Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMARKS ON H.R. 1585, THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT
______
HON. TED LIEU
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, April 12, 2019
Mr. TED LIEU of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of
H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019,
which was introduced by my good friend Representative Karen Bass.
In 1994, Congress took the monumental step of passing the Violence
Against Women Act to address violence against women and men and ensure
they had access to justice and necessary services. Since its first
enactment, Congress has reauthorized the law several times to provide
critical updates and ensure that vulnerable persons, including Native
Americans and LGBTQ Americans, are protected.
While domestic violence has declined in the past two decades, it
remains too high. One-quarter of women and one-ninth of men suffer from
intimate partner violence or intimate partner stalking; moreover, every
year one in 15 kids is exposed to such violence. That is why I am
pleased that we are considering H.R. 1585, which reauthorizes and
improves the Violence Against Women Act. Among other things, the bill
increases the funding authorization for the Rape Prevention and
Education Program, improves grant programs that serve domestic violence
survivors with disabilities or who are elderly, and ensures that Native
American survivors have access to justice
Furthermore, H.R. 1585 recognizes the relationship between domestic
violence and homelessness. In the Los Angeles Continuum of Care area,
which includes my congressional district, nearly half of women who
experienced homelessness reported that they had also experienced
domestic violence and 14 percent stated that domestic violence was the
reason they became homeless in the first place. We know that when women
leave their abusers they are gravely concerned about finding safe and
affordable housing and that too often they're forced to choose between
staying with their abuser or facing homelessness. Critically, H.R. 1585
preserves and improves housing protections for survivors.
I'd also like to respond to criticism from my Republican colleagues
about firearms and transgender people.
First, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University and
others, we know that the risk that a woman will die increases more than
fivefold when her abusive partner has access to a firearm. H.R. 1585
acknowledges this reality and ensures that those convicted of stalking
misdemeanors and dating violence or who are subject to ex parte orders
do not possess firearms.
Second, transgender people experience violence at disproportionately
high rates--since 2013 more than 128 transgender Americans have been
killed--and they deserve access to services for domestic violence
survivors. I believe it is vitally important that the Violence Against
Women Act is inclusive of trans people.
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act takes important steps
to address violence against men and women in the United States. Thank
you, Madam Speaker, for bringing this bill to the House Floor. I am
proud to lend my support and vote in favor of it.
____________________