[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 16542]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      DENOUNCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

  (Mr. ESPAILLAT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was joined by many of our 
colleagues to echo the pleas of over 100 women who came dressed as 
brides here to D.C. to put a face on the brutal murder of Gladys 
Ricart, a victim of domestic violence who was killed in 1999. Yesterday 
I said that I was Gladys Ricart and that we were all Gladys Ricart.
  While this was happening, Mr. Speaker, I am distressed to inform you 
that a woman in my district in Inwood was fatally stabbed to death and 
beaten with a dumbbell by her long-time boyfriend. Police officers 
found Claudina Cruz dead, with multiple stab wounds to the torso and 
head trauma.
  She is also Gladys Ricart. We are all Gladys Ricart.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in denouncing domestic violence for 
Gladys, Claudina, and every victim of domestic violence across the 
country. Congress must reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act when 
it comes before us next year.

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