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[Pages H2944-H2945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. O'Halleran) for 5 minutes.
Mr. O'HALLERAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong
support for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
Since it was first enacted in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act
has saved countless lives and supported millions of domestic violence
and assault victims and survivors by funding critical programs.
In February 2019, the Violence Against Women Act expired. This is
unacceptable. It is imperative that we fully reauthorize the Violence
Against Women Act. A stopgap Violence Against Women Act does not
address critical issues within the legislation and would seriously
impact the lifesaving programs needed across Indian Country.
Domestic violence affects every community in America. Tribal
communities, though, face it at an alarmingly high rate. According to
Federal data, at least 55 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native
women have experienced physical violence at an intimate partner's
hands.
We are here to make visible the unacceptable and glaring disparities
that women and families across Indian Country face when it comes to
violence, assault, and abuse. We are here to demand action because
there are things we can and should do to help survivors.
[[Page H2945]]
In 2013, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
created special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction. This was
critical to holding perpetrators accountable on Indian Country, but it
didn't go far enough. The special jurisdiction limits Tribes to
prosecuting only crimes committed against intimate partners, not kids
or police officers.
As a former law enforcement officer and homicide detective, I can
tell you that responding to these types of calls was extremely and is
extremely dangerous for police officers. Within the past 3 years alone,
the Navajo Nation has lost three officers responding to domestic
violence calls. We must honor their sacrifice with action.
Further, these gaps in jurisdiction put children who are victims or
witnesses to violence in harm's way. It affects families dramatically.
It affects our communities. It affects our country.
This reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act includes my
legislation, the Native Youth and Tribal Officer Protection Act. This
lifesaving provision would fix these jurisdictional gaps and expand
current law regarding special jurisdiction. It would allow Tribes to
prosecute and convict non-Indian offenders who harm children and law
enforcement officers responding to domestic violence cases, as any town
outside Indian Country can already do.
Few things have shaped my life more than the 13 years I served as a
police officer. My first call as an officer involved domestic violence.
I still remember it and other domestic violence and sexual assault
cases. There are too many to remember. Our society has to change if we
are to make life and our families successful.
We must protect children and other survivors of domestic violence and
sexual assault. I join my colleagues in demanding a full
reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. I am a proud
cosponsor of this legislation and urge all my colleagues to support its
passage. It is long overdue.
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