Political Quotes

“Madam President, I think we have clearance on a noncontroversial resolution that is going to pass yet this evening, and I rise for about 5 minutes to speak on this issue. Last week I submitted a resolution to commemorate the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which takes place each October. I thank Senators Leahy, Ayotte, and Klobuchar for joining me as original cosponsors of this measure. I have met with many domestic violence victims over the years. We have come a long way since the enactment in 1984, with my support, of the landmark Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. In the decades since then, Congress has committed billions of dollars to implement that statute, as well as the Violence Against Women Act, and we have seen a decline in the rate of serious partner violence over the last two decades, according to the Congressional Research Service. But researchers and advocates who work with domestic violence survivors remind us that there is still much work to be done to stop this terrible crime and support survivors in their efforts to heal. It is estimated that as many as 9 million Americans are physically abused by a partner every year. According to a 2011 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 22 percent of women and about 14 percent of men have experienced severe physical abuse by a partner in their lifetime.…”