[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 784-785]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           REAUTHORIZATION OF THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT

  Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I rise to speak on behalf of tens of 
thousands of Delawareans affected by domestic violence each year, as 
well as their families, their friends, and their allies across our 
State and our country.
  Just a few minutes ago, my colleagues on the Senate Judiciary 
Committee took up the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women 
Act. It has earned strong bipartisan support through the nearly two 
decades since its original passage, and it was voted out earlier today.
  Law enforcement agencies across this country are counting on us to 
move forward with the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization, 
depending on the training and the resources to advocate for victims and 
to provide critical and lifesaving interventions that it funds.
  As I asked for input from Delawareans in the last few weeks, one of 
the hundreds who took the time to write or call my office in strong 
support of the reauthorization of VAWA was a former New Castle County 
police officer. He e-mailed me to tell me he had seen firsthand that 
dedicated resources and innovative policing methods made possible by 
VAWA made a real difference in combating these types of crimes and 
improving the lives of victims.
  The Violence Against Women Act has been extraordinarily effective, 
with the annual incidence of domestic violence falling by more than 50 
percent since it was first passed. Yet we still have so far to go.
  Just this week, I heard from hundreds of constituents in Delaware for 
whom this legislation has a deep and resounding importance. From young 
women in their twenties to senior citizens, Delawareans from all walks 
of life have reached out to ask us, as Members of the Senate, to take 
action without delay, to work with our colleagues in the House, and to 
reauthorize this most important bill.
  Paul from Yorklyn, DE, wrote to say that as a father of two young 
daughters, he worries that if the Violence Against Women Act is not 
reauthorized, then victims of sexual assault will once again be subject 
to two traumas--first, horrific attacks and, second, trying to pursue 
justice against their attackers.
  Linda from New Castle, DE, had the courage to write me personally and 
say:

       First of all, I am a victim and I am not ashamed to say 
     that [today].

  Linda's willingness to lift the cloud of fear and shame that for so 
long enveloped victims of domestic and dating violence is brave and 
important in that she was able and willing to do that, but she also 
highlights the ongoing challenges we face. She described her hesitation 
to discuss abuse out loud and stressed the importance of talking about 
these crimes in the open in order to break what she called the 
generational curse.
  As a son, as a husband, as a father, I too am deeply concerned about 
this curse that has moved from generation to generation and has 
affected families all throughout this country's history.
  Evils such as domestic violence thrive in darkness. The Violence 
Against Women Act is a spotlight, and it deserves to be strengthened 
and sustained by this Senate today and this year.
  The Violence Against Women Act requires reauthorization every 5 
years. This signifies a belief that protecting victims of domestic and 
dating violence is so important that we must revisit it to make sure we 
are getting it right.
  Each time we go through the process of reauthorizing this bill, we 
learn more about what is needed. This time around, that process, I 
believe, has resulted in several critical enhancements; first, by 
bolstering the tools available to law enforcement. Along with my friend 
and colleague Senator Blunt, I cochair the Senate Law Enforcement 
Caucus. I am determined to ensure local agencies have the tools they 
need to support victims and to prosecute abusers. This reauthorization 
will do just that.
  Second, our review made clear that perpetrators find their victims 
throughout our society without regard for sexual orientation or gender 
identity. So the reauthorization that was passed out of the Judiciary 
Committee just earlier today addresses that challenge by making this 
the very first Federal grant program to explicitly state that grant 
recipients cannot discriminate on the basis of a victim's status. 
Whether they are or are not a member of the LGBT community

[[Page 785]]

should be irrelevant to whether they are able to access the vital 
services funded by the VAWA.
  Finally, this reauthorization recognizes our current difficult fiscal 
situation as a country and promotes accountability to make sure these 
dollars are well spent. It reduces authorization levels while 
protecting the programs which have been most successful. This VAWA 
reauthorization merges 13 existing programs into 4 streamlined and 
consolidated programs. This will prevent wasted time and effort and 
make the application and administrative processes more efficient.
  I am honored to be joined today by an old and dear friend, a former 
countywide-elected official, Paulette Moore, now vice president of 
public policy for the National Network to End Domestic Violence. I am 
grateful to my dear friend Carol Post, who leads the Delaware Coalition 
Against Domestic Violence, and my friend Amy Barasch, a tireless 
advocate in the ongoing efforts to bring to light the challenges of 
domestic violence in the State of New York.
  There are folks all across this country who turn to this task week in 
and week out. It is long and tiring and difficult work, but it is 
uplifting because it is part of making this a more just, more safe, and 
more secure nation.
  It is important for me to note that, unfortunately, some of my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle see the enhancements I just 
referred to in this reauthorization as a reason to abandon their long-
term support for it, even though they have been strong backers of VAWA 
in the past. In fact, the vote we just took in the Judiciary Committee 
was 10 to 8. It only narrowly passed. I hope our friends on the other 
side of the aisle will review the details of these changes one more 
time and see their way clear to join us in this effort to strengthen 
and sustain the Violence Against Women Act. It is and should remain a 
bipartisan bill and a bipartisan effort.
  My predecessor in this seat, our great Vice President, Joe Biden of 
Delaware, took an absolutely central leadership role in writing and 
passing the first Violence Against Women Act in one of the most 
enduring legacies of his 36-year Senate career, representing Delaware 
and advocating for women all over this country.
  His efforts broke barriers and laid the groundwork for this current 
bill. But it is up to all of us to keep pushing tirelessly for Federal, 
State, and local governments to do more to save lives and to serve 
victims.
  I urge my colleagues to come together and promptly pass the 
reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Thank you to the men 
and women of this country who work so hard to end this terrible scourge 
of domestic violence in our country.
  I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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