers in 16 States, 
while other similar programs are funded in State health departments. 
Many centers do not have enough resources to meet existing demand from 
torture survivors in their communities.
  Not surprisingly, few programs engage in outreach to refugee 
communities since they would not have the capacity to absorb the 
increased client load that such outreach might generate. Consequently, 
many torture victims are not receiving the rehabilitation treatment 
they need.
  There has been no increase in funding levels since fiscal year 2001. 
At the same time, the number of survivors seeking treatment at U.S. 
centers has steadily increased. The client base at 14 centers increased 
from 935 in 1999, to 1,550 in 2000, and to 2,579 in 2001. In 2002, a 
subsequent survey showed that 23 federally-funded centers had treated 
3,664 clients that year.
  Despite the high need and demand for torture survivor services, the 
Office of Refugee Resettlement was forced to reduce funding to existing 
programs last year in order to open additional needed centers. One 
program had to close its doors, while others laid off employees or 
reduced the number of torture victims that can receive treatment.
  The network of treatment centers in the United States still needs to 
be expanded, especially in areas with significant refugee and immigrant 
communities. For example, there are no treatment centers in Miami, New 
Orleans, Cleveland or Seattle.
  Current funding does not provide for evaluation and research to 
strengthen the effectiveness of treatment programs for victims. In 
order to reach a greater number of torture survivors in the United 
States, training on the identification and treatment of victims of 
torture should be provided to general health care providers and 
hospitals.
  Torture victims are often targeted for persecution by repressive 
regimes because of their independent political, religious or labor 
activities. Even after a dictatorial regime has fallen, the impact of 
torture can be felt for years: Dissidents are broken and potential 
leaders are lost; their families and communities are still frightened 
and disengaged from public life; there is a profound lack of trust in 
public institutions, police, and courts; political apathy is a lesson 
learned and lived out every day. But with medical, psychological and 
social services, torture survivors can again become contributing 
members of their communities, and lead lives of hope and success.
  H.R. 2017 is critical for torture victims and their families, and I 
urge all of my colleagues to strongly support it.

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