Mr. President, I want to thank my colleagues Senator Durbin, Senator Feinstein, and Senator Murkowski for joining me on the floor this morning to talk about a very important topic and one that we can finally celebrate, which is the passage and the signing of the Violence Against Women Act. Nine years--it has been 9 years since the Violence Against Women Act was reauthorized, but, finally, the Senate reauthorized and modernized this very important bill. Last week, the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 passed the House and the Senate, and yesterday, at long last, it was signed into law. I have been a proud champion of this bill over the last 3 years. And while no bill is perfect, I am extremely grateful for the bipartisan work to get it over the finish line. This bill is personal. Many of you know my story. I am the one out of three women who has experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Similarly, one in four men have had the same experience. This means nearly 20 people per minute, more than 10 million women and men in the United States every single year have suffered this horrific personal abuse. I am not a victim. I am a survivor. It took me a long time to say those words out loud. And my hope is that with this bill some women will never have to, and those who do will have the necessary support and resources in a moment of crisis to cope with and ultimately overcome their trauma.…
On the recordMarch 16, 2022
Share & report
More from Joni Ernst
Jan 8, 2025
Mr. President, thank you to my colleague from Oklahoma, Senator James Lankford, for arranging today's event. Mr. President, a winter storm shut down the Nation's Capital this week, but did anyone notice? Essential government employees…
Feb 27, 2025
Withdrawn. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Withdrawn. The Senator from California is recognized for two minutes.
Jan 20, 2025
Mr. President, I rise in support of the Laken Riley Act and ask my fellow colleagues to vote for my amendment, Sarah's Law. Combined, these actions will close the loopholes that for too long have allowed murderers who come here illegally…
Feb 17, 2025
DoD did not track funding at the level of detail necessary to determine whether the DoD provided funding to Chinese research laboratories.





