[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 9, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S614-S615]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Durbin, Ms. 
        Murkowski, Mr. Leahy, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Capito, 
        Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Portman, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Brown, 
        Mr. Cramer, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Moran, 
        Mr. Manchin, and Mr. Burr):
  S. 3623. A bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 
1994, and for other purposes; read the first time.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Violence 
Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.
  This bipartisan bill would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act 
through 2027 and provide important updates to modernize the law that 
has been critical to protecting and supporting the survivors of 
domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
  I was proud to support the original Violence Against Women Act in 
1994 and have supported each reauthorization of the law.

[[Page S615]]

  This includes the most recent reauthorization in 2013, which passed 
the Senate by a strong bipartisan vote of 78 to 22.
  It is an honor to introduce this reauthorization and expansion of 
protections for survivors.
  This bill is the result of a truly bipartisan effort. I would like to 
thank Senator Ernst, Senator Durbin, and Senator Murkowski for working 
with me to prepare this important piece of legislation.
  We have also had help from a number of our Senate colleagues who have 
made important contributions to this effort. I am proud that this bill 
has received strong bipartisan support in the Senate.
  I would also like to thank the many advocates who have lent their 
thoughts and support to this effort. This bill was written in close 
consultation with the people who are on the frontlines helping 
survivors of domestic violence every day. It is not a Democratic bill 
or a Republican bill--it is a bill for survivors.
  Together, we drafted a bill that preserves the good work of the last 
Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and strengthens existing 
programs.
  For nearly 30 years, the Violence Against Women Act has played a 
vital role in the Federal response to domestic violence, dating 
violence, sexual assault, and stalking. I hope that this bill will be 
an effective tool to build upon those efforts.
  Despite the progress made over the last three decades, sexual, 
emotional, and physical abuse are still painful realities for far too 
many Americans. More than one in three women experience rape, physical 
violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. 
Nationwide, an average of three women are killed each day by a current 
or former intimate partner.
  According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, in a 
single day in 2020, 76,525 domestic violence survivors received the 
resources they needed thanks to programs funded and supported by the 
Violence Against Women Act.
  It is clear that the programs created by the Violence Against Women 
Act are necessary, and they need to be continually updated to meet the 
needs of survivors. The bipartisan bill that we are introducing today 
reauthorizes these important programs and provides the necessary 
updates to strengthen them.
  This bill enhances and expands services for survivors of domestic 
violence, including survivors in rural communities, LGBT survivors, 
survivors with disabilities, and survivors who experience abuse later 
in life.
  This bill reauthorizes and strengthens the criminal justice response 
to domestic violence, including by improving the Justice Department's 
STOP grant program; expanding support provided to survivors in the 
legal system; and strengthening the ability of Tribal courts to address 
instances of domestic violence on Tribal lands.
  This bill also invests in prevention education efforts, improves the 
healthcare system's response to sexual violence across the country, and 
establishes a pilot program on restorative practices that focuses on 
preventing or addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual 
assault, and stalking through community based, victim-initiated efforts 
to seek accountability.
  I am pleased that we have strong bipartisan support for this bill, 
but our work is not done. The survivors--who this bill is for--need the 
Senate to not only introduce this bill but to pass it. The prevention 
of domestic violence and the support for survivors of these heinous 
crimes is not a partisan issue.
  This is not a perfect bill. I regret that certain provisions were not 
able to be included in this bill, most notably the closure of the 
``boyfriend loophole'' to ensure that individuals convicted of domestic 
abuse against a dating partner could not purchase firearms. Individuals 
convicted of domestic violence against a spouse are already prevented 
from purchasing a firearm, and it is deeply disappointing that there is 
not sufficient bipartisan support for this commonsense provision to 
close this loophole. I would have liked to include those additional 
provisions, as would many of my Senate colleagues. But though it is not 
perfect, it is a strong bill.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle to advance this bill through the Senate and get it signed into 
law as soon as possible.
  The time to act is now. I urge all of my colleagues to support this 
important bipartisan legislation, and I hope that it will come to the 
floor for a vote quickly.

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