Rep. Lowenthal Delivers Floor Speech on Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013

On February 27th, 2013, Representative Alan Lowenthal CA-47 delivered a floor speech on S.47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.

(Full text as written)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for yielding. I stand here today to urge my colleagues to bring the Senate-version of the Violence Against Women Act – a bill that would provide critical services to all victims of domestic abuse – to the House floor.

My friends, my colleagues, my constituents: it is time to reauthorize.

I want to applaud all of the Senate Democrats, all of the female Senators, and the vast majority of the Senate Republicans who believe that VAWA is good for the safety of all women, regardless of their sexual orientation, ethnicity, or tribal heritage.

As for the altered House version, which clearly rejects the equal protections outlined in the Senate version: it is unfair, unjust, and unacceptable.

I have a few questions for my colleagues in the House who altered the bipartisan Senate VAWA bill:

Why do our LGBT, Native American, and immigrant brothers and sisters not deserve the same protections?

Why are they the exception in your eyes?

And, why must they be continually denied the same freedoms and liberties we all enjoy under our Constitution?

By reauthorizing the Senate version of VAWA:

We can make sure our LGBT brothers and sisters receive appropriate care when they are victimized;

We can make sure that immigrants, who so desperately want to be a part of this great nation, will not have to hide behind their abusers in fear of deportation;

And, we can make sure that the three out of five American Indian women who will experience domestic violence in their lifetime can have the peace of mind to know that their abusers will not be given a way out of prosecution.

My colleagues: This is not politics and this certainly is not a game. This is simply the right thing to do. Thank you. I now yield back my time.