[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 23, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H422-H424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL STALKING AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 852) raising awareness and encouraging 
prevention of stalking by establishing January 2008 as ``National 
Stalking Awareness Month,'' as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 852

       Whereas an estimated 1,006,970 women and 370,990 men are 
     stalked annually in the United States and, in the majority of 
     such cases, the person is stalked by someone who is not a 
     stranger;
       Whereas 81 percent of women, who are stalked by an intimate 
     partner, are also physically assaulted by that partner, and 
     76 percent of women, who are killed by an intimate partner, 
     were also stalked by that intimate partner;
       Whereas 74.2 percent of stalking victims reported that the 
     stalking partner interfered with their employment, 26 percent 
     of stalking victims lose time from work as a result of their 
     victimization, and 7 percent never return to work;
       Whereas stalking victims are forced to take drastic 
     measures to protect themselves, such as relocating, changing 
     their addresses, changing their identities, changing jobs, 
     and obtaining protection orders;
       Whereas stalking is a crime that cuts across race, culture, 
     gender, age, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, 
     and economic status;
       Whereas stalking is a crime under Federal law and under the 
     laws of all 50 States and the District of Columbia;
       Whereas rapid advancements in technology have made cyber-
     surveillance the new frontier in stalking;
       Whereas there are national organizations, local victim 
     service organizations, prosecutors' offices, and police 
     departments that stand ready to assist stalking victims and 
     who are working diligently to craft competent, thorough, and 
     innovative responses to stalking;
       Whereas there is a need to enhance the criminal justice 
     system's response to stalking and stalking victims, including 
     aggressive investigation and prosecution; and
       Whereas the House of Representatives urges the 
     establishment of January 2008 as National Stalking Awareness 
     Month: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--
       (A) National Stalking Awareness Month provides an 
     opportunity to educate the people of the United States about 
     stalking;
       (B) all Americans should applaud the efforts of the many 
     victim service providers, police, prosecutors, national and 
     community organizations, and private sector supporters for 
     their efforts in promoting awareness about stalking; and
       (C) policymakers, criminal justice officials, victim 
     service and human service agencies, nonprofits, and others 
     should recognize the need to increase awareness of stalking 
     and the availability of services for stalking victims; and
       (2) the House of Representatives urges national and 
     community organizations, businesses in the private sector, 
     and the media to promote awareness of the crime of stalking 
     through National Stalking Awareness Month.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Scott) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Res. 852, joining the 
strong bipartisan effort to raise awareness in the toll that stalking 
takes on our society. Every year, stalking affects approximately 1.4 
million Americans of both genders, all races, ages, sexual orientation, 
disabilities, and economic status.
  The consequences of stalking are serious. Stalking can paralyze the 
victim with fear, which is well founded, because stalking often leads 
to physical attacks from the victim. Indeed, the overwhelming majority 
of States, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Government not 
only recognize stalking as a crime, but categorize it as a felony.
  Stalkers cause their victims severe emotional distress, including 
anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction and depression, all of which can 
affect all aspects on a person's life, including family, social 
activities and work. In fact, the emotional distress is so disabling 
that 11 percent of stalking victims have been forced to relocate their 
homes, 30 percent report seeking psychological counseling, and 74 
percent report being stalked in a way that interferes with their 
employment.
  Of course, the ultimate threat of stalking is to the victim's very 
life.
  Over 75 percent of women murdered by an intimate partner had been 
stalked by that partner, and 54 percent of female murder victims had 
reported being stalked to police before being killed by their stalkers. 
With the rapid advancements in technology, stalkers

[[Page H423]]

have ever-increasing access to personal information of their victims, 
raising their victims' vulnerability to an all-time high.
  For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. 
Res. 852 and recognizing January 2008 as National Stalking Awareness 
Month.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I support House Resolution 852 and commend the sponsor 
of this legislation, my friend and Texas colleague, Representative Ted 
Poe, for his dedication and commitment to this issue.
  The goal of this resolution is to raise awareness and encourage 
prevention of stalking by establishing January 2008 as National 
Stalking Awareness Month.
  Stalking, conduct intended to instill fear in a victim, is a crime 
that occurs in every State in our Nation. Stalkers pursue and harass 
victims and, in some cases, use the Internet to cyberstalk victims. 
Cyberstalkers can systematically flood their target's e-mail inbox with 
obscene, hateful, or threatening messages.
  Cyberstalkers may also assume the identity of their victim and post 
information, fictitious or not, to solicit unwanted responses from 
others. Although cyberstalking does not involve physical contact with 
the victim, it is still a serious crime. The widespread use of the 
Internet and the ease with which hackers can find personal information 
has made this form of stalking more accessible.
  According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, over 1 million 
women and almost 400,000 men are stalked each year in the United 
States. In fact, most victims, 77 percent of women and 64 percent of 
men, know their stalkers. These statistics are a jarring reminder of 
the scope and seriousness of this crime.
  By establishing January 2008 as National Stalking Awareness Month, 
Congress educates Americans about stalking, recognizes and applauds law 
enforcement officials and victim service providers for their efforts to 
combat stalking, and increases awareness of services available to 
stalking victims.
  Madam Speaker, I urge colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I recognize my colleague and 
friend from Texas, the author of this resolution, Mr. Poe.
  Mr. POE. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, as the sponsor of the 2008 National Stalking Awareness 
Month resolution, I hope this resolution serves as a unifying force for 
community leaders, policymakers, victim service providers, and able to 
educate Americans on the serious dangers of stalking. It is a crime 
that annually affects more than 1 million women and over 400,000 men in 
our country.
  As the cochairman and founder of the Congressional Victims Rights 
Caucus, and my experience as a prosecutor and a judge, I had met with 
countless victims and victim service providers about the dangers of 
stalking.
  Unfortunately, stalking is not an isolated occurrence. Two-thirds of 
the stalkers pursue their victims at least once a week, sometimes 
daily. Victims often feel that there is no safe place for them to go, 
no safe place to hide, not even in their homes. Stalking forces victims 
to relocate, lose their jobs, and cycle into severe depression and 
anxiety. Some victims live in quiet, desperate lives of fear.
  With today's advanced technology, protecting Americans from stalking 
is even more challenging. Stalkers have a wide range of technologies to 
pursue on their victims. They use cell phones. They use fax machines, 
computer spyware, and GPS systems all to track the victim. The Internet 
now serves cyberstalkers looking for a place to threaten and harass. 
Even pedophiles on the prowl use cyberstalking for their next victim.
  Stalking rates are on the rise because of the new technologies in the 
Internet. Stalking has only been criminalized in our country for 28 
years. California was the first State to make stalking a crime. Like 
domestic violence, stalking is about power, intimidation, and control 
over the victim.
  While stalking is now a crime in every State and the District of 
Columbia and the Federal Government, stalking often leads to other 
crimes, including physical assault, sexual assault, and murder. 
Stalking laws are basic to the individual right to be left alone and 
the right of privacy.
  The best way to attack the threat of stalking is through law 
enforcement and education.
  I encourage victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, 
and community leaders to promote awareness of stalking, and I thank 
them for their efforts in making life better for victims.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to my friend 
from California (Mr. Royce) who is the original author of the 
Interstate Stalking Punishment and Prevention Act.
  Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I was 
the author of both the California law that first criminalized the act 
of stalking, first made it a felony, and then the Federal law some 
years later in 1996, which proceeded to do the same thing.
  I thought I would share with the Members here some of the experiences 
of some of the victims that have gone through this particularly hellish 
nightmare of stalking. The case that I think carried the day in 
California in the State legislature was that of Kathleen Gallagher 
Baty, who was our witness, and she came back here and testified as well 
on behalf of this legislation.
  Kathleen had been on the track team, I think it was UCLA at the time. 
She did not even know her stalker, but he became obsessed with this 
young woman. Throughout college, throughout her career, he managed to 
stalk and attempt to apprehend her. Time after time, there was nothing 
law enforcement could do except to really say, well, until he catches 
you, our hands are tied.
  We had one period of time in 6 weeks when four different young women, 
all known to law enforcement, all believed to be in danger in Orange 
County, California, were all killed. In law enforcement, one of the 
officers told me, The worst thing for me personally that I have ever 
had to do with this job was to convey to her that our hands were tied 
until she was attacked.
  He said, As a matter of fact, I was waiting to try to apprehend her 
stalker in the act of the attack, but, unfortunately, he killed her 
first, and then he killed himself when I tried to apprehend him.
  Well, with Kathleen Gallagher's case, this finally ended. I had 
gotten a note from her father about what she had been through in her 
life. This finally ended on a porch in which he held her at knifepoint 
until she finally managed to get away. But because he hadn't drug her 
more than 800 feet, it was not an act of him trying to kidnap her under 
the law.
  So looking at what had to be done, clearly, we had to take the action 
of stalking, define it as a crime in and of itself so that law 
enforcement could then intervene in these cases and tell a young man, 
Listen, these acts of threatening to kill your victim, telling her, if 
you can't have her, nobody can, threatening her in this way is now a 
felony.
  That's what we did in California. Many other States picked this up. 
In 1996, I introduced the Interstate Stalking Punishment and Prevention 
Act here in Congress. We were able to get it through the House and the 
Senate, and it was signed by the President.
  But what I wanted to share with the Members is that we have talked a 
little bit today about the 1.4 million victims every year. But this act 
is now law in countries, in Europe; it's now law in Japan. My office 
has been contacted over the years by many, many governments overseas, 
many legislators, parliamentarians who have said, We have this same 
phenomenon in our own country. If we gave law enforcement this ability 
to intercede in advance, we could protect the lives of many, many 
victims.
  So I just wanted to share with the Members here a little bit of the 
history of the act. I would like to take this opportunity also to 
recognize Colleen Campbell, along with some of the other

[[Page H424]]

Orange County victims' rights groups that worked over the years to get 
victims the rights they deserve. They worked on this particular act and 
also on proposition 115 out in California, the Crime Victims/Speedy 
Trial Initiative, which I cochaired and which was passed overwhelmingly 
by the voters in our State.
  One of my hopes is that we can follow this up with Federal law at 
some point in time that does more than just put it in statute but that 
puts into the Constitution some of these basic rights.
  But, in the meantime, the fact that we are establishing January as 
National Stalking Awareness Month gives us the opportunity to get the 
word out to young people, to those who are victims of obsessed 
stalkers, that there is a place they can turn to for help, and to 
remind law enforcement, and I wish we did more to train law enforcement 
in this particular area because I think there is a lot they can do to 
intercede, but to remind them of the ability to step in and remind 
those young, obsessed people who are threatening the life of someone, 
threatening someone with bodily harm, this is now a felony in the 
United States of America and you can serve 5 years in a Federal 
penitentiary.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) who is a senior distinguished member of the 
Judiciary Committee.
  Mr. CHABOT. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 852, a 
resolution which establishes January 2008 as National Stalking 
Awareness Month. And I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) for his 
leadership on this issue. I also thank the ranking member, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) for his leadership, as well as the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).
  Last year, 2007 represented the first national effort to recognize 
January as National Stalking Awareness Month. I would encourage all of 
my colleagues to continue their support for this resolution since 
stalking is much more dangerous than many people believe it is.
  Unlike the glamorized stalking scenes depicted in some Hollywood 
movies, in reality stalking is dangerous and considered a criminal act 
in all 50 States and in the District of Columbia and by the Federal 
Government. More than 1.4 million Americans are victims of stalkers in 
this country every year. Stalking victims are both men and women from 
all socioeconomic backgrounds, and they are often stalked by intimate 
partners.
  Additional statistics released by the National Center for Victims of 
Crime are even more disturbing. These statistics reveal that 81 percent 
of female stalking victims are also physically assaulted. One out of 
every five stalking cases involves the use of a weapon, and one-third 
of stalkers are repeat offenders. They have done it before.
  These statistics indicate that stalking is not as harmless as some 
would lead us to believe in the movies or on television shows. We must 
continue to bring attention to the dangers stalkers pose in our 
communities and the services and the resources available to respond and 
address this criminal activity. Passage of H. Res. 852 is an important 
step in accomplishing this goal.
  I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) and the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for their 
leadership on this issue. I encourage my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their 
leadership on this issue and I urge the House to support this important 
legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 852, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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