[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 96 (Thursday, June 24, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S5436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO SUE FELLEN

 Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, today I offer tribute to a true 
leader and advocate for the rights of women and children in my home 
State of Idaho who deserve protection from abusive relationships. Sue 
Fellen has been executive director for the Idaho Coalition Against 
Sexual and Domestic Violence for more than a decade. She is announcing 
a well-deserved retirement at the end of this month. Her work on behalf 
of Idaho women, children and family protection is one well worth noting 
by all Americans who cherish family and personal security and freedom.
  Sue Fellen's track record of service on behalf of Idahoans will 
remain long after she leaves active service. While she has headed the 
state's largest advocacy program to stop violence for 16 years now, she 
has been working nearly twice that long in other capacities to stop 
domestic violence and protect families, women and children across 
Idaho.
  Sue Fellen began her career to stop domestic violence in the 
trenches. She was a shelter manager and director for the Women and 
Children's Association from 1982 through 1993. When she went on to head 
the Idaho Coalition, she built a statewide network of more than 80 
organizations, including law enforcement, prosecutors, health care 
providers, victim advocates, victim witness coordinators, universities, 
and other professionals dedicated to preventing domestic violence and 
assisting victims of violence.
  She is a trailblazer for Federal legislation protecting women. I know 
because I worked directly with Sue to pass the first-ever Federal law 
that recognizes the rights of dating partners in abusive relationships 
and offered them Federal assistance for the first time. We were able to 
shepherd that groundbreaking legislation through the Congress and saw 
it signed into law in 2004. ``Cassie's Law'' was named for Cassie Dehl 
of Idaho, who died following an abusive dating relationship. Sue 
Fellen, as a leader of the effort to stop abusive relationships in 
Idaho, was also a member of the National Network to End Domestic 
Violence. In her role in Idaho and nationally, Sue helped get the word 
out that this Idaho legislation should become a national model and I am 
proud to have partnered with her in these efforts.
  Sue and I worked with a large group of Idahoans and found the funding 
and commitment to the first one-stop response center for response, 
treatment and prosecution in domestic violence and sexual assault cases 
in Idaho. I am proud to say that the FACES Center--for Family Advocacy 
Center and Education Services--has now been open nearly 5 years.
  Sue Fellen and I have worked together on many other Federal issues. 
Congress has a penchant to want to spend money and on many occasions, 
leaders in both political parties have seen fit to borrow from the 
Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA. This fund is replenished by those who 
perpetrate crime and is intended as an ongoing fund to benefit the 
victims of crime and family members who need assistance. By working 
with advocates like Sue Fellen and my colleagues here in the Senate 
such as the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, my friend Patrick 
Leahy of Vermont, we have been able to keep that VOCA funding intact, 
and away from being spent on programs for which that money was never 
intended.
  I have been proud to partner with Sue and the National Network with 
other Senate colleagues as we strengthened the Violence Against Women 
Act, provided improved DNA and rape assistance kits to speed the 
conviction of assault cases and worked with private partners such as 
the Liz Claiborne Foundation to broaden the audience for the critical 
message that domestic and sexual violence should not be tolerated. Not 
by Congress. Not by men. Not by anyone.
  Surveys show that, out of the teenagers questioned, more than half, 
62 percent, know someone who has been in an abusive relationship with 
their boyfriend. Two in five know someone who has been put down or 
called stupid, many of them through the social media on their computers 
and texts on their phones.
  One in five between the ages of 13 and 14 know of friends and peers 
who have been hit, kicked, slapped or punched in anger. These 
statistics should alarm all of us. I have often said men should not 
stand by and observe any domestic violence.
  Thankfully, there are people who do not just stand by. They jump in. 
They dedicate their lives to improving the safety of women, children 
and families. They are people like Sue Fellen and I am glad to call Sue 
my friend and colleague in this effort.
  Thank you, Sue. You and your husband Sherm, and even your dog Belle, 
can look forward to a most well-deserved retirement.

                          ____________________