Manuel Lujan: “I want to share a story of one of my constituents, Rayen. Her story is hard to hear, but we cannot tune it out. When…”

“I want to share a story of one of my constituents, Rayen. Her story is hard to hear, but we cannot tune it out. When Rayen first reached out for protection, her partner, Daniel, had struck her with a wrench, raped her, and strangled her to the point of unconsciousness. But Tribal police had little jurisdiction over Daniel, who is not Native American. They were forced to turn the case over to Federal prosecutors. Next, Rayen went missing. Her body was found several weeks later, beaten and strangled. Rayen's story is representative of the violence women, especially Native women, face every day. This violence is an epidemic in our country. Native women are 10 times more likely to be murdered than any other ethnicity. We need to act. The Violence Against Women Act is a pillar of our Federal response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Passage of H.R. 1585 will ensure that every survivor of domestic violence is given the protection they need to rebuild their lives after experiencing violence. Mr. Chair, please join me in voting for this legislation in memory of Rayen and in memory of all the women who have faced domestic violence and assault.”