Do. Further delaying this crucial legislation does this congress no credit and leaves state and local Service Providers facing uncertainty about their ability to continue protecting some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The senate voted to reauthorize the violence against women act with a strong bipartisan majority, and i would strongly encourage the house of representatives do the same to support that underlying bill. Vote yes on the underlying bill. Well move the reauthorizing legislation to the president s desk immediately. Its the right thing to do. Its about time we do it. Thank you. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from washington reserves. The gentlewoman from washington reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Pelosi madam speaker, im very happy to recognize our distinguished democratic whip of the house, mr. Hoyer. He was there in the 1990s when we worked to pass this legislation on the appropriations committee. He and rosa delauro and congresswoman nita lowey and i worked to fund the violence against women act. Hes been there for on this issue for a long time. Im pleased to yield him two minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from maryland is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Hoyer i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Hoyer thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to congratulate the leader for her efforts in getting us to this point. Today after two months i think were going to do something very positive and do it in a very bipartisan way. I think thats excellent. I think america will be advantaged. Every american, women, yes, but every woman will be advantaged. House democrats support the fully inclusive reauthorization of the violence against women act which passed the senate by a bipartisan vote of 7822, as has been referenced. The majority of republican senators and all republican women senators voted in favor. That bill represents a compromise. I urge my colleagues to defeat the partisan amendment version so we can pass the senate bill. I voted for the rule, which allows us that opportunity. Let us take it. The change changes House Republicans made in their version significantly weaken its provisions. I want to say some republicans. I want to make that clear. Not all. And protecting victims of Domestic Violence and empowering Law Enforcement to keep our people safe from these crimes. The House Republican bill owe mitts critical protections for native americans, for lgbt americans and for immigrants. Furthermore, the House Republican bill removes protections for students on campus, victims of Human Trafficking and those whove experienced rape or stalking. Why . Why not protect everybody, all americans . When we fail to protect all victims, abusers can get away with the abuse and repeat it. Maments, congress ought not to be playing madam speaker, congress ought not to be playing with the lives of women and all those who suffer from Domestic Violence. We it owe it to the families, Law Enforcement, prosecutors to make sure that the violence against women act work and can meet the challenges we face today. Thats why we should defeat the weaker House Republican alternative and instead pass the fully inclusive version passed by Senate Democrats and republicans. I expect it to be a bipartisan vote. It is a good day for america, and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentlewoman from california reserves. The gentlewoman from washington is recognized. Mrs. Mcmorris rodgers thank you, madam speaker. And just to clarify, on the house substitute that well be considering later, it ensures that money goes to victims by increasing accountability. It guarantees that grants to combat Sexual Assault are distributed equitablely. It improves the ability for Law Enforcement to prosecutor abusers. It better protects indian women from Domestic Violence, and it safeguards Constitutional Rights to ensure justice for victims. And at had time im pleased to yield to our policy chairman, the gentleman from oklahoma, two minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from oklahoma is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Lankford thank you, madam speaker. I do want to stand in support of the house proposal today on protecting women across this nation. This is something that protects all women. I know theres been some interesting accusations that were trying to exclude people. This is for all women and all places. As a dad of two daughters, i get this. I understand this. My two daughters were on this house floor not very many weeks ago getting a chance to visit to be here and be part of the process and meet great ladies on both sides of the aisle and also to interact with people and see how laws are made. I want them to know in the days ahead, laws here that are done are for every person and that we stand for every family. This is a family issue. This is a womens issue. This is also a state legal issue. Its a community issue, and its also a National Issue thats right that we deal with today. I want to encourage organizations in oklahoma city, like the w mbings ywca, who have a simple theme of eliminating racism, empowering women, but they work every single day to be able to help women that are in situations that they have got to escape out of. I also want to stand up for the 39 drives in oklahoma that ive meat with some of the 39 tribes in oklahoma that ive met with some of the tribal leaders. From my constituents, i want them to know that if theres Domestic Violence that occurs, and the house version assures of this, if they live in indian country, if they work in indian country, if theyre married or dating someone were indian country, that this law protects them from that and makes clear through all of section 900, i encourage people to read, to go through the details of how we stand beside the tribes and how we stand those around indian country, there needs to be prosecution and protection but most all, we need to stand beside every Single Family to do what is right. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields and the gentlewoman from washington reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Pelosi madam speaker, im going to yield to my colleague in a minute. The ywca u. S. A. Supports the Bipartisan Senate bill that we are urging members to support and reject the house bill. With that im pleased to recognize the gentleman from illinois who came to congress fully committed to passing this legislation, mr. Quigley, for one minute. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois is recognized for one minute. Mr. Quigley thank you, madam speaker. Well, if this is for all, and this is for everybody, why attempt to strip out essential protections for immigrants, tribal and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender victims . Do they not feel the same pain . Once again, we have to stand up and vote for equal protections for all victims. The senate seems to get what this had body does not. We are all in this together. These victims are not nameless, faceless members of some group of others. They are our friends, our neighbors, our family members. We are a nation built on justice, fairness and equal protection. We are all stronger when we uphold these ideals and protect the most vulnerable among us. The senatepassed vawa embodies these principles and protects all victims. We should pass it today. Thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentlewoman from california reserves, and the gentlewoman from washington is recognized. Mrs. Mcmorris rodgers thank you, madam speaker. Im pleased to yield to a former prosecutor and the lady from indiana four minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from indiana is recognized for four minutes. Mrs. Brooks thank you. I rise in support of vawa. Yelling, namecalling, black eyes, bruises, belts, broken bottles, children scared and crying in the corners, crying for it to stop, the lies and coverup us to friends and family and then the abuser gains the control and says im sorry. I love you. I wont do it again. Ill change. And the victim stays again and again and again year after year. The cycle of violence goes on from generation to generation just like brittany from tipton county, indiana. Abused by her drug addict mother. Married a man that was a victim of child abuse. And the cycle continued. Brittanys husband verbally and physically abused her while their children watched. Whether you are in a poor family, rich family, whether youre in the city, country or on the farm, we as members of congress have the power and the control to change her life. When brittany finally took control and made the call, it was vawa funds that made sure that the cops that responded recognized it. And ive done those ridealongs and they are the most dangerous calls cops make. When vawa funds are involved, they keep shelters and transitional housing stays open. When vawa has funds, it trains Sexual Assault nurses who help those victims through the humiliating exams they have to endure which are so important so we have the evidence to put the abusers behind bars. When vawa funds are involved, we have advocates and prosecutor offices and in courtrooms who are trained to help them through the painful, long, difficult court process. When vawa funds are involved, we have Counseling Services needed for the victims and their families to heal. Vawa gives victims a fighting chance to gain control of their lives. Vawa doesnt pass in my district, Alternatives Incorporated will have to lay off two of their five victim advocates, shut down one of their offices and wont be able to serve the 700 victims in Rural Counties that they served last year. Vawa is a program that works. Its one of those federal Government Programs that works. This bill is not a perfect bill. No bill that Congress Passes is perfect, but i will tell you the victims being attacked cant wait for perfect. The three women and one man who die every day at the hands of their intimate partners cannot wait for perfect. Isnt there anything that congress im a freshman and isnt there anything that congress can agree on and get behind . I think we need to show the American People we can give control back to the women, men and children who are subjected to the horrors of violence at the hands of someone who supposedly loves them. This shouldnt be about politics and about Political Party control. In my short time in congress, ive seen too often that we lose sight of the people that we are here to protect and to serve. It is about control. Thats what their lives are about. I urge every member to think of the victims. Take those statistics, replace them with the brittanys in your district. Take control away from the abusers, provide them to back to the victims with the control they need. Cant we be the voice that they dont have . We as members of congress have the ability to give control back to the victims, to give control to the cops. To give control to the Sexual Assault nurses. To give control to the victim advocates. To give some to the shelters and countors. Im asking this counselors. Im asking this congress to show the American People that we care. I do. Please pass this bill. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back of the the gentlewoman from washington reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Pelosi madam speaker, i have listened attentively to some of the comments made by those who support the house version of vawa, and they use words like all, as the distinguished majority leader said, all women. Not true in the republican bill. Not women if youre gay, if youre from the immigrant community, or if you happen to be living on a reservation. I hear an appeal from the freshman member very eloquently stated, why cant we Work Together and put partisanship aside. Thats exactly what the senate did, 7822, a majority of the republicans in the senate voted for the far superior bill. We have never had a perfect bill, you are absolutely right. The very far superior bill that expands protection as opposed to the house bill which not only is not as good as the senate bill, it diminishes protections already in the law. And i heard the gentlelady talk eloquently about money and where it needs to go. Its sad to say that with the sequestration, 20 millionle toars 20 million according to a new estimate from the Justice Department will be cut from the violence against women account. That means approximately 35,927 victims of violence will not have access to lifesaving services and resources. The fact is people have come together from the senate. The house agrees with their bipartisan position. The president stands ready to sign t its just the House Republicans that are odd people out on this. Its hard to understand why you think some people are all. Its not. Thats why its really important to reject the house version and support the Senate Version. With that im pleased to yield to the gentleman fromp california, member of our freshman class, a former prosecutor. The speaker pro tempore how much time . Ms. Pelosi one minute. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. Thank you, madam speaker. Violence against women and preventing against women means preventing violence against all women, especially those from the lgbt community, especially those from the immigrant community. Im here to support the Bipartisan Senate bill that was passed. And oppose the house amendment. I was a prosecutor in Alameda County for seven years. I worked day in, day out with women who came in as violence victims. People who had been battered. Its only because of the vawa, violence against women funding that we have in our office that allowed our victim advocates to provide them with the emotional and physical service these needed that we could even begin to put them on the track of healing. Only because of this funding. So right now it is incumbent upon us to make sure that this funding is available as we move forward to all women. Mr. Swalwell all women. Violence against all women must be protected and we must have funding that shows that we will go aggressively after their abusers and support our Law Enforcement and their efforts to do that. Todays bipartisan bill gives us an opportunity to show that this house can do big things when we Work Together. Thank you. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentlelady from california reserves. The gentlewoman from washington is recognized. Mrs. Mcmorris rodgers thank you, madam speaker. I would just ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to please point to anywhere in the house bill that coverage for anyone who is denied, to specifically state where the coverage denied. The house covers all victims. This bill does not exclude anyone for any characteristic. Not only does the bill specifically prohibit discrimination, it directs the attorney general to make a rule regarding antidiscrimination efforts as he sees fit. Moreover, the stop grant is reauthorized to permit funding to go toward men as well as women. The house bill enhances protections for native american women. The house bill requires the Justice Department to cross designate tribal prosecutors as federal prosecutors in 10 federally recognized indian courts tribes. This allows tribal prosecutors to move forward more quickly in federal court. The house bill provides a constitutional round for Indian Tribes to prosecute nonindian offenders against native american women. This is critical for victims to assure defenders do not have their convictions overturned. The house bill contains increased accountability provisions. The house bill mandates better coordination among grantees and federal employees to ensure money is spent effectively and efficiently. This is in response of allegation of a miss use of funds. It limits Administrative Expenses and salaries to 5 . Ensuring that money goes to victims and Law Enforcement. This ensures that money goes to victims not bureaucrats. At this time im happy to yield to a champion for all human rights, the gentleman from new jersey, two minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Smith madam speaker, i rise in strong support of the violence against women act offered by congresswoman Mcmorris Rodgers. I just want to point out something that little attention has been attention has been paid to. A little over a decade ago i authored the trafficking victims protection act of 2000. The landmark law that created americas comprehensive policyle to combat modern day slavery. The state Department Trafficking in persons office, now led by an ambassador at large with a complement of over 50 dedicated and highly trained people. The leahy trafficking amendment to s. 47, title 12, guts the office and represents a significant retreat in this struggle to end Human Trafficking. The only way to fix it is to pass the Mcmorris Rodgers amendment, go to conversation conference, and get this fixed. The tip office is an extraordinary mechanism and has had