On the recordOctober 21, 2021
Today I rise to recognize National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Sadly, domestic violence has plagued our families and communities in the Nation for far too long. Each year, one in three women and one in four men in the United States experience domestic violence. My hometown of Fresno has, sadly, one of the highest rates in California of verified domestic violence calls to the police department. We cannot ignore these staggering statistics, and we must do more to address this crisis. This year, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act and the Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA, fix, to prevent violence and expand victim services to our communities. These bills would help organizations working tirelessly to uplift survivors, including the Marjaree Mason Center, the Centro La Familia, and the Valley Crisis Center in my district. This week, the House also will be voting on the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021, of which I am a cosponsor. This bill aims to improve services for victims of domestic, dating, and family violence, and we need to invest more. I urge my colleagues to join me in advancing these efforts to end domestic violence. As chair and cofounder of the Congressional Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus, it ought to be our priority to benefit those survivors and provide them the resources they deserve. ____________________
