[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 13174]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN OFFICE ACT

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to announce my 
cosponsorship of S. 570, the Violence Against Women Office Act 
introduced by my colleague Senator Biden. This bill will further our 
efforts in combating the problem of domestic violence. Domestic 
violence is not simply a localized, private issue, the ripple effect--
socially and economically--from this problem makes it a concern for all 
Americans.
  The statistics make my case. The crime of battering occurs every 15 
seconds in this country. Over 50 percent of women will experience 
physical violence in an intimate relationship during their lifetime. 
Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or 
former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend per year to three million women 
annually who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend.
  The Violence Against Women Act is a strong indication of our 
commitment to address this problem. Any possible action we can take to 
enhance the effectiveness of our government's efforts in this arena 
must be taken. This bill is one such action.
  Establishment of the Violence Against Women Office, (VAWO) by statute 
will provide permanency in our federal efforts to combat domestic 
violence. This bill will institutionalize the office and will help to 
fulfill the federal government's responsibility to meet the goals 
embodied in the Violence Against Women Act, (VAWA).
  This office will be located within the U.S. Department of Justice, 
placed within the Associate Attorney General's Office, and will be led 
by a director appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. In 
addition to running the VAWO, the Director will serve as Special 
Counsel to the Attorney General on all issues related to violence 
against women. The office is responsible for the development of policy, 
programs, public education initiatives, and management of all grant 
programs funded under the VAWA. I would underscore that this 
legislation does not contemplate increased staff or require any 
expenditure of funds beyond that currently appropriated.
  In the past, the VAWO director has brought visibility and credibility 
to the matter of violence against women, making it an issue of national 
concern and earning the respect of police, prosecutors, and victim 
service providers. This precedence should be furthered by establishing 
an office to address violence against women by statute. The Office and 
its Director will reflect the importance that Congress and the 
Administration place on making this issue a priority for the federal 
government and the country.
  In addition, this step will insure that succeeding Administrations 
will continue to fully implement the provisions of the VAWA. An office 
placed under the direct supervision of the Associate Attorney General 
will reflect the Justice Department's understanding that non-criminal 
justice system services should be offered as part of a community 
coordinated response. By employing a specialized knowledge of the best 
practices in the field, a statutory mandate will guarantee that grant 
funds are well utilized. A strong and visible office is necessary to 
implement the recommendations embodied in the National Agenda and Call 
to Action on Violence Against Women.
  I am proud that New Mexico has many dedicated individuals offering 
services to battered women in our state. The Violence Against Women Act 
has bolstered their means to provide shelters for women in crisis, get 
access to legal assistance, and transition out of abusive situations. 
Further, VAWA funding is provided for educational outreach to medical 
providers and local law enforcement to increase their abilities to 
identify and respond in domestic violence cases.
  Just last year, New Mexico entities received numerous grants as a 
result of the Violence Against Women Office. These grants included:
  El Refugio, Inc. of Silver City received $304,931 from the Civil 
Legal Assistance Grant Program, an increase from their 1998 grant of 
$295,596. With these monies, they will be able to continue existing 
project activities in their legal assistance program from low income 
and indigent battered women.
  Likewise, The Eight Northern Indian Pueblos, Inc., the Jicarilla 
Apache Tribe, the Pueblo of Laguna, and the Santa Ana Pueblo have 
collectively received $331,593 from the STOP Violence Against Indian 
Women Discretionary Grant Program. This allocation will be used to 
enhance and maintain current programs aimed at decreasing violence 
against women.
  Since enactment of VAWA, other grants totaling over $1.5 million have 
been provided to the City of Albuquerque in support of the Albuquerque 
Police's Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART), to Santa Fe County for 
implementation of a judicial oversight program to enhance offender 
accountability, and to Dona Ana County's efforts to expand 
prosecutorial services for victims, DART and La Casa Inc., the local 
battered women's shelter.
  This nation-wide problem demands a local response. Federal funding is 
being effectively used to leverage existing community-based 
organizations and local law enforcement officials to help prevent and 
persecute domestic violence.
  Last year I cosponsored the Violence Against Women Act. This year I 
am supporting full funding of VAWA programs for the Justice Department 
programs and in the Health and Human Services budget, despite the tight 
fiscal constraints and competing priorities for those agencies.
  Domestic violence is a scourge. We must commit to addressing it. This 
legislation is one concrete step in the right direction.

                          ____________________