Joe Biden: “Because the Violence Against Women Act authorization expires today, it is necessary that we pass legislation to…”

“Because the Violence Against Women Act authorization expires today, it is necessary that we pass legislation to reauthorize this bill immediately. As a result, the Senate does not have an opportunity to debate and vote on all the amendments that Senators may wish to offer to this bill. One such amendment that the Senator from Oklahoma, Dr. Coburn, had intended to offer would address the issue of HIV and sexual assault and seek greater testing for HIV disease among sexual assault defendants. I would ask the Senator from Oklahoma, who is a practicing physician, to comment on the merits of this proposal and why it is so important.”