[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14287-14288]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                THE NEED TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE

  (Mr. LEWIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. LEWIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today with pain in my heart and 
soul. There is not any room in a civilized society for the abuse of 
anyone, but especially women and girls. I have seen and known women who 
are victims and survivors. Mother, sisters, and daughters must know 
that their pain is our pain.
  The thought of another human being living in constant fear breaks my 
heart. Imagine life day in and day out afraid to come home at night and 
with no safe place in the day. It hurts my soul.
  Throughout my life, I have taken a stand against violence in 
thoughts, in words, and in action. Violence is not in keeping with the 
human spirit. We do not come into this world beating and abusing our 
fellow human beings. We learn it from our environment and from our 
experiences.
  Together, we have a moral obligation to teach our children--
especially our young men--the way of peace, the way of love, and the 
way of nonviolence. There can be no place for abuse in our society. 
Madam Speaker, we must

[[Page 14288]]

break this cycle, and we must do it now.

                          ____________________