Chris Coons: “I rise today in honor of the 18th anniversary of the signing of the Violence Against Women Act into law. As my good…”

“I rise today in honor of the 18th anniversary of the signing of the Violence Against Women Act into law. As my good friend and colleague the Senator from California has just reminded all of us, it was my home State Senator, now our Vice President, Joe Biden, whose leadership in getting the Violence Against Women Act signed into law in the first place, moved us in this country toward a society that is more just, that is more safe, that is more welcoming. It is, in my view, incredibly discouraging that we are fighting today in the Congress a battle that he made such great early progress on and that should have been won decades ago. Why must we fight in 2012 such a protracted legislative battle to maintain, strengthen, and secure the rights of more than half of the population of this country and to extend the lifesaving programs supported by VAWA to those who need them of every background all across our country? It cannot be that it is because those who oppose VAWA's reauthorization believe that violence against women is no longer a threat. In my own home county, New Castle County, DE, earlier this year a man was arrested after a horrifying assault on his ex-girlfriend, committed in front of all five of her children. The victim's teenage son called 9-1-1 in a panic, terrified.…”