[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 2, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H2944-H2945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. O'Halleran) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. O'HALLERAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong 
support for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
  Since it was first enacted in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act 
has saved countless lives and supported millions of domestic violence 
and assault victims and survivors by funding critical programs.
  In February 2019, the Violence Against Women Act expired. This is 
unacceptable. It is imperative that we fully reauthorize the Violence 
Against Women Act. A stopgap Violence Against Women Act does not 
address critical issues within the legislation and would seriously 
impact the lifesaving programs needed across Indian Country.
  Domestic violence affects every community in America. Tribal 
communities, though, face it at an alarmingly high rate. According to 
Federal data, at least 55 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native 
women have experienced physical violence at an intimate partner's 
hands.
  We are here to make visible the unacceptable and glaring disparities 
that women and families across Indian Country face when it comes to 
violence, assault, and abuse. We are here to demand action because 
there are things we can and should do to help survivors.

[[Page H2945]]

  In 2013, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act 
created special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction. This was 
critical to holding perpetrators accountable on Indian Country, but it 
didn't go far enough. The special jurisdiction limits Tribes to 
prosecuting only crimes committed against intimate partners, not kids 
or police officers.
  As a former law enforcement officer and homicide detective, I can 
tell you that responding to these types of calls was extremely and is 
extremely dangerous for police officers. Within the past 3 years alone, 
the Navajo Nation has lost three officers responding to domestic 
violence calls. We must honor their sacrifice with action.
  Further, these gaps in jurisdiction put children who are victims or 
witnesses to violence in harm's way. It affects families dramatically. 
It affects our communities. It affects our country.
  This reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act includes my 
legislation, the Native Youth and Tribal Officer Protection Act. This 
lifesaving provision would fix these jurisdictional gaps and expand 
current law regarding special jurisdiction. It would allow Tribes to 
prosecute and convict non-Indian offenders who harm children and law 
enforcement officers responding to domestic violence cases, as any town 
outside Indian Country can already do.
  Few things have shaped my life more than the 13 years I served as a 
police officer. My first call as an officer involved domestic violence. 
I still remember it and other domestic violence and sexual assault 
cases. There are too many to remember. Our society has to change if we 
are to make life and our families successful.
  We must protect children and other survivors of domestic violence and 
sexual assault. I join my colleagues in demanding a full 
reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. I am a proud 
cosponsor of this legislation and urge all my colleagues to support its 
passage. It is long overdue.

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