Ginny Brown-Waite

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, what we have before us tonight is not an attack on any one Member. It is not about politics, but it is about whether or not you support our troops who are in harm's way. When I was in Iraq, I will never forget a nurse coming up to me in a hospital that had been pretty darn damaged and neglected by Saddam Hussein, and she said, please do not leave. I thought she was talking about me not leaving the hospital, and I said to her, I have to go. She said, no, I do not mean you; I want your troops to stay until our country is safe, until our country is secure. I will never forget that woman. That message has been relayed time and time again from the troops who come home, who say we cannot leave prematurely. We do have an exit strategy. It is when the Iraqi people can control their own country. When the Iraqi people stand up, we will stand down. That nurse I will never disappoint.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Federal spending has been on the rise. Over the period of time from 2001 to 2005, inflation has only gone up 12 percent during that period of time. However, when you look at the various other government spending programs, they have gone up anywhere from 21 percent all the way up to 99 percent for education. Believe me, government has grown. It has grown to the point where our constituents are saying, stop already, make some changes. The significance of this chart is how much government has grown. A lot of it was due to 9/11; a lot of it was due to the slowdown in the economy. The time has come where we need to start cutting back on the future growth. That is all that this does is cut back on the future growth. That is all that this does by one-tenth of 1 percent. I heard somebody say, where is the Democrat plan? Well, their plan would increase spending by $21.5 billion, provide $54 billion in new taxes and virtually no cuts. It would grow the government. That is not what our constituents and that is not what our taxpayers want us to do. Democrats have opposed virtually every spending bill recently. Why? Because the bills do not spend enough. It is not that they are spending too much. They do not spend enough, because no sum is too great ever to spend on their pet issue of the day. The Republicans standing with me today have made it clear to constituents that the time has come for Congress to finally control the growth of Federal spending. That is what we are talking about, reducing government waste, inefficiencies, and putting common-sense measures in place to help reduce the Federal debt. It is time we put some commonplace measures into place to help reduce the Federal debt to help stop this out-of-control growth of government. Ladies and gentlemen, that is what the bill we have before us tonight does.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kathryn Ann Vicchiullo of Bushnell, Florida. A lifelong resident of Florida, Kathryn is a shining example of a woman who has returned to the community where she was raised to help it grow and prosper. Following her graduation from South Sumter High School in 10th grade, Kathryn enrolled at Stetson University. At the age of 16, she was the youngest student ever enrolled at Stetson. Kathryn went on to receive her bachelor's degree with a triple major in English, Political Science and Russian. After her graduation, Kathryn enrolled at Barry Law School, where she recently completed her first year of studies. On a hiatus from her legal studies, Kathryn has returned to South Sumter High School, where she is teaching English. In addition to her stellar academic career, Kathryn spent much of her teenage years and vacations during college working for her parents' family restaurant, Mr. Goodburger. When not teaching at South Sumter, Kathryn has studied to become a certified financial planner, and worked to put herself through law school. I am also proud to note that this weekend, Kathryn will marry Shawn Seufert in Howey-In-The-Hills, Florida and start the next stage of her life. Mr. Speaker, it is women like Kathryn who will help Florida's 5th Congressional District prosper and grow into the future. Her success and hard work should serve as an inspiration to young men and women in Bushnell and throughout Florida.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the brave soldiers of Pasco County, FL who served during World War II. At a ceremony to be held Saturday, November 12, 2005, I will present representatives from each of the five United States Armed Forces with commemorative coins honoring their service during World War II. As General George Patton once said, ``Wars maybe fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.'' The Pasco County veterans we are honoring this weekend clearly met General Patton's description above. They proved themselves in battle in Europe, Africa and the Far East. Their sacrifices on the battlefield preserved liberty and freedom for millions throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, true American heroes like these Pasco County World War II veterans should be honored for their service to our Nation and for their commitment and sacrifices in battle. They are truly part of America's greatest generation.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the brave soldiers of Polk County, Florida who served during World War II. At a ceremony to be held Saturday, October 22, 2005, Congressman Adam Putnam and I will present representatives from each of the five United States Armed Forces with commemorative coins honoring their service during World War II. As General George Patton once said, ``Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.'' The Polk County veterans we are honoring this weekend clearly met General Patton's description above. They proved themselves in battle in Europe, Africa and the Far East. Their sacrifices on the battlefield preserved liberty and freedom for millions throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, true American heroes like these Polk County World War II veterans should be honored for their service to our Nation and for their commitment and sacrifices in battle. They are truly part of America's Greatest Generation.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Arthur Neilson, a proud veteran who served during both World War II and the Korean War. Within two days of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Mr. Neilson volunteered to serve and defend America. During his eight years in the Marines, Mr. Neilson served in the Solomons, Bismarck Island and the Philippines. Following his retirement from the Marines in 1949, Mr. Neilson once again answered the call to duty and volunteered to join the Army in 1950. Deployed to Korea, Mr. Neilson was wounded by North Korean soldiers during a gun battle. Hiding in a foxhole and covered only by a tarp, Mr. Neilson hid from the approaching North Korean troops and the massive snowfall that enveloped his hiding spot. Suffering from the gunshot wound and frostbite, Mr. Neilson was eventually saved by passing American troops. For his sacrifices over his twenty-five year military career, some of Mr. Neilson's awards include the Purple Heart, three Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman Badge. I know that Mr. Neilson's wife of more than 50 years, Joyce, and their four children are extremely proud of the career and accomplishments of Mr. Neilson. They have traveled throughout the world with him and have been at his side when he has been recognized with many awards for a job well done. Mr. Speaker, true American heroes like Arthur Neilson should be honored for their service to our Nation and for their commitment and sacrifices in battle. They are truly part of America's greatest generation.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my enthusiasm about what the future holds for Iraq's women. This past weekend marked yet another courageous showing of women who are eager to live in a democracy, first in Afghanistan and now in Iraq. The message is very, very clear that these individuals are ready, willing, and able to vote for a change. President Bush stated that our fight in Iraq includes promoting the rights of women everywhere. This fight is a very important one. Our society proves that when women are given the same rights and opportunities as men, the entire nation benefits greatly. The constitutional referendum specifies equality regardless of sex and actually reserves 25 percent of the national assembly for women. Because of this provision, for the first time in Iraq's history, women will have a voice in their country. Currently, two-thirds of all Iraqi women are illiterate. Since our presence in Iraq, 2,400 schools have been renovated, 3,000 teachers trained. And this is resulting in 2 million girls back in school. The progress that has been made for the women of Iraq is exceptional. During Saddam Hussein's reign, women were imprisoned, tortured and raped; and their attackers faced no recourse. There was no justice under this dictator of terror. Today, injustice no longer is the rule. Iraqi women will no longer have to fear the terribly cruelty of their past because they will have control of their future.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mary Alice Queiros, the winner of the 2005 Great Brooksvillian of the Year Award. After retiring from a 30-year career as an art teacher, Mary Alice moved to Brooksville in 1994 and immediately took an active role in the greater Brooksville arts community. Currently serving as the city's art director, Mary Alice has been a tireless advocate for the arts over the years. Perhaps her greatest contribution to making Brooksville the cultural heart of Hernando County has been her efforts to beautify and improve the city hall. One of her first undertakings upon moving to Florida was to fill the bare walls of city hall with bright and beautiful artwork. Today, Brooksville city hall hosts an annual fall art show to showcase the work of area artisans. This year's exhibit, organized by Mary Alice, has brought the artwork of more than 20 local artists into the building, bringing color and beauty to the walls and hallways of city hall. In addition to her work as Brooksville's art director, Mary Alice has been a longtime and active supporter of the arts in Brooksville. She is the founding member of the Brooksville Mural Society, and organizes artist receptions and art tours for visitors and students. She is also a member of the Hernando County Fine Arts Council, the Spring Hill Art League and is active at the Hernando Historical Museum. Mr. Speaker, the city of Brooksville is lucky to have a woman like Mary Alice Queiros to take an active role in our community. I am proud to recognize her accomplishments, and congratulate her on being named the 2005 Brooksvillian of the Year.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Judith Lapp of Inverness, Florida. Mrs. Lapp was recently honored as ``The Most Admired Mother in All of Citrus County'' by the Citrus Altrusa Club, as well as the Citrus County Chronicle. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Mrs. Lapp married her husband Roger in 1956. After Roger was drafted into the U.S. Army, the Lapps moved to Fort Benning, Georgia for his military service. In 1963, Mrs. Lapp and her husband moved to Clearwater, Florida to start a family. Sadly, only four months after their first son Eric was born, he had an extremely serious seizure that changed the Lapps' lives forever. The seizure, which was caused by an encephalitis outbreak, left Eric with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation. When Judith first began to deal with the challenges of a disabled son, she found that there were few programs in the region that dealt with disabled and handicapped children. Spurred to action, Judith served on the board of both the Christian Care Foundation for the Mentally Retarded and the Isaiah Foundation. Her work on these charitable organizations improved respite care for the handicapped throughout Florida. One of the most successful fundraisers Judith organized was for the Upper Pinellas County Florida Association for Retarded Citizens. Called ``Favorite Recipes from Famous People,'' Judith was able to obtain recipies from the likes of Jackie Kennedy, Patricia Nixon, and Mamie Eisenhower. While Eric is now grown and well cared for, Judith has shouldered burdens of her own. She has successfully battled cancer twice, all while being an incredibly supportive figure for her entire family. Mr. Speaker, Judith Lapp is a courageous, giving woman. She is a role model for the entire Citrus County community, and deserves recognition for her service to the handicapped and disabled community, her son Eric, and to her family.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman accepting the amendment.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My amendment requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the correlation between a perpetrator's drug or alcohol abuse and the reported incidence of domestic violence. I rise today to offer an amendment to the Department of Justice Authorization Act. As you know, this bill includes provision that reauthorize the successful Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). As the Republican Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, I wholeheartedly support VAWA 2005 because it faithfully reauthorizes existing programs that work and it sets forth new and innovative ideas. Since VAWA was first passed in 1994, the rate of domestic violence against females over the age of 12 in the U.S. has declined each year. While great strides have been made in breaking the vicious cycle of domestic violence in this country, there is much more to be done. Too many people continue to be abused and victimized by family members whom they should be able to trust. When VAWA 2005 was drafted, I was disturbed by the lack of information available to Members of Congress on the correlation between a perpetrator's drug and alcohol abuse and incidence of domestic violence. My amendment seeks to fill this gap in time for the next reauthorization of VAWA in 2010. Intuitively, the connection between substance abuse and physical abuse of a spouse or family member seems obvious. While Congress can be guided by intuition, ultimately we need hard data to help shape future policy decisions. Currently, there is an absence of nationally complied data examining the strength of this connection. My amendment requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the correlation between a perpetrator's drug and alcohol abuse and the reported incidence of domestic violence. I urge support of my amendment to the 2005 Department of Justice Authorization Act.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the retirement of Jacob R. Lee, Jr. from the Air Force. Chief Master Sergeant Jacob R. Lee, Jr. enlisted in the Air Force in Albany, NY, coming on active duty in September of 1978. During his 27- year meteorological career, Chief Lee had 13 assignments, including four overseas. Chief Lee worked in many different jobs in the weather career field, beginning as an observer at a six person unit. He went on to serve as the noncommissioned officer in charge of six different weather stations around the world. His career culminated with Chief Lee's selection to the very pinnacle of the weather career field as the chief of enlisted matters at the Pentagon. As Chief, Jacob will finish his long and distinguished service to our Nation. In recognition of his outstanding performance, Chief Lee has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on four occasions and has been the recipient of four Air Force Commendation Medals as well. Chief Lee is married to his wife Kathy, a math teacher, and has three children; Amanda, Benjamin and Casey. Mr. Speaker, I know that his colleagues and his family wish Chief Lee well as he begins his retirement.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Harris). She and I worked together on both funding issues and strengthening Florida's laws to protect the victims and to make sure that the perpetrators were swiftly and adequately punished for their deeds. She cited the rate of violence against females declining between 1993 and 2004. It has declined and we are glad that that occurred. However, until the violence is entirely wiped out, I do not think there is a person in this body on either side of the aisle who will rest. Too many people continue to be abused and victimized by family members whom they should be able to trust. Before we voted this evening, I spoke to a person in Tallahassee who confided about the abuse that the daughters in the family sustained. When you realize it has absolutely no economic boundaries, that it happens in the best of families, the wealthiest of families, those middle-class families and those families who are on the lower economic spectrum, you realize how pervasive, unfortunately, it is in our society. A study was released by the U.S. Department of Justice in June 2005 that reports that roughly 22 percent of murders in 2002 were perpetrated by family members actually against family members. This study also shows that women are much more likely than men to be victims of domestic violence. In fact, three-quarters of violence victims are female while three-quarters of domestic violence perpetrators are male. The study also found that family members are also responsible for the murders of an astounding 43 percent of female victims. I think we can all agree that these statistics are totally unacceptable. Love should not hurt, nor should it kill innocent victims. Sometimes we are in a grocery store or at an event and you come across a woman who you may see bruises on and a black eye, and there are some warning signs that I think every American should be looking for. Some of these warning signs are, for example, if the person's partner acts controlling and puts her down in front of others. That is one sign. Another sign is that he is extremely jealous of any attention she gets or perhaps she may get quiet when he is around and seem afraid of making him angry. Your friend or the person that you may know casually may become increasingly isolated and is seeing less and less of friends and family. Your friend may cancel plans at the very last minute. The perpetrator may also control her finances and her behavior and also her social life. You sometimes see him violently lose his temper, striking or breaking objects. Sometimes she has unexplained injuries or the explanations she offers just do not add up. Sometimes she has mentioned violent behavior that she has experienced, but she kind of laughs it off. When I am back in the district, I carry a card with me that gives the telephone number of the domestic violence shelter. I will give it to people when I suspect a case of domestic violence. No one has ever been embarrassed that I gave it to them. Some women just quietly and discreetly tuck it in their purse, and I can only pray that they use it at a later time. We are fortunate that we do have some excellent domestic violence shelters in Florida. They are run very, very well. Of course, they are always running low on money, especially around the holiday times because that is when the domestic violence has a tendency to increase as a result of the stresses of the holidays. Very often those domestic violence shelters can use financial support from members of the community. Over the last 10 years, we have learned from VAWA what methods are effective in combating violence against women. That learning process is why VAWA of 2005 not only reauthorizes the effective provisions of the existing law but it adds some new provisions to strengthen and improve the law. VAWA 2005 incorporates the best practices of States and expert opinions. The provisions in this new bill include new grants for court training and improvements. This program improves the court's response to adult youth and minor domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and also stalking cases. There is a provision for access to justice for teens. This program encourages crosstraining and collaboration between the courts, domestic violence and sexual assault service providers, youth organizations, violence prevention programs, and law enforcement agencies so they may establish and implement policies serving youths age 12 to 24. There are additionally in this excellent legislation new penalties for stalking violations. The measure strengthens anti-stalking laws by including stalking over the Internet to the current list of violations and doubles the prison sentence for repeat offenders of interstate domestic violence violations. Interstate violation of protection orders or interstate stalking violations. Certainly, the Internet can be used these days to benefit a stalker and this portion of the legislation is long overdue. The national stalker database is also reauthorized through 2010. VAWA reauthorizes grants to combat violent crimes on campuses. So many times we hear of young women who go away to college who are the victims of date rape. Additionally, VAWA 2005 creates new grant programs aimed at mitigating the effects on children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. A while ago, I mentioned the story about Florence, who had four children and who was always in abusive relationships, and how three of her four children ended up being either an abuser or a victim. It is important to remember that children who experience this phenomena of domestic violence in their childhood often think that this is normal. Clearly the majority of families know that this is abnormal, that this is not the way that families should get along or that children should be treated or that children be exposed to this violence. In order to continue the learning process, VAWA 2005 requires a government accountability office, or GAO, as most people know it as, study to determine the extent to which men, women, youth, and children are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The report also should examine the availability of shelter, counseling, legal representation, and all other services to all victims. I, today, submitted an amendment to the Violence Against Women Act also calling for a study to be done correlating the instance of perpetrator's abuse of substance, whether it is alcohol or whether it is drug abuse, and the fact that he was a violent person and committed a violent act on a woman. I know in Florida we did such a study, and we were amazed that the very strong correlation was there. I think once we are armed with this information, we will be able to provide a lot more funding and assistance for drug prevention and alcoholism treatment programs and not just throwing money at the issue, but supporting those programs which truly are effective, not those that just take the money and have no efficacy to them. Mr. Speaker, as the Members can see from these new programs highlighted here tonight, this VAWA reauthorization is a step forward for victims of domestic violence as well as their families and loved ones. It is frustrating for policymakers to know that we cannot just wave a magic wand and eradicate violence in our society. Yet, Mr. Speaker, it is comforting to know that there are wonderfully generous people who dedicate their careers to making the lives of their fellow man better. I have been privileged to personally witness the generosity of spirit at the Dawn Center, a domestic violence shelter in my district. I also regularly visit the one in Pasco County. The Dawn Center happens to be in Hernando County, and Sunrise is in Pasco County. I will tell the Members a little bit about the director of Sunrise, whom I have known for about 18 years now. Penny was a nurse, and certainly as part of her training being a nurse, as nurses tend to be very caring and very nurturing, she learned that there was an opening as the director of Sunrise and applied for the directorship. Penny has risen in the ranks of directors of domestic violence shelters over the years to be one of the absolute premier shelter directors. She is innovative, she has fundraisers in the community which are fun. This past weekend, as a matter of fact, she had a lobster bake where they sold tickets and had lobsters flown in from Maine so that they could have a really upscale party to raise funds and also raise awareness for domestic violence and the need for the shelters. Penny is certainly indicative of the commitment that many people make once they enter into the field of being a staff person or a director or a counselor or a caseworker at a domestic violence shelter. The domestic violence shelters throughout our Nation depend a lot on State and Federal moneys for their support. In addition, certainly they are great at fundraising in the community. It seems like every maybe 4, 5 months, I get a solicitation letter from one of the domestic violence shelters. I would ask the viewing public that as the holidays approach, that they remember the domestic violence shelters. Government cannot do it all, and to remember that the violence does escalate during time of the holidays. So having a generous spirit of the public who can afford to help these centers is a very important. My husband was a law enforcement officer for over 20 years, and years ago a domestic violence call was one that too many times law enforcement officers kind of did a wink and a nod at. Why? Because too many times women were forced into changing their mind the next day, or when the law enforcement officer got there, they would say do not press charges because they were stay at home moms and realized that if he spent a couple of nights in jail, he might very well lose his job. Thankfully, we have come a long way from that time and domestic violence is no longer given a wink and a nod by law enforcement. As a matter of fact, I am very proud to say that in most of the counties I represent, the sheriffs' offices actually have a member of their staff, if not the sheriff or first deputy, actually serving on the boards of the domestic violence shelters. This is a message that is being sent, and that message is a strong one. That message is that law enforcement is serious about cracking down on those who would perpetrate harm on women and children. That cycle of abuse, unless it is stopped, unless women have a place to go to with their children, unless the Violence Against Women Act is reauthorized, women and children certainly will be in jeopardy. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to remind Members that domestic violence is not just a man against woman phenomenon. When a man hits a woman or a woman hits a man, oftentimes it is the lasting impression of that violence that affects the children and the young adults that are witness to the abuse. Studies show that young men exposed to domestic abuse are more likely to be abusers themselves in the future. As a matter of fact, I counseled a young woman to that very effect. I knew her family, and I said to her, ``I know you did not grow up in this kind of a violent situation and you have sons. Why would you want your sons to grow up to be abusers? Because if they see your husband abusing you, they are going to think that that is okay, and that cycle of abuse will never stop.'' She sought counseling. She ended up turning this marriage around, and her husband received extensive counseling. Thankfully, that was a success story where the abuse did stop. And he also taught his sons that abuse is wrong and that he was man enough to say, hey, I was absolutely wrong in what I did. This vicious cycle is one that can be combated, Mr. Speaker, effectively through education, support networks, increased law enforcement programs, and family counseling programs. Mr. Speaker, once again, I would urge my colleagues to support the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito). Certainly hearing the story about the domestic violence shelter close to her home is one that many Members of Congress certainly can relate to, and I appreciate her sharing that with us tonight. Whether the victim's name is Mary, Laurie, Kate, Stephanie or Florence, they are all victims. Let me tell about a woman I know who was a victim named Florence. She found herself pregnant at the age of 17. She went on to have several other relationships and a total of four children, all daughters. Those daughters grew up seeing their mother being a victim. These children believed that abuse was normal because all of Florence's partners were abusive. Three of her four daughters turned out to be victims or abusers themselves. It is true that children learn what they live. Given that story and my background of advocacy for victims, I know how important it is for Congress to recognize that there are millions of Americans out there who have had similar harrowing experiences. I rise this evening to highlight the Violence Against Women Act, which we will be discussing on the floor tomorrow. VAWA, as it is commonly known, is landmark legislation that provides real solutions to reduce the incidence of violence against women. Mr. Speaker, domestic violence affects our most vulnerable constituents: battered women and their families. I think that every Member of Congress has heard stories of women who wish to leave an abusive situation and face threats, severe physical harm, and in some cases even death. Evidence suggests that the past incarnations of VAWA have been effective in reducing the violence. I am delighted to see that I am joined by a fellow Floridian this evening, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Harris).

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is often said by politicians of both parties that Members of Congress must act with compassion and legislate from the heart. It is my strong and fervent belief that there are few pieces of legislation that this body will consider that are more relevant to the hearts and souls of our constituents than the passage of the Violence Against Women Act. I have looked into the eyes of women beaten by men. Those women thought that that person was their partner for life, their soulmate and their lover. I have seen the pain and rejection and the hurt on their faces as these women struggle to recover their dignity and their strength. I have spent a great deal of my public life being involved in raising money for domestic violence shelters. In the small county where I lived and was first a county commissioner, I raised money, because I saw the need. I was involved in the board of the domestic violence shelter. For years, the Founding Fathers of the county, the power brokers, were in denial that domestic violence actually occurred in the county. When I finally got elected to the Florida State Senate, I fought long and hard to get funding for domestic violence shelters so that women and their children would have a place to go. The purpose of this hour this evening is to highlight the Violence Against Women Act, which was first passed in 1994 and which will be on the House floor tomorrow. Before I go into any more detail, however, I would like to yield to my colleague, the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito), a woman with whom I have worked closely over the 3 short years I have been here on issues affecting women and the former Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues.

Mr. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Mr. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Many law enforcement officers will tell us that responding to a domestic violence call is one of the most dangerous crimes to be called to investigate. My husband was a law enforcement officer for 20 years, and they were the calls that he felt threatened by and that he always felt so sorry for the family members involved, and certainly for the children. I have served on several boards of domestic violence shelters, and I know how important it is to shine that light, the public light of scrutiny on the victim, to bring information about victims, how they are abused, and also, the perpetrator, so that by shining this light on domestic violence and having Domestic Violence Awareness Month, that the public will be better informed, and that we will continue to see a reduction in the number of abusive situations. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 209.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), another cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 209.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 209. This concurrent resolution, introduced by the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green), supports the goals and ideals of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. According to the American Bar Association, nearly one in three women experience at least one physical assault by a partner during their lifetime. Consequently, in October, 1981, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence found a way to connect both victims of domestic violence with battered women's advocates by instituting a National Day of Unity. The establishment of this day of recognition involve community activities at the national, State, and local levels. The program was successful in heightening awareness and empowering women in violent relationships. In October, 1987, the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed. Because of this national movement, the first national toll- free hotline was created. In 1989 legislation commemorating ``Domestic Violence Awareness Month'' was first adopted by Congress and has been adopted every year since. This recognition has helped to bring domestic violence to the forefront of public debate. The awareness has contributed to the expansion of public education campaigns, victim services, recognition activities, and community outreach programs. I certainly hope that my colleagues will join me in recognizing victims of domestic violence through the adoption of this concurrent resolution. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green) for authoring this thoughtful resolution. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert), the former sheriff of King County, who knows a great deal about combating violent crime.