National Guard, Reserve, 'Gray Area' Retiree, and Surviving Spouses Space-available Travel Equity Act of 2011

Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce the Violence Against Women Health Initiative. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and this bill will raise awareness of domestic violence among health care providers and allow them to better assess and treat survivors of domestic violence.

The rates of violence and abuse in this country are astounding. Nearly one in four women in the U.S. has reported experiencing domestic violence at some point in her life. In 2007, there were 248,300 reported incidents of sexual assault in the U.S. Young women experience the highest rates of sexual assault and stalking. Sadly, 15.5 million children in the U.S. live in families in which partner violence has occurred in the past year, and 7 million children live in families in which severe partner violence has occurred.

Domestic violence has a significant impact on our country's health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, intimate partner violence costs the health care system over $8.3 billion annually.

In addition to injuries sustained during violent episodes, survivors suffer lifelong health complications. Research published in the journal of Women's Health in 2007 found that women who are victimized by violence have 17 percent more primary care doctor visits, 14 percent more specialist visits, and 27 percent more prescription refills than non-abused women.

Physical and psychological abuse are linked to a number of adverse physical health effects. A study released in 2010 that compared victims with never-abused women found abuse victims had an approximately six- fold increase in clinically-identified substance abuse, a more than three-fold increase in depression diagnoses, a three-fold increase in sexually transmitted diseases, and a two-fold increase in lacerations.

But it is not just the spouse who suffers these lifelong consequences. It is their children, too. Children who witness domestic violence are more likely to exhibit behavioral and physical health problems, including depression, anxiety, and violence towards peers. They are also more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, engage in teenage prostitution, and commit sexual assault crimes. Fifty percent of men who frequently assault their wives also frequently assault their children, and the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect suggests that domestic violence may be the single major precursor to child abuse and neglect fatalities in this country.

Without question, we must tackle the underlying causes of domestic violence and abuse in this country. At the same time, we must strengthen our health care response to this abuse.

Despite the commitment of health care providers to help domestic violence victims, a critical gap remains in the delivery of health care to victims. Health care providers often only address immediate injuries, without tackling the underlying cause of those injuries. For example, each year, about 324,000 pregnant women in this country are battered by their intimate partners. However, few physicians screen pregnant patients for abuse. This highlights the need to ensure that health care providers have the necessary training and support in order to assess, refer, and support victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Victims know and trust their health care providers. Almost 3/4 of survivors say that they would like their health care providers to ask them about violence and abuse.

Multiple clinical studies have shown that short interventions in the medical environment protect the health and safety of women. These interventions are short between 2 and 10 minutes, and effective. In repeated clinical trials, violence decreased and health status improved following simple assessment and referral protocols. Integrating these effective protocols into our health care system will save lives.

This is why routine assessments for intimate partner violence have been recommended for health care settings by the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, American Nurses Association, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

Since its passage in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, has transformed our criminal justice system and social service system, helping to prevent and respond to domestic violence. The last reauthorization of VAWA, set to expire this year, included a new title authorizing three programs that support the health system's efforts to help victims, preventing further abuse and improving the health status of women. The bill I am introducing today will continue those important efforts.

This bill would consolidate the three existing health programs into one program, while increasing evaluation and accountability. Specifically, this bill would foster public health responses to intimate partner violence and sexual violence; provide training and education of health professionals to respond to violence and abuse; and support research on effective public health approaches to end violence against women.

I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this important bill.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Stand Against Violence and Empower Native Women--SAVE Native Women--Act. I would like to thank the cosponsors of my bill, my good friends Senators Inouye, Murray, Udall of New Mexico, Begich, Franken, Johnson of South Dakota, Baucus, Tester, and Bingaman.

Native women across the country suffer from severe threats to their safety. According to a safety study by the Department of Justice, two in five girls and women in Native communities will suffer domestic violence and one in three will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Can you imagine looking through the loving eyes of your daughter, sister, or mother and knowing one of them will probably be abused in her lifetime? This is a terrible reality of life for Native women and their families across the country. It is an epidemic, it is unacceptable, and we must stand against it. This is why I am introducing the SAVE Native Women Act.

Most of those who commit these terrible crimes against Native women are not Native themselves. Yet, currently, tribes have no ability to prosecute non-Natives for domestic violence and sexual assault in their own communities. This has resulted in a sense of lawlessness and leaves Native women with few places to turn. My bill strengthens tribal jurisdiction over domestic violence and sexual assault so that all offenders, Native and non-Native, can be brought to justice.

My bill strengthens existing programs that support Native victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. In many communities, these programs offer the only safety and support available for Native women. Yet these programs are greatly strained. This bill provides programs with more flexibility and tools to address their most critical needs.

Finally, my bill addresses the disturbing trend of sex trafficking in many Native communities. I have included provisions that improve data gathering and strengthen programs that better understand and respond to sex trafficking of Native women.

I have worked closely with tribes, tribal organizations, and Federal agencies to develop this bill. We should not let the next generation of young Native

women grow up, as their mothers have, in unbearable situations that threaten their security, stability, and even their lives. I urge you to join me and my cosponsors and stand against violence and support passage of the SAVE Native Women Act.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce an amended version of S. 542, the National Guard, Reserve, ``Gray Area'' Retiree, and Surviving Spouse Space-available Travel Equity Act.

The original legislation, S. 542, has been modified slightly. The modification will ensure the Department of Defense retains the authority to issue regulations to implement the bill.

The underlying intent of the legislation has not changed. The bill will provide reserve component members and retired reserve component members the ability to travel overseas and travel with their dependents when there is space-available on a military aircraft. Additionally, the bill will ensure surviving spouses of retired members or members killed in the line of duty to retain space-available travel privileges after the death of their loved one.

Members and retirees of the National Guard and Reserve, their families, and surviving military spouses make great sacrifices for our Nation. However, too often these individuals do not receive the benefits they have earned for their service.

I urge my colleagues to join me in giving parity to our reserve component members, reserve component retirees and surviving military spouses. The no-cost legislation is endorsed by the National Guard Association of the United States.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce an amended version of S. 542, the National Guard, Reserve, ``Gray Area'' Retiree, and Surviving Spouse Space-available Travel Equity Act.

The original legislation, S. 542, has been modified slightly. The modification will ensure the Department of Defense retains the authority to issue regulations to implement the bill.

The underlying intent of the legislation has not changed. The bill will provide reserve component members and retired reserve component members the ability to travel overseas and travel with their dependents when there is space-available on a military aircraft. Additionally, the bill will ensure surviving spouses of retired members or members killed in the line of duty to retain space-available travel privileges after the death of their loved one.

Members and retirees of the National Guard and Reserve, their families, and surviving military spouses make great sacrifices for our Nation. However, too often these individuals do not receive the benefits they have earned for their service.

I urge my colleagues to join me in giving parity to our reserve component members, reserve component retirees and surviving military spouses. The no-cost legislation is endorsed by the National Guard Association of the United States.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.