E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 159 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013 No. 19 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Friday, February 8, 2013, at 11 a.m. Senate THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was consideration of the Violence Against that is, the reauthorization of the Vio- called to order by the President pro Women Act. The time until noon will lence Against Women Act. tempore (Mr. LEAHY). be divided and controlled equally be- But Senate passage means little if tween the two leaders or their des- our counterparts in the House fail to PRAYER ignees. At noon, Senator-designee act on this crucial legislation. They The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- COWAN of Massachusetts will be sworn failed once before. Let’s hope this year fered the following prayer: in to be a Member of the Senate. they will get it past the finish line. Let us pray. We expect to complete action on the The Republican-controlled House, I Eternal spirit, the fountain of life Violence Against Women Act. We hope repeat, failed to act last year, and the and truth, You make our plans suc- to be able to do that today. If we can- women of America do not want them to ceed. Today, shine the light of Your not, we will do it tomorrow. fail again. I was reassured to hear House Majority Leader CANTOR say presence upon our lawmakers, pro- f yesterday that he ‘‘cares very deeply viding them with the wisdom You have MEASURE PLACED ON THE about women.’’ He went on to say the promised to all who request it. May CALENDAR—S. 209 House would act to reauthorize the Vi- they primarily focus on pleasing You olence Against Women Act. rather than on political consequences, Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am told S. 209 is at the desk and due for a sec- But Americans heard the some prom- trusting You to guide them during ise last year. Despite overwhelming these challenging days. May what they onding reading; is that correct? The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The evidence that this legislation saves declare with their lips be proven with lives, House Republican leaders used their deeds. Lord, teach our lawmakers Senator is correct. The clerk will read the bill by title procedural gimmicks and stalling tac- to love You as You have loved them. tics to block its reauthorization. I We pray in Your sacred Name. Amen. for the second time. The assistant legislative clerk read would remind Leader CANTOR and his f as follows: Republican colleagues of the serious- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE A bill (S. 209) to require a full audit of the ness of the delay. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Every minute House Republicans The Honorable PATRICK J. LEAHY led System and the Federal Reserve Bank by the wait to act, another 24 Americans will the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: Comptroller General of the United States, become victims of domestic violence. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the and for other purposes. Every day House Republicans stall, an- United States of America, and to the Repub- Mr. REID. Mr. President, I would ob- other three women will die at the lic for which it stands, one nation under God, ject to any further proceedings with re- hands of their abusers. Every year indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. spect to this bill. House Republicans put off action in f The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objec- order to please extremists within their RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY tion is heard. The bill will be placed on own party, during that period of time LEADER the calendar. more than 200,000 women will be sexu- f ally assaulted, more than 2 million will The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The be stalked, and more than 1.3 million majority leader is recognized. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT women will be abused by their part- f Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am opti- ners. mistic that today the Senate will com- It has been almost 300 days since the SCHEDULE plete work on an important bipartisan Senate passed a bipartisan bill to help Mr. REID. Mr. President, following measure that has been directed by the law enforcement officials protect leader remarks, the Senate will resume President pro tempore of the Senate; women and their families across this ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S479 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:06 Sep 25, 2013 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD13\RECFILES\FEB2013\S07FE3.REC S07FE3 bjneal on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE S480 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 7, 2013 country. But despite strong bipartisan The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- sions to help protect Indian women support in the Senate, Republicans in ator from Vermont. from the serious problems they face. the House refused to join the efforts to Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, first, I If anyone needs a reminder of how end domestic abuse. wish to applaud the distinguished lead- important government help can be, Those partisan delays put women’s er Senator REID for his statement. He just think about the way that Federal lives at risk. Thousands have written has helped us over and over again to and local law enforcement worked to- letters and e-mailed and called to sup- get this bill to the floor. The reason it gether earlier this week to rescue port this legislation. One Nevada is here is because of the action of the Ethan, a 5-year-old kidnapped boy, woman shared her story of how her distinguished majority leader in get- from an underground bunker in Ala- partner held a gun to her head and ting it up here. I was pleased to hear bama, where he had been held hostage threatened to pull the trigger. She es- his comments about hopefully finishing for almost a week. Ask the family and caped with her life, but many women this today or tomorrow. Anyway, it local law enforcement if they appre- are not so fortunate. Every year more should be done soon. This is a land- ciated the help of the FBI, the Defense than 1,000 women are killed by domes- mark law. Department and so many who contrib- tic abusers. Since the Violence Against The Senate has before it a bill to re- uted to the safe return of that innocent Women Act expired, more than 16 mil- authorize the Violence Against Women victim. lion women have been victimized. Act, a landmark law we enacted that I spent years in local law enforce- The law is effective. In the two dec- has made a difference in women’s lives. ment and have great respect for the ades since it was enacted, the law has By providing new tools and resources men and women who protect us every helped millions of women escape their to communities all around the country, day. When I hear Senators say that we attackers and seek justice. There is ob- we have helped bring the crimes of rape should not provide Federal assistance, viously much more work to do. I say to and domestic violence out of the shad- we should not help officers get the pro- my friend Leader CANTOR: It is time for ows. The Federal Government stood tection they need with bulletproof the Republican leaders to stop talking with the women of this country and vests, or that we should not help the about how much they care about sent the message that we would no families of fallen public safety officers, women and start acting to protect longer tolerate their treatment as sec- I strongly disagree. In our Federal sys- women. More than one-third of the ond-class citizens. Our bill renews and tem, we can help and when we can, we women in this country have been the reinforces that commitment. should help. And that is exactly the op- victim of violent sexual assault or Ending violence against women is portunity that is before us today. We stalking. Congress must do everything not an easy problem to solve but there have the power to help improve the in its power to help law enforcement is a simple and significant step we can lives of millions of people in this coun- officials prevent these terrible crimes take, right now and without delay. I, try by renewing and expanding our and prosecute the perpetrators. Reau- again, thank Majority Leader REID for commitment to end domestic and sex- thorizing this legislation would help making this unfinished business from ual violence. A recent study from the law enforcement improve strategies to the last Congress a priority for the Centers for Disease Control, CDC, prosecute crimes against women. It Senate early this year. found that more than 24 people per would provide legal assistance to the Senator CRAPO and I have worked minute are the victims of rape, domes- victims of violence and funding for hard to make this bill bipartisan and I tic violence and stalking in this coun- shelters to allow women to escape their am proud that it has more than 60 Sen- try. We can take action to change that abusers. It would safeguard youth who ate cosponsors. It also has the support and we must.