[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 3, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H890-H893]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION WEEK
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 103) supporting the goals and ideals
of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 103
Whereas communities across the country carry out activities
to raise awareness about teen dating violence during the week
of February 2 through February 6, 2009;
Whereas 1 in 11 adolescents reports being a victim of
physical dating violence;
Whereas 1 in 5 teenagers in a serious relationship reports
having been hit, slapped, or pushed by a partner;
Whereas 1 in 3 female teenagers in a dating relationship
has feared for her physical safety;
Whereas more than 1 in 4 teenagers have been in a
relationship where a partner is verbally abusive;
Whereas 27 percent of teenagers have been in dating
relationships in which their partners called them names or
put them down;
Whereas 40 percent of the youngest teens, those between the
ages of 11 and 12, report that they have friends who are
victims of verbal abuse in dating relationships;
Whereas 1 in 5 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 14 say
they have friends who are victims of dating violence;
Whereas 1 in 2 teenagers in a serious relationship has
compromised personal beliefs to please a partner;
Whereas 29 percent of girls who have been in a relationship
said that they have been pressured to have sex or to engage
in sexual activities that they did not want;
Whereas technologies such as cell phones and the Internet
have made dating abuse more pervasive and more hidden;
Whereas 30 percent of teenagers who have been in a dating
relationship say that they have been text-messaged between 10
and 30 times per hour by a partner seeking to find out where
they are, what they are doing, or who they are with;
Whereas 72 percent of teenagers who reported that they had
been checked up on by a boyfriend or girlfriend 10 times per
hour or more by email or text messaging did not tell their
parents;
Whereas parents are largely unaware of the cell phone and
Internet harassment experienced by teenagers;
Whereas nearly 3 in 4 teens say that dating relationships
usually begin at age 14 or younger;
Whereas 69 percent of all teenagers who had sex by age 14
said they have experienced 1 or more types of abuse in a
dating relationship;
Whereas violent relationships in adolescence can have
serious ramifications for victims, putting them at higher
risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual
behavior, suicide, and revictimization as adults;
Whereas the severity of violence among intimate partners
has been shown to be greater in cases where the pattern of
violence has been established in adolescence; and
Whereas National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and
Prevention Week benefits schools, communities, families, and
individuals, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or
sex: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National Teen Dating
Violence Awareness and Prevention Week to raise awareness of
teen dating violence in the Nation;
(2) encourages the people of the United States, State and
local officials, middle schools and high schools, law
enforcement agencies, and other interested groups to observe
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week
with appropriate programs and activities that promote
awareness that teen dating violence is a crime and to
encourage efforts to prevent and deter it; and
(3) supports a reexamination of the Nation's criminal and
civil laws regarding teen dating violence to ensure that such
laws create an effective deterrent.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Scott) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) 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 include extraneous materials on the resolution 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. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, House Resolution 103 designates this week, February 2
through February 6, as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and
Prevention Week. It is designed to bring public attention to the
problem of teen dating violence, and the need for more effective
prevention and deterrence.
According to the recent report by the National Council on Crime and
Delinquency, approximately one in three adolescent girls in the United
States becomes a victim of emotional, verbal, or physical abuse from a
dating partner. This alarming statistic far exceeds rates at which
other types of violence are affecting youth in this country.
The study also find that girls exposed to dating violence are more
likely to be subjected to other forms of violence. These victims are
also more likely to engage in unsafe sexual activity, to have a higher
incidence of substance abuse, and to have thought about or attempted
suicide, than boys or girls that have not been abused.
The study revealed that most victims of dating violence are subject
to multiple acts of violence and aggressive behavior, which increases
in frequency and intensity. For example, 63 percent of young people who
reported having been slapped, hit, or kicked by their partner indicated
that the abuse occurred on two or more occasions.
Teenage girls are more likely than adult women to be victims of
dating violence, and are more likely to be injured as a result of that
violence.
With deaths and injuries resulting from teen dating violence on the
increase, we must recognize this type of behavior as a crime as well as
a serious public health concern. We must ensure that our young people
are made aware of the seriousness of these offenses. And ensure that
our laws provide an effective deterrent.
Today's resolution should encourage families and communities around
the country to educate their young people about this problem, and to
seek their help in preventing it. I'd like to commend the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) for his leadership in introducing this
resolution. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the
resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume. I rise in support of this resolution, which supports the goals
and ideals of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention
Week. I want to commend the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) for
sponsoring this legislation.
This nationwide effort seeks to increase public awareness and educate
citizens about the prevalence of dating violence. The Teen Dating
Violence Awareness and Prevention Initiative was spearheaded by
teenagers across the Nation who chose to take a stand and put a stop to
teen dating violence. The Initiative began in 2004, and is now
supported by over 50 national, State, and local organizations.
The call to end teen dating violence was formally recognized by the
House in 2006. Including today, this body has three times designated
the first week in February ``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness
and Prevention Week'' in an effort to bring more public awareness to a
problem confronting today's teens.
Last year, an organization called Teen Research Unlimited surveyed
parents, teens, and tweens--tween is someone between 11 and 14, Madam
Speaker--about dating violence. The results of this poll demonstrated
the depth of the problem of teen dating violence.
According to the poll, one in five teens who have been in a serious
relationship report being struck in anger--either kicked, hit, slapped
or punched--by a boyfriend or girlfriend. Further, one in three girls
who have been in serious relationships say they have been concerned
about being physically hurt by the individual that they are concerned
about.
[[Page H891]]
However, dating violence among children is not limited to physical,
emotional, and sexual assault. It can also take on the form of
harassment via computer or cell phone text messaging or e-mail. In
fact, 40 percent of the tweens who have dated now know friends who have
been called names, put down, or insulted via cell phones or social
networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week provides
an opportunity for parents to engage their children about dating
violence and abusive relationships. The Teen Research Unlimited poll
indicates that parents often do not know that their children are in
relationships, let alone abusive relationships.
More than three times as many tweens--20 percent--as parents--six
percent--admit that parents know little or nothing about the dating
relationships of those tweens.
I encourage parents to use this week to talk with their children
about dating and violence. To start the dialog, parents or teens can
call the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 866-331-9474. The
Helpline promotes awareness of healthy dating relationships by making
vital resources available to help teens experiencing dating violence
and abusive relationships.
I encourage my colleagues to support this House resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the sponsor of the resolution, the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Scott
for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution
that I introduced that supports National Teen Dating Violence Awareness
and Prevention Week.
Let me begin by thanking Chairman Conyers and Chairman Scott and all
of the staff who worked so hard to bring this resolution to the floor.
Youth dating violence is a trend that is spreading across our country.
It does not discriminate based on race, sex, class, or sexual
orientation.
{time} 1530
In 2005 many of my colleagues and I mourned the loss of April Love.
She was an outstanding Congressional Black Caucus Foundation summer
intern from Arkansas who was killed by her boyfriend. April was really
a shining star, a southern belle, with a heart of gold and a brain to
match.
In the past few years, metro Atlanta witnessed similar, terrible
incidents of youth dating violence. In separate cases, two teenage
girls were shot and killed by their abusive boyfriends.
Some relationships that begin innocently enough soon spiral out of
control, and no one has any idea how they missed the signs. And
technology has made it easier for abusive relationships to go
undetected by parents and loved ones.
We must bring attention to this unbelievable series of incidents that
are spreading around our country. Fear, stalking, violence, and abuse
are unacceptable and always shocking.
Madam Speaker, we must break this chain and educate young people
about the importance of developing healthy relationships.
During this week, I urge all of my colleagues to educate themselves
and all of their citizens about this important issue.
Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise).
Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for
yielding me this time.
Our country is facing tough economic times. When you look across the
country, you see families tightening their belts. You see States
cutting back to balance their budgets. Washington seems to be the only
place that is going on a wild spending spree during these tough
economic times. We need to help our families and our businesses and our
entrepreneurs by providing tax relief to create good jobs, rather than
saddling our children and grandchildren with hundreds of billions of
dollars in additional national debt.
As we debate the importance of stimulating our economy, it is
critical that we act responsibly and that we get it right this time.
The Democratic leadership's massive spending bill does not do enough
to help middle-class families and small businesses. A Congressional
Budget Office report just came out saying that more than half of the
Democrats' proposed spending bill will not even begin until after 2010.
This defeats the purpose of stimulus.
I have joined with other Members of Congress to propose an
alternative plan called the Economic Recovery and Middle Class Tax
Relief Act of 2009. H.R. 470 focuses on cutting taxes to create jobs
quickly and get our Nation's economy back on track. Rather than adding
hundreds of billions of dollars in new national debt, our alternative
plan will create jobs by cutting taxes for middle class families and
small businesses, while also protecting future generations by reining
in out-of-control spending here in Washington, D.C.
When President Barack Obama called for a bill to stimulate our
Nation's economy, I don't think he or the American people expected it
to be hijacked by the liberals in Congress and turned into a big
government spending bill.
Last week there were a dozen Democrats who joined in a bipartisan
vote against this massive spending bill. In fact, just yesterday the
Speaker of the House's spokesperson said of those voting against the
spending bill, ``Many of the districts are more conservative and they
campaigned on fiscal responsibility, and we understand that.''
What the Speaker of the House was saying is she is recognizing that
people who voted against the bill last week were voting for fiscal
responsibility. The American people are learning more about this bill
every day, and they are starting to recognize that it is nothing more
than a wild spending bill of failed, old, big government programs.
We need to set a different path. We need to get it right this time.
We need to pass a bill that actually cuts taxes and gets our economy
back on track.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. I would like to thank my colleague for
yielding. I have been sitting here and I have been listening to the
people on the other side. It is unbelievable; it is unreal. Our country
is in trouble; deep trouble. The economy is in a ditch.
This President has offered a plan, a plan that he believes and 85
percent of the American people believe that it will work. Have you been
reading the newspapers, watching television, or seeing the polls?
It is time for us to wake up and do what is right, do what is fair.
When President Clinton left the White House, he left a surplus. He
put more than 22 million people to work. Under the last administration,
you left a debt. Hundreds and thousands of millions of citizens have
lost their jobs, and now you are standing here today whining.
Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz).
Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, while I rise in support of the goals and
ideals of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week,
I have to say that I have been reading the polls and I have been
listening to the people who have called in. And they have come in from
across the Nation. They do not believe because they know that this
stimulus package that is moving forward will not grow jobs.
We want to spend $100 million to reduce the hazards of lead-based
paint. It is time we do get serious about what is going on in this
country. More government spending, deficit spending, is not the way to
our future. It is absolutely not the way to our future. We are running
this government on a credit card, and it is wrong.
The people can't live their lives on a credit card, and those who do
are in trouble. It is a sinking, deep-seated feeling. And those of us
here representing our States, we all care passionately about this
country. Nobody has a monopoly on pride. Nobody has a monopoly on
patriotism. We all want to do what is best for our country.
But I am also here to say that all of this spending is not the way we
are going to solve our problems. When government comes in and picks
winners and losers, there are too many people who lose.
I am a freshman here. I am first to tell you the Republicans who had
the
[[Page H892]]
House, the Senate and the Presidency, they blew it. But we also have to
come to grips that it is this House of Representatives that over the
last 2 years has controlled the United States Congress. They are the
ones who have spent the money. They are the ones who have control. And
there is plenty of blame to go around. The question is how are we going
to move forward?
When you look down this laundry list, $110 million to the Farm
Service Agency to upgrade computer systems, everybody knows that is not
going to get somebody a job.
We need a game changer in this country. Putting more money onto our
credit cards is not the way we are going to solve our problems.
This laundry list of things that passed this body and that the Senate
is contemplating, $200 million for public computer centers at a
community college is not going to grow our economy; $10 million to
inspect canals in urban areas, probably a worthy project, but we have a
$3.1 trillion budget.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman's time has expired.
Mr. POE of Texas. I yield the gentleman an additional minute.
Mr. CHAFFETZ. There is $13 million for research related to volunteer
service. We need a game changer in this country. We need to look at tax
policy, and we need to look at those things that are actually going to
grow this economy.
We have a $3.1 trillion budget in this country. We have offered
stimulus packages. We have offered bailouts. Maybe the way to grow our
economy is not to try to spend every dollar that comes before this
body. It is the American people's money. It is not our money.
Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Culberson).
Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, it has been my privilege to serve
alongside the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) who I admire. The man
is a legend and a great leader in the civil rights movement. He is a
thoughtful man with a good heart and sincere principles. These are
sincere, earnest differences of principle here, Mr. Lewis. We have deep
concern for the future course of the Nation, the financial solvency of
the country. And it is a source of real concern to us. Teen violence is
a source of concern, but I have to tell you, the reason we are speaking
out here today is we have had so little opportunity to speak out in
committee. There has been so little debate in committee and on this
floor of this massive spending bill, not enough time to educate the
American public about the details of the bill because it was dropped on
us with so little notice, written largely in secret, dropped into the
Appropriations Committee and the Ways and Means Committee without much
notice to the public, without an opportunity for them to scrutinize it.
We are spending $1.3 trillion in 17 legislative days when the annual
discretionary budget of the United States is about $900 billion,
prepared very thoughtfully and carefully over many months by the
Appropriations Committee with hundreds of hearings and witnesses and
thoughtful deliberation. All of us want to see this economy get back on
track and get us out of the ditch, but it is just self-evident that in
17 legislative days, with a few hours of committee hearing, a few hours
of floor debate, for this liberal majority in Congress to spend $1.3
trillion, and then the very best we have heard is you guys hope it is
going to work, it is not enough.
As the gentleman from Utah said quite eloquently, we are living on a
national credit card. This is like we are paying the mortgage with a
MasterCard. I think it was Winston Churchill who said for a nation to
attempt to tax and spend its way into prosperity is like a man standing
in a bucket attempting to lift himself up. This is not the way for this
Nation to get the economy moving again.
We as a fiscally conservative minority have come together to stand
behind a package of tax cuts that would immediately allow people to
spend and invest their own money, to save or to spend it, to create
jobs as they wish. We as a fiscally conservative minority have few
opportunities in the House to speak directly to the American people, so
this opportunity we have here today to talk about teen violence and to
think about the safety and security of future generations is one of the
few opportunities we have, Mr. Lewis, to lay out in all sincerity a
very earnest and heartfelt, principle-based difference of opinion with
the liberal majority, that we want to see this Nation succeed and be
prosperous. And we know in our hearts, common sense tells us, that the
way to prosperity is not through more spending based on debt. The way
back to prosperity is by cutting profligate spending and cutting taxes
so the American people have more of their own money to invest and save
and to create jobs for the future.
Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Olson).
Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend.
I was just home. I am proud to tell the body I was just home in my
home State this past weekend. After that and after our vote last week,
it is clear to me that the American people and the people in the 22nd
District of Texas get it. Quite simply, they realize we cannot spend
our way out of the current predicament. It is not fair to future
generations.
God has blessed me. I have a beautiful 12-year-old daughter and an
outstanding 8-year-old son. I ran for Congress because we cannot
continue to spend like we see up here in Washington, D.C. We cannot put
that burden on that generation. If we don't take courageous steps here
now, this year, that generation, my son's generation, my grandson's
generation, if God blesses me with grandchildren, they are going to be
the first generation in American history that are going to be
collectively less well off than the preceding ones; and that is wrong.
We Republicans have a plan, a plan that will bolster our economy. It
will offer jobs, get jobs created quickly by tax cuts, tax cuts to
families, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. That works. It is
proven.
We had bipartisan opposition here on the floor of the House last
week. The American people get it. The people in the 22nd District of
Texas get it. We cannot continue to mortgage our children's future.
Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Louisiana (Mr. Fleming).
Mr. FLEMING. Madam Speaker, I am very concerned today about teen
violence. There is a lot we need to do about teen violence. But in
dealing with the stimulus bill, I see that we are spending our money
every place but teen violence. The stimulus bill passed by the House
last week and now pending in the Senate is nothing more than a Trojan
horse. It has all of the labels that make it sound effective, but when
we look into the details, we see a myriad of new social programs and
entitlements, busting our budget for many years to come.
Economists uniformly insist that a stimulus package must be quick and
create jobs. The version that just passed does neither. They have shown
us that cutting tax rates for individuals and small businesses is the
best way to accomplish this.
Madam Speaker, I support the Republican alternative that would
immediately boost our economy by cutting taxes for those who actually
pay them. This plan would create 6 million jobs over the next 2 years.
That is twice the jobs at half the cost. This plan saves future
generations from a crushing debt burden, and shows that Congress can
act in a fiscally responsible way. I realize that the stimulus package
is currently in the Senate, but if it comes back, I really think that
we need to make a very complete reconstruction of the stimulus bill. I
ask that we make this Trojan horse a dead horse, and that we pass
commonsense legislation to get this economy back on a sound footing.
{time} 1545
Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, we have no other speakers on this
bill. I urge its adoption. Once again, I want to thank Mr. Lewis from
Georgia for sponsoring this legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, again we've been lectured on
economic theories. And we agree that there is a significant difference
between the two sides on economic theory. And we've been begged to
adopt the economic theory proposed by those on the other side.
[[Page H893]]
I would just want to inquire exactly what result they like as a
result of their economic theories? We've heard about paying the
mortgage with the credit card. Well, the result in the economic theory
from that side was an elimination of a $5\1/2\ trillion surplus and the
creation of a $3\1/2\ trillion deficit mostly created by borrowing from
foreign governments. Exactly what part of that is good? What part of
job creation is good? Tens of millions of jobs were created under the
Democratic economic theories, worse job performance since the Great
Depression was under the Republican theories. What is good about that?
What is good about income over the last 8 years, median income that has
actually gone down? It went up $7,000 a family during the 1990s. It
went down over the last 8 years. What is good about that? What is good
about the Dow Jones Industrial Average going down? It more than tripled
from 1993 through 2000, more than tripled. It has actually gone down.
Exactly what is good about that?
We've been lectured over and over again about how great these
theories are. Maybe they don't like jobs. Maybe they like a deficit.
Maybe they like incomes going down or the Dow Jones Industrial Average
going down. I would like to see the Dow Jones Industrial Average go up,
income go up, surplus rather than deficits and jobs created. But we
will let the people decide.
In the meantime, we would like to thank the gentleman from Georgia
for introducing the National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and
Prevention Week and hope that we will adopt the resolution.
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. 103.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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