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I thank Representative CONNIE MORELLA for her leadership on this issue and support the
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Although domestic violence affects women across all racial and economic lines, a high percentage of these victims are women of color. African-American women account for 16 percent of the women who have been physically abused by a husband or partner in the last 5 years. African-American women were the victims in more than 53 percent of the violent deaths that occurred in 1997. As a result, the Violence Against Women Act [VAWA] of 1994 was the congressional response to the growing problem of domestic violence. VAWA created new criminal enforcement authority and it enhanced penalties to combat sexual assault domestic violence in Federal court and since the funding for VAWA I expires at the end of this fiscal year, it is necessary to reauthorize funding for these most vital programs.
Mr. Speaker, the dynamics of domestic violence can be as subtle as a verbal attack or as overt as murder. Battering instills a sense of control and fear in a victim through a series of behaviors that include intimidation, threats, psychological abuse, isolation and physical violence. Nationwide, one out of every four women of all women is battered at some point in their lives. Every 15 seconds a woman is beaten. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 to 44. Close to 22 to 35 percent of the women who visit emergency rooms are there for injuries related to domestic abuse. Violence against women destroys families, takes the lives of women and their children, and it traumatizes the young people who witness it.
States are increasingly recognizing that 42 states and the District of Columbia now include domestic violence as a factor in custody decisions. Children who witness violence at home often display emotional and behavioral disturbances. Child abuse is 15 times more likely to occur in families where domestic violence is present. It is well documented that children who witness violence in the home grow up to repeat the same patterns as adults. Men who have witnessed their parents' domestic violence are three times as likely to abuse their own wives. The National Institute for Justice reports that being abused as a child increases the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile by 53 percent and as an adult by 38 percent.
The tragedy of violence against women is not just a personal problem--it is a community crisis. Violence against women has many economic ramifications including health care costs, employment, housing, and social and legal services . Medical expenses from domestic violence total at least $3 to $5 billion each year. This includes costs for emergency room care and hospitalization, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, and health care costs for children. We must recognize that businesses lose up to $100 million a year in lost wages, sick leave and absenteeism. It is estimated that 25 percent of these workplace problems are due to domestic violence. Battered women suffer from lost productivity due to illness, inability to concentrate and frequent absenteeism. This is why it is necessary to include provisions like the Victims Employment Rights Act that would and tax incentives for
employers that would encourage large and small businesses to train their employees to recognize the special needs of victims of domestic violence.
Moreover, violence in teen dating relationships is also widespread. Between 25 and 40 percent of teens are reported to have been assaulted by dates and 60 percent of all rapes reported the rape crisis centers are committed by acquaintances with the majority of these victims between the ages of 16 and 24 years. This is why it is necessary to include ``dating violence'' in the definition of domestic violence so that we do not ignore the unique circumstances of dating violence victims. Housing is another significant economic concern that should have been addressed in H.R. 1248. Because many women are economically dependent on their batterers, shelters are vital to assist these women with some form of transitional housing.
This bill, H.R. 1248 does reauthorize grant funding for the training and education of court personnel and I applaud this inclusion. We must not forget that criminal justice and the legal system are affected by incidences of domestic violence. Frequent reports to police and appearances in court are common. Most police reports and court appearances are due to abusers who stalk their victims. Immigrant women are also vulnerable to domestic violence because of the jeopardy of their immigrant status that is exacerbated by economic dependency. Also many immigrant women are dependent on their abusers for legal status. Unfortunately, this is not adequately addressed in H.R. 1248, but I am hopeful that this issue will be properly addressed in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to bring awareness to the specific problems within my State of Texas. In Texas, there were 175,725 incidents of family violence in 1998. An estimated 824,790 women were physically abused in Texas in 1998. Of all of the women killed in 1997, 35 percent were murdered by their intimate male partners. In 1998, 110 women were murdered by their partners.
An example of the importance of this legislation is the impact that VAWA grants have had on services in the local community. In Houston, we have the Houston Area Women's Center which operates a domestic violence hotline, a shelter for battered women and counseling for violence survivors. The center provides all of its services for free. Furthermore, this center maintains an invaluable website that allows anyone to access information about domestic violence resources and support networks.
Over 34,000 women in Houston called for counseling services in 1997 for family violence. This counseling included services for women with children and teenagers who have also survived violence. The shelter housed 1,062 women and children and assisted close to 2,000 with other forms of services .
The Texas Council on Family Violence has used VAWA funds for several projects as well. These include the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Technical Assistance and Model Policies and Procedures Project, the Texas Domestic Violence Needs Assessment Project and the Domestic Violence Rural Education Project. Reauthorization of VAWA will help to maintain the current level of services and ensure that these projects are able to continue to provide quality service. These organizations are vital to women in need of assistance and services . VAWA must be reauthorized in order for these programs and the many others previously mentioned to continue and I hope that this body will work together today to vote in favor of the Violence Against Women Act of 1999.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. HUTCHINSON).
Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time; and, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 and its reauthorization.
I congratulate the congressional leadership for bringing this bill to the floor; to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. MORELLA), who has done such an outstanding job in her leadership, and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. HYDE) for leading it through the committee.
This legislation authorizes and improves programs created by the Violence Against Women Act. Among some provisions that are very important to me, it provides civil legal assistance to the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. It establishes uniform standards for sexual assault examination and creates a domestic violence task force to report to Congress on any duplication or overlapping of Federal efforts to address domestic violence.
As a practicing lawyer, the civil legal assistance, I see, as very critical. And this is the reason this amendment was offered in committee, that would allow Legal Services Corporation funding to be spent on behalf of these victims. Whenever they come into an office, whenever they are victimized, they need not only a shelter but they need legal assistance to have access to the courts.
During the last 6 years that these programs have been authorized, it has made a crucial difference in the lives of women and children who have been victimized by domestic violence. In my home State of Arkansas, the program funds 95 percent of the domestic violence shelters available to battered women; it funds three personnel to train prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and shelter workers on how to help battered women. It funds a DNA analysis machine critical to identifying the identity of sexual assaulters. It has been instrumental in solving some violent crimes.
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These funds, Mr. Speaker, are critically important to our State, and Congress must continue to support the comprehensive community-based efforts to keep victims safe and hold offenders accountable. Reauthorizing this legislation is an important act of this Congress, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. BALDWIN); and I apologize to everyone in advance, especially the gentlewoman from California (Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD), for the constriction in time that we are under.
Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, the Bureau of Justice statistics recently released a report that contains encouraging news. Overall violence against women has declined in recent years. I credit the Violence Against Women Act and local and State programs that it has supported over the last 6 years.
But our work is far from done. Domestic violence and sexual assault are still a scourge on our Nation. The statistics are chilling. Nearly one in three women will experience physical or sexual assault during their lifetimes. These horrible crimes damage lives and tear families apart. We must do all we can to stop the cycle of violence in our country. VAWA is a proven part of that solution.
Mr. Speaker, I have worked towards this day and this vote for many months with the author of this bill, the distinguished members of the Committee on the Judiciary, and committed activists from across the country. Now we must move the reauthorization of VAWA through the last steps and ensure that it is passed into law this session.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that both sides may have an additional 5 minutes for debate.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. SIMPSON). Without objection, each side is recognized for an additional 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. BONO), one of the most productive and useful members of our Committee on the Judiciary.
Mrs. BONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1248, which reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act.
In California's's 44th Congressional District, organizations like Shelter From the Storm are making tremendous strides in addressing the emotional and physical pain which comes from domestic violence. During my many visits to the shelter, I have witnessed the love and dedication of those who work and volunteer there. In speaking with the many women who have sought out the shelter as a last refuge, I have seen the fear in their eyes and heard of the hope in their hearts. For the women and children who find themselves in the traumatic situation of having to escape abuse, often having to leave all they love and know behind, Shelter From the Storm stands ready to help.
Mr. Speaker, we owe it to this shelter and others around this country to help them in this effort; to help these victims find a new and much better life. By supporting the Violence Against Women Act, we can make a modest contribution towards addressing this dire concern.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. POMEROY).
Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me this time.
There are 4 days left under the existing authorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Thank goodness we were able to take the action today so that hopefully there will not be any gap whatsoever in the authorization for this legislation. The fight against domestic violence is simply too important for us to signal somehow that this authorization and our commitment to this fight is going to be disrupted.
In my own State of North Dakota in 1999 there were 5,800 incidents of domestic violence and 3,600 victims reporting to State crisis intervention centers. The programs and the funding that flow from this authorization are critically linked to the fight so admirably waged by the advocates on the ground helping these victims. The fight is just too important to walk away from; and I am very pleased and commend all who, in a bipartisan manner, have brought this matter to the floor today for our action.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. ROYCE).
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, every year, and this year again, we will have several million women in this country who are attacked by their ex-husbands or by ex-boyfriends. There will be half a million who are stalked. Four thousand of these women will die. These are at times silent cries, with the victims not knowing where or to whom they can turn for help.
This horrifying reality is a call for us to ensure that women and law enforcement, local law enforcement, have the resources necessary to escape abuse. That is why I am a cosponsor of this bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
I think it is important for us to recognize that since it was authorized in 1994, we have seen a reduction by 21 percent of the level of violence committed against women and children by their spouses or by their partners. Thanks to this bill, more than 300,000 women who were seeking a safe haven have received much-needed shelter. I urge its passage today.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. NADLER), a member of the Committee on the Judiciary who has been committed to this measure.
Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act is urgently needed, for reasons we have already heard. It is disgraceful not only that consideration of the reauthorization of this bill has been delayed until only days before it expires, but also that some Members of the other body have stated that VAWA will be attached to controversial bankruptcy legislation as a sweetener to get Members who object to that bill to vote for a combined bill.
Joining these two bills would be a cynical and desperate ploy to try to obtain enactment of a bankruptcy bill that injures women and their families, injures consumers and small businesses, and which no longer will have a provision that would prevent those who use threats and violence to harass women and their doctors from using the Bankruptcy Code to evade their lawful fines under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. We cannot make an anti-woman and anti-family bill like that acceptable by attaching a popular and worthwhile measure, which should easily have passed on its own months ago. As Joan Entmacher, of the National Women's Law Center, has put it, ``This is not a sweetener, it's extortion.''
I call on the other body to do the right thing and pass the Violence Against Women Act on its own stand-alone bill. Let us continue to debate the many flaws of the proposed bankruptcy bill separately. But I urge the other body to not use battered, abused, and murdered women, who do not have the millions to lobby Congress, to give a gift to the banks and creditors. Let us pass this with bipartisan support today, pass it unencumbered to the Senate, and send it to the President.
Mr. Speaker, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act is urgently needed for reasons we have already heard. Every day four women die in this country as a result of ``domestic violence''--the euphemism for murders and assaults by husbands and boyfriends. That's approximately 1,400 women a year. Estimates indicate that every year 1.2 million women are forcibly raped by their current or former male partners. This bill is a crucial first step in addressing this horrific situation. It is disgraceful that this bill, which has overwhelming support in both houses, is coming up just a few short days before authorization for VAWA is set to expire. This delay is as irresponsible as it is unnecessary. We have a lot more work to do to reduce violence in our communities and in our families. We could add to the bill before us dozens of ways to strengthen its provisions, but at the very least, let us pass this underlying bill with bipartisan support today, pass it unencumbered in the Senate, and send it to the President.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. KELLY).
Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Violence Against Women Act of 1999. Today's Washington Post includes an editorial in support of H.R. 1248. The column states, ``There seems to be no good reason, practical or substantive, to oppose reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.''
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Mr. Speaker, this editorial hits the nail on the head. The U.S. Department of Justice has estimated that between one and four million women are physically abused by their husbands or live-in partners each year. There is violence in one out of four American homes. Justice also reports that up to 40 percent of teenage girls, age 14 to 17, report knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.
Family violence costs the Nation upwards of $10 billion annually in medical expenses, police and court costs, shelters and foster care, sick leave, absenteeism and nonproductivity. And, Mr. Speaker, I have only touched on the tip of the iceberg.
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