Political Quotes

“I rise today to help introduce a bill with my good friend from California that will bring new and needed tools to the battle to end violence against children in America, whether it takes place inside the home or out on the street. Today, Senator Boxer and I are introducing the Violence Against Children Act, VACA, which provides a comprehensive approach to prevent crimes against children, treat child victims, and prosecute those who harm our Nation's children. In 1994, this body passed a piece of legislation that I authored, the Violence Against Women Act. When we passed this landmark legislation, we said as a Congress, and as a Nation as a whole, that domestic violence is not a family problem to be dealt with quietly behind the scenes, but a national crisis in need of a coordinated response from law enforcement, the courts and the medical community. Backed by almost one and half billion dollars of Federal funds, the Violence Against Women Act spurred a sea change on the Federal, State and local levels in how police, prosecutors, judges, medical personnel and others, process and handle cases of domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking. Most importantly, the Violence Against Women Act also made it clear that victims of domestic violence and sexual assault were, in fact, victims: Victims who deserved the full extend of this Nation's medical and legal resources.”