Frank Lautenberg: “Mr. President, a light comes as a result of the fact that we have our female colleagues with us in this Senate. How hard…”

“Mr. President, a light comes as a result of the fact that we have our female colleagues with us in this Senate. How hard they work to get things done on both sides of the aisle. What a difference it has made in the way we operate. Many of us were here before there was a reasonable presence of women--and it is not yet 'reasonable'; I will strike that word. But that will change in time. We are getting there. They have helped to bring to the consciousness of all America the kinds of abuses that are perpetrated against women and young children who are female--disgusting practices that shock us all; trafficking in young women, forcing them into virtual slavery and being sexually exploited, and losing their identity in the process. It is a humiliation few can imagine. I commend the authors of this bill. Also, I commend them for including the section on violence against women.”