[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 64 (Friday, April 12, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  REMARKS ON H.R. 1585, THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT

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                             HON. TED LIEU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 12, 2019

  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019, 
which was introduced by my good friend Representative Karen Bass.
  In 1994, Congress took the monumental step of passing the Violence 
Against Women Act to address violence against women and men and ensure 
they had access to justice and necessary services. Since its first 
enactment, Congress has reauthorized the law several times to provide 
critical updates and ensure that vulnerable persons, including Native 
Americans and LGBTQ Americans, are protected.
  While domestic violence has declined in the past two decades, it 
remains too high. One-quarter of women and one-ninth of men suffer from 
intimate partner violence or intimate partner stalking; moreover, every 
year one in 15 kids is exposed to such violence. That is why I am 
pleased that we are considering H.R. 1585, which reauthorizes and 
improves the Violence Against Women Act. Among other things, the bill 
increases the funding authorization for the Rape Prevention and 
Education Program, improves grant programs that serve domestic violence 
survivors with disabilities or who are elderly, and ensures that Native 
American survivors have access to justice
  Furthermore, H.R. 1585 recognizes the relationship between domestic 
violence and homelessness. In the Los Angeles Continuum of Care area, 
which includes my congressional district, nearly half of women who 
experienced homelessness reported that they had also experienced 
domestic violence and 14 percent stated that domestic violence was the 
reason they became homeless in the first place. We know that when women 
leave their abusers they are gravely concerned about finding safe and 
affordable housing and that too often they're forced to choose between 
staying with their abuser or facing homelessness. Critically, H.R. 1585 
preserves and improves housing protections for survivors.
  I'd also like to respond to criticism from my Republican colleagues 
about firearms and transgender people.
  First, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University and 
others, we know that the risk that a woman will die increases more than 
fivefold when her abusive partner has access to a firearm. H.R. 1585 
acknowledges this reality and ensures that those convicted of stalking 
misdemeanors and dating violence or who are subject to ex parte orders 
do not possess firearms.
  Second, transgender people experience violence at disproportionately 
high rates--since 2013 more than 128 transgender Americans have been 
killed--and they deserve access to services for domestic violence 
survivors. I believe it is vitally important that the Violence Against 
Women Act is inclusive of trans people.
  The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act takes important steps 
to address violence against men and women in the United States. Thank 
you, Madam Speaker, for bringing this bill to the House Floor. I am 
proud to lend my support and vote in favor of it.

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