Syria

Floor Speech

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Mrs. SHAHEEN. Madam President, I am pleased to join my colleagues on the floor to support this crucial legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. It provides essential services to women and families across the United States.

I have seen in my home State of New Hampshire where one program I wish to talk about funds Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors. It is called STOP. It provides law enforcement the tools they need to combat domestic violence. This was a lifesaving service for a women named Kathy, who was in an abusive relationship for 6 years.

Kathy was being abused as often as twice a week, frequently leaving her with black eyes and bruises. Once her partner Mark threw her down the stairs. Things worsened after the couple had their house foreclosed on. One day, Mark grabbed Kathy by the throat, lifted her off the floor and dropped her and began punching her again and again in front of their 3-year-old child. That was the last straw.

Kathy finally mustered the courage to contact a friend who helped her call the local police. Kathy obtained a temporary domestic violence restraining order and Mark was charged with assault.

As is often the case, the criminal and civil procedures overwhelmed and frustrated Kathy. At times, she even considered dropping the whole thing. But, fortunately, funding from the Violence Against Women Act made it possible for Kathy to have an attorney who could help her. Thanks to this assistance from STOP and the Violence Against Women Act, Kathy was able to obtain sole custody of her children, as well as support payments, and ultimately she was able to make a fresh start, free from abuse.

Some critics of this legislation have said that the Violence Against Women Act ``has done little or no good for real victims of domestic violence.'' They have said that these funds ``have been used to fill feminist coffers and to lobby for feminist objectives.'' I think Kathy would disagree.

This body should not be divided on this issue, and I am so pleased that Senator Murkowski has joined us today. Ending the horrific, degrading and painful cycle of domestic abuse is an effort that must transcend party affiliation.

We know these programs work, and I know that we have a strong and effective leader in Susan Carbon, who is a former judge and now the Director of the Office of Violence against Women at the U.S. Department of Justice. Susan Carbon is from New Hampshire and in my time as Governor of New Hampshire, I was privileged to have Susan as a member of the Governor's Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence, and she chaired our Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee.

Susan has been in the trenches. She has seen what happens when women are unable to obtain help for themselves and for their families, and she knows that VAWA helps save lives. She needs these essential programs to be reauthorized as quickly as possible in order to continue her great work.

There are too many victims who need our help. It is time to tell them, ``We hear you and we know you're out there even if you're not speaking up right now. We want to help you find your voice.'' We have the chance to make a difference, and the American people are depending on us to act.

Madam President, I urge the leaders to bring the Violence against Women Reauthorization Act to the floor, and I implore my colleagues to unite around this important effort.

This body should not be divided on this issue. As I said, I am so pleased to have Senator Murkowski join us on the Senate floor today to point out that this is a bipartisan issue.

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