[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 70 (Wednesday, May 16, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H2725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT REAUTHORIZATION

  (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, during my first term in Congress, I proudly 
voted for the Violence Against Women Act. It saddens me that 20 years 
later, in my last term, my Republican colleagues are determined to 
water down and undermine this landmark legislation. Of all things that 
shouldn't be partisan, this is it--the need to help those who suffer 
injuries at the hands of someone who supposedly loves them.
  As we've seen many times, the majority seems to like playing politics 
with women's health and safety. And because they rarely miss an 
opportunity to exclude LGBT Americans from important rights and 
benefits, they're saying that if you're a woman who is in a 
relationship with another woman, then you don't deserve the same 
protection against domestic abuse or sexual assault.
  We need to be doing more, not less on this issue. I have a bill that 
would extend family-leave benefits to victims of domestic violence. 
It's H.R. 3151. Why don't we take up that bill instead of this divisive 
measure that rolls back historic progress?
  Vote ``no'' on H.R. 4970.

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