[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H7628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                           DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

  (Mr. COSTA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, domestic violence should never, ever be 
tolerated. The NFL's inept response to the recent reports of domestic 
violence has thrust a tragic spotlight onto this issue that we all are 
well aware of.
  The truth of the matter is domestic violence and sexual assault are 
daily realities for women across our Nation. One in four women will 
experience physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. 
In 2012, in part of the area that I represent in California, 6,000 
domestic violence cases were reported by the Fresno Police Department. 
It is hard to believe, and it is unacceptable.
  Today, let's make a commitment not to let this moment fade away after 
the headlines are gone. As a cofounder and cochair of the bipartisan 
Victims' Rights Caucus, we will keep working with all the victim 
advocate groups to strengthen the Violence Against Women Act and end 
the rape kit backlog and ensure that every woman has the right to a 
life without violence.

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