[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 17, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H1418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PROTECTING SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

  (Ms. ROSS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to say how honored I am to be 
able to file two amendments to the critical reauthorization of the 
Violence Against Women Act.
  My first amendment aims to protect the safety and privacy of 
survivors by creating a statutory mandate that a victim's safety should 
be central to housing decisions made by covered housing providers. This 
amendment will ensure that housing providers do not evict survivors, 
keep their information confidential, and prioritize their safety when 
considering admissions, assistance, transfers, and more.
  My second amendment is a direct response to an issue in my home State 
of North Carolina. Sexual assault nurse examiners, or SANE nurses, play 
a critical role in providing medical care to sexual assault survivors 
and collecting evidence for criminal prosecution.
  Unfortunately, in North Carolina, SANE nurses can be difficult to 
locate, and some survivors travel to multiple hospitals and have to 
wait hours to see a SANE nurse. My amendment allows certain grants in 
the bill to be used to create databases.

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