[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 118 (Tuesday, July 11, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NOMINATION OF ROSEMARIE HIDALGO

 Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to 
confirm Rosie Hidalgo as Director of the Office on Violence Against 
Women, OVW. Ms. Hidalgo is a proven champion for victims of domestic 
violence and sexual assault, and her extensive experience, as well as 
her longstanding commitment to justice, will make her an outstanding 
Director of OVW.
  Ms. Hidalgo received her B.A. from Georgetown University and her J.D. 
from New York University School of Law. She began her legal career 
providing direct representation to survivors of domestic violence, as 
well as assisting them in securing custody of their children. She then 
joined the nonprofit Esperanza United, where she advocated on behalf of 
victims of gender-based crimes and promoted policies designed to 
improve public safety. Ms. Hidalgo is particularly equipped to lead 
OVW, having worked there as deputy director for policy. In this 
capacity, she implemented Violence Against Women Act--VAWA--related 
grants and engaged with relevant agencies and stakeholders to devise 
new ways to improve the law.
  Today, Ms. Hidalgo serves as a Special Assistant to the President and 
Senior Advisor on Gender-Based Violence at the White House, where she 
played a key role in securing the bipartisan reauthorization of VAWA.
  After more than a decade without a Senate-confirmed Director, OVW 
will benefit from Hidalgo's expertise, leadership, and unwavering 
commitment to aiding survivors of gender-based violence.
  I strongly support her nomination and urge my colleagues to do the 
same.
  (At the request of Mr. Schumer, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)

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