[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 4014-4015]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT

  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I note in morning business that the 
bipartisan Violence Against Women Act reauthorization now has 61 
cosponsors. I thank Senator Crapo for his leadership and commend the 
Senators from both parties who came to the floor last week to speak 
about the importance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.
  I want to thank Senators Mikulski, Murray, Murkowski, Klobuchar, 
Hagan, Shaheen, Feinstein and Boxer for coming to the Senate floor last 
week to express bipartisan support for the Violence Against Women 
Reauthorization Act and to emphasize the importance of reauthorizing 
this landmark legislation. I hope that their statements will point the 
way for the Senate to act soon to pass this important legislation.
  Senator Klobuchar spoke about her time as a prosecutor in Hennepin 
County, MN, and her efforts to put the focus on children's needs in 
domestic violence cases. She spoke about the dangers faced by law 
enforcement and the loss of a young officer who was killed while 
responding to a domestic violence call and who left behind a wife and 
three young children.
  We heard from the respected senior Senator from Alaska, Senator 
Murkowski, who spoke of the message we need to send so that victims can 
have confidence and muster the courage to leave an abusive situation. 
She spoke about the important commitment we make against sexual assault 
and domestic violence in this legislation and our expanded efforts in 
rural communities such as the villages of rural Alaska.
  The Senate heard last Thursday, as well, from Senator Mikulski, 
Senator Murray, Senator Hagan, Senator Shaheen, Senator Feinstein and 
Senator Boxer, the author of a House bill in 1990 that was an important 
part of this effort. Eight Senators came to the floor to remind us all 
why this measure is important and that the Senate should proceed to 
pass it.
  For almost 18 years, the Violence Against Women Act--VAWA--has been 
the centerpiece of the Federal Government's commitment to combating 
domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The 
impact of this landmark law has been remarkable. It has provided life 
saving assistance to hundreds of thousands of women, men, and children, 
and the annual incidence of domestic violence has fallen by more than 
50 percent since the law was first passed.
  Support for the Violence Against Women Act has always been 
bipartisan, and I appreciate the bipartisan support that this 
reauthorization bill has already received. Senator Crapo and I 
introduced the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 
November. With Senators Heller and Ayotte joining the bill this week, 
it is now cosponsored by 61 senators from both sides of the aisle, 
reaching a critical level of bipartisan support.
  The Violence Against Women Act is not about partisan politics. It is 
about saving women's lives and responding to the scourge of domestic 
and sexual violence. We should consider the bill and pass it because it 
is vitally important legislation. The legislation now before the Senate 
is informed by the experiences and needs of survivors of domestic and 
sexual violence all around the country, and by the recommendations of 
the tireless professionals who serve them every day. It builds on the 
progress that has been made in reducing domestic and sexual violence 
and makes vital improvements to respond to remaining, unmet needs, as 
we have each time we have authorized and reauthorized the Violence 
Against Women Act.
  Our legislation includes key improvements that are needed to better 
serve the victims of violence. Because incidence of sexual assault 
remains high, while reporting rates, prosecution rates, and conviction 
rates remain appallingly low, this reauthorization increases VAWA's 
focus on effective responses to sexual assault. It also encourages the 
use of new, evidence-based methods that can be very effective in 
preventing domestic violence homicide. The provisions of the bill are 
described and explained in the committee report, which was also filed 
last week.
  The provisions that a minority on the Judiciary Committee labeled 
controversial are, in fact, modest changes to meet the genuine, unmet 
needs that service providers, who help victims every day, have told us 
they desperately need. As every prior VAWA authorization has done, this 
bill takes steps to recognize those victims whose needs are not being 
served and find ways to help them. This is not new or different. It 
should not be a basis for partisan division. The provisions are not 
extreme, and they are not political.
  This reauthorization seeks to ensure that services provided under the 
Violence Against Women Act are available for all victims, regardless of 
sexual orientation or gender identity. Research has proven that 
domestic and sexual violence affects all communities, but

[[Page 4015]]

victims of different sexual orientations or gender identities have had 
a more difficult time obtaining basic services. There is nothing 
radical or new about saying that all victims are entitled to services. 
This is what the Violence Against Women Act has always done. It reaches 
out to help all victims. As Senator Feinstein said last week: ``[T]hese 
are improvements. Domestic violence is domestic violence.''
  Domestic and sexual violence against Native women continues to be a 
problem of epidemic proportions. Just as we made strides when we 
enacted the Tribal Law and Order Act two years ago, we can take 
responsible steps to more effectively protect Native women. Working 
with the Indian Affairs Committee, we have included a provision to fill 
a loophole in jurisdiction in order to allow tribal courts jurisdiction 
over perpetrators who have significant ties to the tribe in a very 
limited set of domestic violence cases involving an Indian victim on 
Indian land. This provision would allow prosecution of cases that 
currently are simply not addressed, and it would do so in a way that 
guarantees defendants comprehensive rights.
  The bill would allow a modest increase in the number of available U 
visas. Law enforcement is authorized to request visas for immigrant 
victims who are helping their investigations. These visas are key law 
enforcement tools that allow perpetrators of serious crimes to be 
brought to justice. They were created in VAWA previously with 
bipartisan support. The Department of Homeland Security and the 
Fraternal Order of Police strongly support this provision because it 
serves law enforcement purposes.
  We all know that while the economy is now improving, these remain 
difficult economic times, and taxpayer money must be spent responsibly. 
That is why in our bill, we consolidate 13 programs into four in an 
effort to reduce duplication and bureaucratic barriers. The bill would 
cut the authorization level for VAWA by more than $135 million a year, 
a decrease of nearly 20 percent from the last reauthorization. The 
legislation also includes significant accountability provisions, 
including audit requirements, enforcement mechanisms, and restrictions 
on grantees and costs.
  Our bipartisan bill is the product of careful consideration and has 
widespread support. I have reached out to those who have opposed these 
provisions to work out a time agreement to govern amendments. The 
Judiciary Committee passed this bill after considering the amendments 
offered by the minority. That is what the Senate should do. Then we 
should move forward and pass this important measure with strong 
bipartisan support. These problems are too serious for us to delay. We 
should reauthorize this law now.
  This is crucial, commonsense legislation that has been endorsed by 
more than 700 State and national organizations. Numerous religious and 
faith-based organizations as well as our law enforcement partners have 
endorsed this VAWA reauthorization bill. The Violence Against Women Act 
should not be a partisan matter. The last two times the Violence 
Against Women Act was reauthorized, it was unanimously approved by the 
Senate. Although it seems that partisan gridlock is too often the 
default in the Senate over the last couple of years, it remains my hope 
working with our Republican cosponsors and if those who have voted for 
VAWA in the past come forward to support it, we can pass our VAWA 
reauthorization with a strong bipartisan majority.
  Domestic and sexual violence knows no political party. Its victims 
are Republican and Democrat; rich and poor, young and old, male and 
female. Let us work together and pass strong VAWA reauthorization 
legislation without delay. It is a law that has saved countless lives, 
and it is an example of what we can accomplish when we work together.

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