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Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 4:57 PM
Subject: We Won ! We Did It!
Today the Senate/House Conference Committee approved the final version of the VAWA WITH ALL OF OUR LANGUAGE IN IT.
Biden obviously folded because both of the two sections which our good friends in the House had put into the House version remained in the final version without one word changed. I copied those two sections below.
Please forgive me for gloating and taking pride but I must note that both sections of the bill were written by yours truly. After my key contact at the House Judiciary asked me to provide her with language on both the gender discrimination and on the GAO study I was quite surprised that she used my language verbatim. Particularly, the GAO language, because she had initially replied that they don't usually give specific instructions to the GAO as to how to conduct a study. I explained to her in the necessity of ensuring that the GAO not be badgered into relying solely on crime stats by the radical feminists and made several other points. And lo and behold she put the exact language I had provided her into the legislation. And it survived Conference.
Ladies and Gentlemen. This is proof that if you act reasonably, make reasonable proposals, put some legwork into promoting your position and people support the effort with energy and money as so many of you did, that we can effect change.
WE HAVE MADE AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD BUT NOW WE MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT.
The Coalition will shortly communicate a masterplan for moving to take advantage of this truly significant change in the law.
MEANWHILE, HOWEVER WE HAVE A DUTY TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION TO THE POLITICAL LEADERS WHO STEPPED FORWARD ON OUR BEHALF. OVER THE WEEKEND WE WILL BE FORWARDING A REQUEST THAT EACH AND EVERYONE OF US COMMUNICATE THAT APPRECIATION TO CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE. PLEASE ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT. WE WILL NEED THEM AGAIN. THERE IS STILL MUCH TO BE DONE.
IN CLOSING I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY PERSON WHO CONTRIBUTED MONEY TO THE BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN AS WELL AS EACH AND EVERY PERSON WHO CONTRIBUTED BY DOING WEBWORK, OR E-MAILING CONGRESSPERSONS WHEN WE REQUESTED THEY DO SO.
THEY ARE MANY WHO DESERVE SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND I INTEND TO MAKE THOSE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS VERY SOON BUT IN ANY EVENT WE ALL HAVE GOOD REASON TO BE PLEASED AND PROUD OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED IN JUST 10 MONTHS SINCE MICHAEL ROBINSON BESEEHED ME TO JOIN UP WITH HIM IN FORMING AND LEADING THIS COALITION EFFORT.
BEST REGARDS AND CONGRADULATIONS TO ALL !
David R. Burroughs, Esq.
Legislative Consultant, SHCFC
Safe Homes for Children and Families Coalition
Vawa4all.org
THE FINAL CONFERENCE APPROVED LANGUAGE IS BELOW:
SEC. 2000A. CLARIFICATION THAT PROGRAMS RELATING TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ARE GENDER-NEUTRAL.
`In this part, and in any other Act of Congress, unless the context unequivocally requires otherwise, a provision authorizing or requiring the Department of Justice to make grants, or to carry out other activities, for assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual assault, or trafficking in persons, shall be construed to cover grants that provide assistance to female victims, male victims, or both.
SEC. 512. GAO STUDY AND REPORT.
(a) Study Required- The Comptroller General shall conduct a study to establish the extent to which men, women, youth, and children are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and the availability to all victims of shelter, counseling, legal representation, and other services commonly provided to victims of domestic violence.
(b) Activities Under Study- In conducting the study, the following shall apply:
(1) CRIME STATISTICS- The Comptroller General shall not rely only on crime statistics, but may also use existing research available, including public health studies and academic studies.
(2) SURVEY- The Comptroller General shall survey the Department of Justice, as well as any recipients of Federal funding for any purpose or an appropriate sampling of recipients, to determine--
(A) what services are provided to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;
(B) whether those services are made available to youth, child, female, and male victims; and
(C) the number, age, and gender of victims receiving each available service.
(c) Report- Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the activities carried out under this section.