[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 168 (Thursday, December 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E2633]]
 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FISCAL YEARS 
                           2006 THROUGH 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Saturday, December 17, 2005

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3402, the 
Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act which provides 
for the comprehensive reauthorization of the Violence Against Women 
Act, VAWA.
  The Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, is a truly bipartisan success. 
Since VAWA was enacted in 1994, we have made great strides toward 
ending domestic violence and preventing the cycle of abuse in our 
communities. States have passed more than 660 laws to combat domestic 
violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and the 
National Domestic Violence Hotline has answered over 1 million calls. 
We have come a long way since the initial passage of VAWA. But there is 
no doubt we have a long way to go.
  All Americans should feel safe in their communities, their workplace 
and their homes. Yet domestic violence remains a serious problem across 
the country, and every year thousands of Americans become victims in 
their own homes. Nearly one in four women will experience domestic 
violence during her lifetime. And slightly more than half of female 
victims of intimate violence live in households with children under age 
12. Growing up in a violent home may be a terrifying and traumatic 
experience that can affect every aspect of a child's life, growth, and 
development. To end the cycle of violence and promote healthy families, 
we must ensure that communities have resources to prevent abuse and 
provide victims of domestic violence the support they need. We are on 
the way to making that a reality.
  The Violence Against Women Act provides aid to law enforcement 
officers and prosecutors and helps to reduce domestic violence and 
child abuse by establishing training programs for victim advocates and 
counselors in addition to a host of other areas including tightening 
criminal penalties against domestic abusers and creating new solutions 
to other crucial aspects of domestic violence and sexual assault.
  In the past, in the present, and in the future, VAWA has been, and 
will continue to be a critical tool to combat violence.
  But even with VAWA's great successes and promising future, we know 
that our work is not yet done.
  There are solutions to preventing the 960,000 incidents of violence 
that are reported against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or 
girlfriend each year. The country must not tolerate the violence, 
abuse, and sexual assault that pervades our society. We must continue 
to fight for measures that will provide better economic security for 
victims of violence, increase protections for battered immigrants, 
promote awareness in underserved populations, enhance protection of 
victims' personal information and develop programs designed to prevent 
domestic violence before it occurs.
  Together, we can eliminate domestic violence from homes across the 
country and ensure that our children grow up in healthy, peaceful 
communities. Passage of H.R. 3402 marks our continuing effort to do 
just that.

                          ____________________