We'll be hearing from thank you for the bipartisanship, but all uh and many champions in Congress, including congressman sheila Jackson, Lee, a feeling with that who has worked so hard on this issue for such a very long time. Thank you. Sheila Jackson, Lee for your leadership and we are pleased that this bill is being introduced as I said on a bipartisan basis. There should be nothing partisan about where political that ending the scourge of domestic violence and the sexual assault which one in three women Face today, one in three women we hope to receive more bipartisan support as the bill moves forward. The bill preserves the vital progress that was made in the two thousand 13 re authorization to protect the lgbt q community native American community and immigrant women. That was part of the fight we we couldn't get the bill to the floor because they were assistance to protect immigrant lgbt q and native American women, but then we did a bipartisan bill in the Senate and Our bill in the House and that the broader success and President Obama sign that in the presence of many from those communities and it builds on the progress with life saving updates that reflect the voices of survivors and the input of experts, some of them we'll hear from today with this bill we're empowering law enforcement and helping stop abusers and stalkers from obtaining firearms we're supporting survivors with protections against discrimination in the workplace And unjust evictions and we're strengthening protections again for native American women because every woman everywhere has a right to live free from the views we are all members to join us in strong bipartisan support for this bill and now it is my privilege to he was there 25 years ago when we passed the bill in the House than some of us who are involved with funding the legislation following that and that uh that continues, but now we have a champion for the bill is the chairman of the judiciary A congressman Jerry adler Thank you in 19 94 I was a member of the judiciary Committee or freshman. When we first passed power. Thank you all for being here to support the introduction of the violence against women re authorization act of two thousand 19. I wanna thank the people who made today reality, particularly the many victims survivors and advocates, including those with us here today who have supported us and bringing our two thousand 19 to fruition. My colleagues and I, under the leadership of Speaker Nancy pelosi stand ready to work on your behalf to protect and enhance this indispensable indispensable law. I want to thank Ms And mister fitzpatrick for their leadership in this bipartisan effort to introduce this bill and I want to thank miss Jackson, Lee for her longstanding and tireless efforts over the years to protect and strengthen the violence against women act when I was first enacted in 19 94. It was all too common for violent crimes against women to go without proper, without appropriate response and to remain under dressed by the criminal Justice system with the enactment of iowa Congress began to take seriously its role in ensuring that communities across America have the tools they need to combat the crimes with the Violence dating violence, sexual assault and stalking victims survivors and the communities where they live have relied on Congress to help provide the resources needed to prevent, investigate and prosecute these crimes and to assist survivors. Unfortunately, these programs and resources are still necessary. Every year, approximately seven point nine million women experience the crimes of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner and then average of three Women are killed every single day by a current or former intimate partner. These are chilling statistics and much still remains to be done via has been re authorized three times before in two thousand and two thousand five and two thousand 13 on a bipartisan basis and we are here today on a bipartisan basis to be authorized by our again, but this bill is more than just a mere realtor, is Asian the bill strengthens and improves the current law in many respects, among other things, it expands the permissible use of Grant moneys focused on increasing survey Law enforcement and community safety and improve services for victims. It dedicated considerable resources to prevention and training efforts and enhances and improves responses to violence and a variety of areas, including in the healthcare sector and the housing sector and that helps protect native American women by enhancing tribal criminal jurisdiction. Tribal criminal jurisdiction over certain types of crimes. It is quite fitting that we are introducing our two thousand 19 during women's history month and on the eve of National women's day we must support violent and the many people who will benefit from it in the coming weeks. The judiciary Committee will Mark up violence. Two thousand 19. We had a hearing on it today. We'll be marking. It up probably next week and we will debate on the floor of the House. I encourage all of my colleagues to support it as I will, as I know everyone here will every step of the way. Thank you and I yield I'm glad to yield now to the to the chairperson of the crime subcommittee of judiciary uh representative bass Thank you very much Thank you very much. Mister chair and thank you, madam Speaker, for your incredible leadership in this issue and of our House today is a very important day for survivors everywhere. We're here to follow through on the pledge we made to the American people when we said we would deliver in the hundred and sixteenth Congress. We said re authorizing the violence against women act was a priority in the first 100 days of this Congress and today we are keeping our word by introducing the bipartisan violence against women act of 20 19. I welcome my Co sponsor Mr fitzpatrick, who joins me in introducing this monumental piece of legislation, the vow act of 20 19 that builds upon the amazing progress made under the leadership of my colleague, congresswoman Jackson, Lee in the last Congress. This year we celebrate the 20 fifth anniversary of allah and on this very day, March seventh President barack Obama, signed our last viable re authorization in 20 13 and today on the sixth anniversary of ours. Last passage we're holding this press conference to address the urgency of now in re authorizing this vital legislation for centuries Have fought vigorously to demand changes in our federal laws, not simply for their own benefit but for others, as well via is no exception in that regard, women have stood up for themselves for men and for their children and have said no more join me in welcoming regina mal vo ceo of the wi of the ywca in spokane Washington Good afternoon uh as um representative bass indicated my name is regina of oh I'm a survivor. I'm the ceo of the ywca, spokane and a proud board member of the ywca uh USA. I'm here today with my colleagues from across the country, uh new hampshire Pennsylvania tennessee. Another colleague from Washington state and we're here representing 200 and 20 ywca, is across the country really to implore Congress um to really authorize vala it's critical and authorizing in it the full funding level is equally as important the ywca serves For a half million women and girls and families with domestic violence, uh victim service support uh in spokane. We serve over 17000 spokane Washington is a population of about 400000 and our Organization serves 17000 uh women and children. Uh with support services, including shelter, counseling and legal services that gives you some sense of the gravity of the problem and even so, um our funding Um authorized by balboa only allows us to serve one third of the victims who come seeking legal services so we're required to turn two thirds of those victims away based on um our attorney capacity compared to uh the demand and um one example of a client who benefits from uh via in the services provided under it, uh was jill who is a survivor uh living in our shelter after receiving a protection order and support with uh assistance with a parenting plan to keep her children from To um spend um regular time with the perpetrator to often the family law system is manipulated by perpetrators and victims and children continue to be victimized. Uh when I spoke with jill and um, she told me I will never forget what the ywca did for us and how important you are to our survival again. It's imperative for Congress to pass a strong Va, a bill now and to commit to fully funding uh these critical services which we ab They are saving lives and I'd like to now turn the podium over to representative um it's Patrick and thank you for your leadership Extra jenna um and thank you again, representative bass and representative Jackson Lee, both who put a lot of work in the getting this bill prepared for up for introduction um and I speak to you not just as a member of Congress but um as a 14 year Fbi agen who seen the horrific nature of these crimes and also who spend a lot of time in the area of victim advocacy uh. This piece of legislation. I can assure you, it is very, very important to the law enforcement communities across this country federal state and local an average of 20 people Experience intimate partner, physical violence every minute in the United States and the violence against women act has drastically improved our nation's response to safeguarding women and children from abuse and anguish and the violence against women act has helped prevent victimization and help survivors and their families get the resources they need to begin the healing process the violence against women act programs are the key and building awareness of domestic and sexual abuse, improving services and support for victims and enhancing law firm Training and response and congress's failure to re authorize this critical legislation jeopardize the resources that millions of Americans rely on. This re authorizes uh. This realization provides needed services for young people by working to combat bullying, educating youth on how to prevent violence and helping children exposed to violence and we must also engage men and preventing violence and this legislation we authorizes the smart prevent program which will help do just that and works to reduce dating violence I'm glad that the combat online predators act which was my legislation from last cycle. I was included which will ensure that not only are we increasing penalties for cyber stocking. Uh especially against women and minors, but we are also requiring federal law enforcement officials to constantly evaluate and update practices to combat online harassment and cyber bullying uh in bucks County, a woman's police provides housing for women and families who are life threatening conditions and this re authorization increases protections for survivors and That they have the necessary protections to live without fear and today I'm joined with two incredible partners from bucks County Pennsylvania Jim hines, who is the director of advocacy and outreach for women's place. Bucks county's only domestic violence agency serving survivors of domestic violence for 42 years and pet penny at injure who is executive director of network a victim assistance also known as nova nova is a rape crisis in comprehensive crime, victim services agency in bucks County and I'd like to uh To introduce such an Heights once place Good afternoon I want to begin by saying thank you to congressman fitzpatrick for inviting a woman's place to be here and also for his continued support. But most importantly, today is support on the extremely important issue of re authorizing bomb at home in bucks County Pennsylvania is critical to our work, follow helps a woman, a woman's place support survivors of domestic violence and also educate the community on how to prevent abusive relationships before they happen each year, a woman's place serves over three thousand brand new clients, just in bucks County who need shelter options counseling legal assistance and advocacy and we and Over four thousand hotline calls every year last year, if I enabled us to handle over three thousand cases of emergency Justice related assistance and over a thousand cases of criminal advocacy on behalf of our clients, it also enabled us to provide over 12600 hours of counseling, unlike some of our sister domestic violence organizations, a woman's place is emergency shelter is very small housing only seven families at a time and that's the only domestic violence, shelter in the whole County as The only family staying in our shelter, our families were in imminent danger and their homes often fleeing for their lives. It is not beyond exaggeration to say that Va funding save the lives of 56 women and 94 children who stayed in our shelter. Last year alone, the violence against women act re authorization of 20 19 is crucial to the work we do in bucks County with survivors of domestic violence. Every single day because of the countless lives that are saved by vow every day. This bill cannot be a partisan issue. We had a women's Are proud to support this bill and encourage this Congress to move forward with the re authorization of all am I would now like to turn this over to patty penny adding jar. Thank you Good afternoon thank you, congressman fitzpatrick ss Speaker, pelosi chairman, adler and other members of Congress, for your invitation to speak. This is quite an honor to express what we do in the community with Va funds. Uh nova is the comprehensive victim services Organization in bucks County, providing services to over 30 600 victims each year. Many who are victims of sexual assault, human trafficking stalking and other serious crimes are Organization Critical funding under wa including stop and the sexual assault services formula Grant program, otherwise known as sass pe and the rape prevention, education program. Um buttons excuse me fun support a variety of services, including a model, sexual assault nurse, examiner program, providing specialized health services and evidence collection for sexual assault victims in four of our six hospitals in the County the rp e fun Or the rape prevention, education funds that November receives for prevention, education, provides significant financial support to expand primary prevention programs that are key to preventing child sexual abuse, preventing sexual assault and violence against women, girls and minorities. Vala funds are the sole public source for our sexual assault prevention, education programs, for children Youth and College students, however, the demand from schools and community has increased dramatically with the me too movement. So we are ever looking to expand those programs. If our country is going to have a significantly a significant decrease in the number of sexual assaults among the next generation than funds for vala must be available to provide for the development and implementation Of age, appropriate evidence based programs that are culturally appropriate and promote healthy attitudes and behaviors. I will now turn the floor over to Congress representative. Debbie dingle I wanna thank everyone for being here this afternoon and I really do want to thank Speaker pelosi during adler karen bass sheila Jackson, Lee, but more importantly, all of my colleagues, men and women who stand behind me in a bipartisan way. Uh to fight violence against women. We desperately need to re authorize this act. I spend uh as you can imagine, I spend a lot of time with these groups and they're really scared I was set safe House in my own district and they don't know how they're gonna continue programs and, unfortunately instead of there being less need, since this bill was originally passed, there's more need no woman child or man should fear for their life because of domestic violence and without the updates in support of the critical programs and viola were moving backwards. Good proud programs helping victims are worried that the Disappear and I want you to think about you've heard these wonderful women who are out there, helping others that is one more stress point on top of all of the other stress when they're trying to help people so today you've already heard the powerful stories from actual people who rely on them. Our uh programs and you've heard from my colleagues on the top lines of what the bill does so I wanna talk about two specific ones that people don't think about as often as they should one A bill that I introduced last year is now part of this zero tolerance for domestic abusers. You heard me talk on the floor last week. This bipartisan bill and it really is important to acknowledge that this is bipartisan closes loopholes that make it easy right now, people don't understand how easy it is for perpetrators of dating violence and those convicted to still get a gun. People with a history of domestic violence shouldn't have access to guns 70 Percent of the women murdered by a current or former intimate partner experience stocking in the last year of their life. Think about that closing loopholes. That allows doctors to have access to guns saves light period and then we have the viral health provision. The House provisions in this bill strengthens the health care system's identification, assessment and response to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and dating violence study show a strong Relation between those receiving mental health and substance, abuse services and the likelihood of domestic abuse as the root cause provisions in this bill bring together our way too fragmented mental health and domestic violence systems. So we can actually serve the survivors. There is no reason a survivor should face hurdles when trying to connect with the services they need to recover bower is a bipartisan effort. We need We authorized this bill, men, women and children are counting on us and dip My color I'm honored to be here today to help introduce this vital legislation like millions of others, I suffered domestic violence so I understand all too well how important it is for women, men and children in America to have trained people to turn to during some of the scariest moments of their lives. This legislation will provide the resources to train local police and first responders to respond appropriately the first I called for help the officer who arrived told me that if I called for protection again, my children Would be taking away from me So it's your millions suffering saying what's for fear that getting help will result in there being blamed I waited weeks by did have to call for help again and when I did it was a huge difference. The officer who arrived told me I was brave. He told me I could survive. He told me he would help me and he protected my kids me and my husband and helped us all get the help that we need. It. That is what this legislation is about. It's about making sure when many women and children around this country call for help those that arrive on the scene. No, what to do and are willing to do it. I apologize For like two years And today, katy porter is a new member of the House of representatives Today, you've heard from the Speaker of the House, the chairman of the Committee, you've, heard from survivors you've, heard from activist you've, heard from other members of Congress representative. Gwen Moore, who has been a leader on this issue, is coming up right now Oh, thank you, karen best, just let me tell you how great it is to have all of you convene here for this important piece of legislation that has an impact on women and some men. Uh both parties every race creed, color. I want to thank Speaker pelosi and chairman adler for having me be here today to speak on the re authorization of the violence against women act and I also want to welcome and invoke the spirit of louise Mcintosh slaughter who uh Was the original sponsor of this legislation and, as many of you know, viola means a lot to me personally and I'm just one of the millions of women and men who have experienced domestic violence in their lives and I'm just one too many uh. But I'm not alone because we got a community behind us a family of men and women who believe that sexual violence has no place in our communities. We stand together to expand and enhance and pass legislation that will save lives but It's not the ceiling that we shall reach it is the floor from which we have to work from now This re authorization is just the beginning where we will say times up to the scourge of domestic violence. I just can't wait until we just work our way out of this problem and our future generations will say really was that ever a problem just like polio or something is going to be rare um, but I wanna thank our dear friend uh chairwoman bassin and and congressman uh fitzpatrick. This is a bipartisan initiative uh who included critical provisions that address the disproportionate domestic violence and sexual violence faced by in Women, this is really been a hurdle that we've worked on for a couple of cycles and I'm excited to partner with my colleagues to work on these issues and carpet them. Let's take advantage of this momentum and, let's get this thing dunks Let me just thank all of the activists and the advocate organizations for your hundreds of hours. Your months. Your years of working on this re authorization. This concludes the press conference. Thank you very much