Stop the Violence Week - March 9, 2005

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lifetime Stop the Violence Week. One-third of American women report being physically or sexually abused by a husband at some point in their lives.

One critical step we can take in Congress is to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act this year, which will add very important services for immigrant, rural, disabled and older women.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, I would like to share my concern for the violence against women worldwide, including those women in Ciudad Juarez. Approximately 400 women over the past 10 years have been murdered and sexually assaulted there. It is time for both our governments to come together and find a resolution to these heinous crimes.

Today, also, I am reintroducing a bipartisan resolution focusing on the murders of these young women in Ciudad Juarez. I hope my colleagues will join me this week in wearing their Lifetime scarves and their ties and speak out against the violence against all women throughout the world.

Yes, indeed, we are going to have visitors today from Afghanistan and Iraq, women who have been elected to office. We need to support them and ensure that freedom and democracy reign throughout the world.