Political Quotes

“Mr. President, the Violence Against Women Act--known as VAWA--has been in effect for 18 years and it has saved lives and strengthened families all over the country. I speak as a Coloradoan, and I will cite statistics that will point to the concrete effects the Violence Against Women Act has had in my State. This was a landmark piece of legislation and it changed the way we think about and respond to domestic violence. It has made a difference in the lives of literally millions of women all over the country by bringing the perpetrators of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse to justice. It has made a difference by providing safe and secure support services to victims of crimes. It has established a National Domestic Violence Hotline and so much more. It is little wonder such a commonsense and far-reaching concept in legislation has found support from Members of both sides of the aisle. I mentioned Colorado. Let me cite some numbers. In 2010 alone, 60,000 victims of domestic violence contacted State crisis hotlines seeking help. The funding that VAWA provides not only gives our law enforcement beefed up resources and tools for catching and then prosecuting perpetrators, but it also supports critical services for victims and survivors. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has used 2 minutes.”