The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN OFFICE ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Senate section on pages S7582-S7583 on July 12, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN OFFICE ACT
Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to announce my cosponsorship of S. 570, the Violence Against Women Office Act introduced by my colleague Senator Biden. This bill will further our efforts in combating the problem of domestic violence. Domestic violence is not simply a localized, private issue, the ripple effect--
socially and economically--from this problem makes it a concern for all Americans.
The statistics make my case. The crime of battering occurs every 15 seconds in this country. Over 50 percent of women will experience physical violence in an intimate relationship during their lifetime. Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend per year to three million women annually who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend.
The Violence Against Women Act is a strong indication of our commitment to address this problem. Any possible action we can take to enhance the effectiveness of our government's efforts in this arena must be taken. This bill is one such action.
Establishment of the Violence Against Women Office, (VAWO) by statute will provide permanency in our federal efforts to combat domestic violence. This bill will institutionalize the office and will help to fulfill the federal government's responsibility to meet the goals embodied in the Violence Against Women Act, (VAWA).
This office will be located within the U.S. Department of Justice, placed within the Associate Attorney General's Office, and will be led by a director appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. In addition to running the VAWO, the Director will serve as Special Counsel to the Attorney General on all issues related to violence against women. The office is responsible for the development of policy, programs, public education initiatives, and management of all grant programs funded under the VAWA. I would underscore that this legislation does not contemplate increased staff or require any expenditure of funds beyond that currently appropriated.
In the past, the VAWO director has brought visibility and credibility to the matter of violence against women, making it an issue of national concern and earning the respect of police, prosecutors, and victim service providers. This precedence should be furthered by establishing an office to address violence against women by statute. The Office and its Director will reflect the importance that Congress and the Administration place on making this issue a priority for the federal government and the country.
In addition, this step will insure that succeeding Administrations will continue to fully implement the provisions of the VAWA. An office placed under the direct supervision of the Associate Attorney General will reflect the Justice Department's understanding that non-criminal justice system services should be offered as part of a community coordinated response. By employing a specialized knowledge of the best practices in the field, a statutory mandate will guarantee that grant funds are well utilized. A strong and visible office is necessary to implement the recommendations embodied in the National Agenda and Call to Action on Violence Against Women.
I am proud that New Mexico has many dedicated individuals offering services to battered women in our state. The Violence Against Women Act has bolstered their means to provide shelters for women in crisis, get access to legal assistance, and transition out of abusive situations. Further, VAWA funding is provided for educational outreach to medical providers and local law enforcement to increase their abilities to identify and respond in domestic violence cases.
Just last year, New Mexico entities received numerous grants as a result of the Violence Against Women Office. These grants included:
El Refugio, Inc. of Silver City received $304,931 from the Civil Legal Assistance Grant Program, an increase from their 1998 grant of
$295,596. With these monies, they will be able to continue existing project activities in their legal assistance program from low income and indigent battered women.
Likewise, The Eight Northern Indian Pueblos, Inc., the Jicarilla Apache Tribe, the Pueblo of Laguna, and the Santa Ana Pueblo have collectively received $331,593 from the STOP Violence Against Indian Women Discretionary Grant Program. This allocation will be used to enhance and maintain current programs aimed at decreasing violence against women.
Since enactment of VAWA, other grants totaling over $1.5 million have been provided to the City of Albuquerque in support of the Albuquerque Police's Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART), to Santa Fe County for implementation of a judicial oversight program to enhance offender accountability, and to Dona Ana County's efforts to expand prosecutorial services for victims, DART and La Casa Inc., the local battered women's shelter.
This nation-wide problem demands a local response. Federal funding is being effectively used to leverage existing community-based organizations and local law enforcement officials to help prevent and persecute domestic violence.
Last year I cosponsored the Violence Against Women Act. This year I am supporting full funding of VAWA programs for the Justice Department programs and in the Health and Human Services budget, despite the tight fiscal constraints and competing priorities for those agencies.
Domestic violence is a scourge. We must commit to addressing it. This legislation is one concrete step in the right direction.
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