Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I would like to thank also my dear friend and colleague Chairman John Conyers for bringing this important resolution to the floor.

House Resolution 757, a National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims, recognizes the loss and the courage of homicide victims across this country, not just in 1 year but for the many years in which families, community members, take the time to rebuild their lives.

I'd also like to thank my colleague Ted Poe of Texas for taking the lead with me in making this resolution truly bipartisan in nature because, as we know, the question of homicide is not one that is partisan.

This resolution is about honoring those lives that have been lost to homicide. I particularly want to focus on the women and children who have lost their lives to intimate partner homicide in our country.

In my State of Maryland, at least 48 women and children lost their lives to intimate partner homicide in the period from July 2007 to July 2008. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that three women per day are murdered by their current or former partner, boyfriend, or spouse.

Statistically, the most dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence is when she attempts to leave a violent relationship. From working firsthand with victims of domestic violence in shelters, in service programs, and as cofounder and executive director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, I know the statistic is true, and it's more than a statistic. It's reality for so many women and children.

So when people ask why doesn't she just leave, those of us who have done this work for a long time know exactly why, and it's because of the risk of death, not an imagined fear but a true risk.

Intimate partner violence is the second leading cause of traumatic death for pregnant women. The impact of witnessing domestic violence, especially the homicide of a parent, is devastating for children.

It is my hope that this resolution will begin a dialogue about intimate partner violence and progress to discussing and devising solutions to address this epidemic. Intimate partner violence is something that impacts all our communities, and I know there have been several cases of such violence where I live, and I am sure that's the case for every congressional district across this Nation.

This year, in my congressional district, a woman was shot, tragically, to death outside of her church in Silver Spring as she was going inside to worship on Sunday and other worshippers were gathered for the service.

In March 2003, Ernestine Bunn-Dyson, age 32, was shot to death in my hometown of Oxon Hill by her estranged husband less than 24 hours after he promised in court to leave her alone. Her sister is working hard to bring more attention to this epidemic so more people don't have to suffer and more sisters don't have to be victims.

It's so easy for people to think that intimate partner homicide is something that happens to someone else, someone who looks different, someone who has a different educational background, or someone who just fell in with the wrong person. But a victim of domestic violence and intimate partner violence and homicide can be anyone's sister, mother, aunt, friend, coworker, and of course, the other thousands of victims of homicide.

Our own Lieutenant Governor in Maryland, Anthony Brown, lost his cousin, Cathy Brown, to intimate partner violence just this past last summer. His cousin was shot and killed in her home by her abuser. Lieutenant Governor Brown has worked in Maryland along with Governor Martin O'Malley to make sure that our State laws were changed to prevent this kind of violent homicide.

So many survivors and their families in this country have turned their tragedy and pain to healing and advocacy. Our own Lieutenant Governor is an example of such tireless and selfless advocacy.

I ask all of us to take the time today to reach out to someone who may be in a violent situation and lend your support and friendship. It could save their lives. I also ask that we take this day to remember all victims of homicide, all victims of intimate partner homicide, and we must do what we can to stop this pattern at a young age. If other forms of abusive violence are included, from being threatened or emotionally abused, our young children suffer as well. We must be more aggressive in addressing the problem of violence so that it doesn't turn to homicide.

I'd like to thank all of our cosponsors, and I'd like to say that, Mr. Speaker, it's time for us to recognize the tragic cost of homicide to all of our families, and for this Congress and this Nation to turn our attention to their support.

I'd like to recognize the many organizations who have supported this resolution, including the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, the National Partnership for Women and Families, Legal Momentum, the Family Violence Prevention Fund, and our own local Anti-Violence Organization.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 757) supporting the goals and ideals of a National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of a National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims.

On Friday, September 25, 2009, the third annual observance of the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims was held in Washington, D.C., and across the country. This year's observance was organized by the National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center.

Every year, families lose loved ones to senseless acts of violence. Along with their loved ones, these families lose hopes and dreams for the future. Not only are mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers affected by the sudden loss of a family member, the lives of friends, coworkers, and neighbors can also be changed forever.

In 2008 alone, over 14,000 individuals lost their lives as a result of violent homicide. Over half of these murder victims were killed by acquaintances, such as a neighbor, friend, or boyfriend.

After the initial shock, as friends and neighbors resume their daily lives, family members are left to deal with their grief and loss and become overwhelmed with picking up the pieces of their lives.

The National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims acknowledges the long-term trauma families and friends experience after a loved one is murdered and focuses on the importance of providing support, guidance, and counseling to survivors of homicide.

While families deal with their grief, they're also confronted with trying to find some sense of justice through the criminal justice system. The complexities and delays in resolving a criminal case frequently add to their feelings of anger and resentment.

The National Day of Remembrance sends a powerful message to these families and friends alike that we as a Nation remember their loss, honor their courage, and are committed to helping them move on with their lives.

The National Day of Remembrance reminds us that murder impacts each and every one of us and every community across the country. This day also reminds us to rededicate ourselves to working to prevent the violence that destroys lives and devastates families.

I'd like to thank the lead cosponsors of this resolution, Donna Edwards of Maryland and Ted Poe of Texas, for their leadership in making sure that last week's National Day of Remembrance is honored by Congress.

I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

At this time, I'm happy to yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Maryland, Donna Edwards, the lead sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how many speakers my colleague from Texas has remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I had the experience recently of being called up for jury duty in Los Angeles and called up for a criminal case and sat through really the entire voir dire process, which I hadn't done in many years. It was a murder case, and what was striking to me--I was not called into the box so I never became a juror--but

what was striking to me is, during the voir dire process, they asked each and every juror whether they thought they could sit fairly on the case before them.

This particular case involved two victims, two people who were murdered, one who was a 16-year-old girl. And it was striking to me, both how many prospective jurors had a family member or close friend who'd been the victim of violence, who had been murdered or raped, how many also who could so relate to the circumstances that they felt they couldn't be fair and impartial. But it was extraordinary. There wasn't a single person really in the jury box that hadn't been touched in some way by violent crime.

And I want to thank the gentlewoman from Maryland for her leadership on this issue and getting us all to take some time to reflect on how violence has touched all of our communities, all of our lives and how we can rededicate ourselves to trying to attack this incredible waste of life. So I thank you.

I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 757 honors a National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims. Sadly, thousands of lives are lost due to homicide every year in our Nation. Surviving parents, spouses, family, and friends courageously rebuild their lives while searching for answers and closure for the tragic death of someone they cared about.

I want to commend my friend, the gentlelady from Maryland, Donna Edwards, for introducing this resolution. She has a long-time history of working with victims and victims' families, even before she came to our institution, the House of Representatives.

This National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims honors the lives of those who are lost to murder. It also commits communities, agencies, and other groups towards the goal of rebuilding the survivors' lives and preventing these tragedies in the future.

Since 2000, more than 114,000 Americans have been murdered in our Nation. It is important we remind survivors, family survivors, that we have not forgotten their loved ones and that they are not alone.

The broad bipartisan support for this day of remembrance demonstrates that we are united in our commitment to comfort sufferers and prevent the violence that leads to these tragedies.

This resolution also brings attention to the disturbing issue of spousal or partner abuse in homicides. On average, three women per day are murdered by their current or former husbands. From 1976 to 2005, more than 64 percent of female homicide victims in the United States were murdered by an intimate partner.

According to the National Institute of Justice, intimate partner homicide has declined significantly in the past 25 years. The NIJ cautions, however, that although these declines are truly significant, the statistics may mask the

important fact that women are substantially more likely than men to be murdered by intimate partners.

Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Day of Remembrance strengthens the resolve of agencies, communities, and families and people in our country against homicides in our Nation.

I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I am prepared to close. There are no other speakers.

I yield myself such time as I may consume. This is, Mr. Speaker, a very important recognition that we do, as an organization, as a body, to recognize the fact that throughout this country there are families that have suffered the loss of someone they love and they care about, and it's all because of violence.

As my friend and colleague from Maryland, Ms. Edwards, has pointed out, many times that violence occurs in the home. It starts with verbal abuse, then physical abuse, and then sometimes results in a homicide. And of all places where a person should be safe in our country, it's in their home, whether it's a spouse or whether it's a child. And because of the epidemic, in my opinion, of violence in the home, more and more Americans and spouses especially, suffer those consequences and those consequences lead to their death by the hands of someone that claims they love them.

And it's important that we remember those people who are victims of crime. It's been said that when a murder occurs, the killer steals from the victim everything they were and everything they will be. That's the tragedy. And families of homicide victims never get over it. I know Mr. Schiff, in his experience in the U.S. Attorney's office, and my experience as a criminal court judge and prosecutor, families of homicide victims think about the death of their loved one every day. Not a day goes by that they don't think about it. And they think about it every day forever. That's the tragedy they live with.

So we, as a Nation, need to raise the awareness and the importance of these families and recognize that those people who have lost family members are Americans that need special recognition, special comfort from us.

So I commend my friend, Ms. Edwards from Maryland, for sponsoring this resolution. I am proud to be a coauthor of this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, September 25th is the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims. On this day, it is important for all of us to reflect on the terrible toll that violence takes on our communities, and for us to reflect on ways to reduce this violence. One type of homicide that is particularly disturbing is when the perpetrator is a partner of the victim. According to the Centers for Disease Control, on average, three women a day are murdered by their current or former husbands. That is three women a day who are killed by the very same man who took an oath to honor and protect them.

This number should be disturbing to all of us. We are not doing enough to keep women safe in their own homes, the very place where we should all find safety and comfort. Too many American women are finding danger, violence, and even death in their own homes.

One-third--yes, that's right--one-third, of all murdered females are killed by somebody they were in a relationship with. That is a staggering statistic. These women are not being killed by a stranger in a dark alley, they are being killed by people they trust, often in their own homes.

To bring attention to this issue, Congresswoman Edwards and I have introduced H. Res. 757, to support the goals and ideals of the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims. It is my hope that this resolution

can help raise awareness about this epidemic of violence, and encourage all of us to realize just how prevalent this is in our communities. The time has come for us all to work together to end this violence.