Judy Chu: “I thank Congressman Takano. Last week, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers all across the country got a…”

“I thank Congressman Takano. Last week, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers all across the country got a notice from the Federal Office of Justice Programs that as of last Friday, thanks to this Republican shutdown, they will not be able to draw down the funds they normally rely on and may have to stop operating. The shelters in my district showed me the notice, and it gave us all chills. They would be forced to shut their doors, leaving abused victims and children with nowhere else to turn. Just yesterday, I was in a Judiciary hearing in which an advocate said that their agency had just seen a young girl who was beaten, tortured, and raped for 5 hours. If these centers are not open, where is a girl like this to go? As a former rape crisis counselor, I know firsthand the damage that domestic violence and sexual assault causes. We can't just leave these victims to fend for themselves, vulnerable to their abusers at the most critical times of their lives. That is why agencies in my district, like YWCA Wangs Haven House, the San Gabriel Valley Center, Asian Women's Center, and House of Ruth, exist, to help victims get their lives together. This GOP shutdown is beyond shameful; it is disgusting. Enough already. It is time to end the shutdown. It is time to let us vote. General Leave”