Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act Of 2019
Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk. Madam Chair, the Violence Against Women Act expired on September 30, 2018. It is incredibly disappointing that we ever let this landmark bill expire in the first place, but we now have an…
Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
Madam Chair, the Violence Against Women Act expired on September 30, 2018. It is incredibly disappointing that we ever let this landmark bill expire in the first place, but we now have an opportunity to provide additional resources and address gaps in the expired law to better protect women in Iowa and across the land from violence. My amendment will help do that.
I have introduced an amendment that will increase STOP grants to help local law enforcement agencies and community organizations better combat and prosecute violence against women. This funding will help law enforcement agencies develop and strengthen strategies to end domestic and sexual violence.
I have met with local police officers and sheriffs throughout my district, and they all tell me they are underresourced and they are understaffed. I promised them I would do anything in my power to make sure they get what they need to protect our communities.
STOP grants also provide prosecutors with the proper tools and resources they need to get justice for survivors and prosecute those who commit violence against women.
While we must do everything in our power to stop violence against women, the sad reality is domestic and sexual violence is prevalent in this country. It is prevalent across all socioeconomic backgrounds, and it is something that is not exclusive to any one part of this country. We have it in our own backyard.
For many victims of domestic and sexual violence, recovery can be a lifelong process. We need to make sure that we are providing organizations that provide victim services, like the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault, with the resources they need to develop and strengthen programs to help as many survivors as possible.
When I worked at the State of Iowa, I helped the Crime Victims Assistance Unit in the AG's office improve their processes, so I know that in Iowa--I have seen it firsthand--we don't have enough resources to address the needs that we have.
There are simple steps that we can take that have a major impact on the amount of people that we can help, and that is what these grants do. They will help our local law enforcement agencies, our local prosecutors, and local community organizations stop more crimes, prosecute more perpetrators, and provide services to more survivors.
Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), my colleague.
Madam Chair, I appreciate what my colleague across the aisle is saying; however, our debt can be looked at in many ways to amend. However, our local police officers, our local communities, and our organizations that support victims with assistance are in dire need of the additional funding.
I would argue that this administration is the cause of this major debt that we have, and we should not take that out on our local communities that I know are supported across the aisle.
Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.