[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 21353-21354]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        REPUBLICAN COMMITMENT TO THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, this evening, many of my colleagues, 
with the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite), who will be 
our leader, will be rising tonight on the floor to speak in strong 
support of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
  Violence against women is a horrific epidemic that continues to 
plague our

[[Page 21354]]

world; and as a wife, as a mother, and a female Member of Congress, I 
realize the profound responsibility that all of us have to work 
together with our colleagues to pass legislation that would speak to 
the very heart of each and every woman.
  As a result, thanks to the leadership of the gentlewoman from Florida 
(Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite), we have consistently supported legislation 
that protects women from the grave attacks on human rights that they 
face.

                              {time}  1945

  It is vital to understand that to promote the welfare of women is 
also to support the subsistence of mankind.
  Domestic violence is not just a woman's issue. It is a national issue 
that demands our utmost attention and it demands to be a priority. 
Legislation passed in 1994 and reauthorized in the year 2000 will 
expire on September 30 of this year, crippling the fight to protect 
women from domestic abuse. The programs funded by the Violence Against 
Women Act have had a profound impact on many women who are victims of 
domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
  Sexual violence in our colleges and universities has reached epidemic 
proportions. It is appalling to imagine that when our precious children 
go to school to learn they are at risk for violence. This bill would 
provide additional funding for the training of campus law enforcement 
and campus judicial boards so that universities can focus on the 
critical task of educating our students.
  Violence against women creates significant barriers to equity for 
women. The Violence Against Women Act would authorize critical programs 
and develop new services that respond to the needs of our communities. 
This bill recognizes the importance of cooperation between local law 
enforcement agencies and the courts and court-related personnel.
  Violence against women cuts across racial and ethnic lines. In fact, 
minority women often face additional hardships which could in turn 
delay the healing process. Therefore, effective community developed 
programs that incorporate culturally specific services can break down 
some of these barriers that often isolate survivors. This bill provides 
support to local law enforcement, prosecutors, and to victim assistance 
programs to both stop violence against women and help the survivors so 
that they can start a new life.
  We have to continue to work together to ensure that a culture of 
equality is cultivated, where the woman's role is increasingly 
recognized within society. Women make an indispensable contribution to 
the growth of our culture and their extraordinary presence permeates 
every aspect of our society. Without the contribution of women, society 
is less alive, culturally impoverished, and peace is made less stable.
  As Vice Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Women's Caucus, I have 
consistently fought to protect women from domestic and sexual abuse, 
and I am so glad that we are joined not only by my colleague, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite), but the gentlewoman 
from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito), who has been a leader in our women's 
caucus on this issue.
  So we are talking about American women here, not Republican women, 
not Democrat women, but American women. The Violence Against Women Act 
is too important an issue for it to be left to partisan politics.

                          ____________________