[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 161 (Friday, October 3, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2231-E2232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF LIFETIME TELEVISION'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIGHT 
                         AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 3, 2008

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to 
Lifetime Television for its vigorous and effective educational programs 
that help promote efforts to combat the epidemic of sexual assault that 
has afflicted our nation. Among other measures, Lifetime Television 
mounted an extraordinary campaign to inform its millions of viewers 
about the Debbie Smith Act that was enacted into law in 2004 as part of 
the Justice for All Act. A reauthorization bill passed both the House 
and Senate this year and awaits the President's signature.
  Founded in 1984, Lifetime Television is a national leader in women's 
television that now serves 96 million households across America. One of 
the top-rated basic cable television networks in the world, Lifetime is 
committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information 
programming, and educating viewers about a wide range of issues 
affecting women and their families.
  Lifetime Television and its top leadership have also been remarkable 
in their commitment to serving their viewership through public 
education and outreach efforts. Countless not-for-profit and community-
based organizations have benefitted from Lifetime's commitment to 
addressing critical issues in our society, increasing public awareness 
of violence against women, breast cancer, race relations, school 
bullying and AIDS. Many Members of Congress and government decision-
makers from both sides of the aisle have praised Lifetime Television 
for helping to use its expansive reach as the most popular women's 
television network in the world to help generate support to enact sound 
public policies.
  Lifetime Television's educational outreach efforts played an 
instrumental role helping to pass the Debbie Smith Act in 2004. Their 
educational efforts helped generate a groundswell of support from the 
public.
  I was honored to name that bill after a courageous, determined 
advocate named Debbie Smith when I first introduced it in the 107th 
Congress. A rape survivor, she had been invited to testify before the 
House about the lack of resources to test DNA samples collected in rape 
and sexual assault cases. Her compelling testimony and relentless 
advocacy were instrumental in garnering support for the bill. The 
legislation increased federal spending on DNA evidence processing to 
$151 million annually from fiscal year 2005 through 2009, and created a 
new grant program providing resources to sexual assault examiners and 
acquiring forensic equipment. It was called ``the most important piece 
of anti-rape legislation that Congress has ever passed'' by the Rape 
Abuse and Incest National Network, or RAINN.
  Lifetime has maintained that degree of commitment throughout the 
course of its Emmy Award-winning ``End Violence Against Women'' 
campaign over the last seven years. Lifetime Television later 
dramatized Debbie Smith's inspirational activism in an original

[[Page E2232]]

movie, ``A Life Interrupted: The Debbie Smith Story.''
  Madam Speaker, I rise to request that my distinguished colleagues 
join me in recognizing Lifetime Television for its tireless efforts to 
educate and inform the American public about important issues 
confronting women in our society and to achieve equality and justice 
for women all over the world.

                          ____________________