Vawa Technical Amendment Act of 2022

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 7) to make a technical amendment to the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 7

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``VAWA Technical Amendment Act of 2022''. SEC. 2. GRANTS TO COMBAT VIOLENT CRIMES.

(a) Amendment.--Section 2001(d) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10441(d)) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1)--

(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian'' after ``Indian'';

(B) in subparagarph (B), by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian'' after ``Indian'';

(C) in subparagraph (C)--

(i) by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian communities'' after ``tribal communities''; and

(ii) by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian'' after ``Indian''; and

(D) in subparagraph (D)--

(i) by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian communities'' after ``Indian tribes''; and

(ii) by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian'' after ``against Indian'';

(2) in paragraph (2)--

(A) in subparagraph (A)(iii), by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian communities'' after ``Indian tribes''; and

(B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian communities'' after ``Indian tribes''; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

``(6) Native hawaiian defined.--In this subsection, the term `Native Hawaiian' has the meaning given that term in section 801 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4221).''.

(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--Section 40002(a)(42) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(42)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (A)--

(A) by inserting ``, Native Hawaiian organizations, or the Native Hawaiian community'' after ``Indian service providers'';

(B) by inserting ``, organizations, or communities'' after ``member providers''; and

(C) by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian'' after ``designed to assist Indian''; and

(2) in subparagraph (B)--

(A) in clause (i), by inserting ``, organizations, or communities'' after ``member service providers''; and

(B) in clause (ii), by inserting ``or Native Hawaiian communities'' after ``tribal communities''. SEC. 3.

This Act shall become effective one day after enactment.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. NADLER. 7.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 7, which would amend the Violence Against Women Act to ensure that Native Hawaiian women can access the benefits and support included in the critical Violence Against Women Act.

According to the National Institute of Justice, more than 1.5 million American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime, while women in these communities experience significantly higher levels of sexual violence and stalking.

Since its introduction in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act has provided billions of dollars of grant funding to address the needs of those who have survived domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, dating violence, and other crimes against women.

One of VAWA's major grant programs, the Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors grants, commonly known as STOP grants, provides funding for eligible Native organizations to help combat sexual violence and support victims and survivors. However, due to an error in drafting language, which was first made known to Congress and the Department of Justice in 2016, Native Hawaiian organizations have been unable to access this funding to serve Native Hawaiian victims and survivors.

Specifically, Native Hawaiian organizations are able to apply for STOP grant funding, but they cannot use those funds to actually serve the Native Hawaiian community. As a result of this drafting oversight, Native Hawaiian women are denied access to these critical resources, which are meant to encourage the development and improvement of effective victim advocacy and services in cases involving violent crimes against women and to strengthen services to victims.

S. 7 would amend the act to include specific references to Native Hawaiians and Native Hawaiian communities and organizations. This simple fix would make certain that all victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including Native Hawaiian women, are able to access the services and support they need to rebuild their lives.

I thank Senator Mazie Hirono for introducing this modest but important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, for nearly three decades, the Violence Against Women Act has provided critical funding to organizations that support victims and survivors of gender-based violence. However, Native Hawaiian women, who experience disproportionately high levels of sexual violence, have been excluded from accessing these much-needed resources.

S. 7 would allow Native Hawaiian victims and survivors to receive the support they need and would allow Native Hawaiian organizations to increase their efforts to combat sexual violence.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source