Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. letter to Ms. M., January 12, 2000

ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR. COMMERCE COMMITTEE ASSISTANT DEPUTY MAJORITY WHIP ConartSsf of t|)E United States Souse of iRepresentatibes MasSfjington, ЗЭС 20515-2002 January 12, 2000 LuTHERVM-LE, MD 21093 Thank you for contacting me regarding the Violence Against Women Act. I benefit by knowing your views. Domestic violence is a serious problem which cuts across all ethnic, racial, religious, and socioeconomic lines. With an estimated one million women as its victims, domestic violence is a public issue which can no longer be ignored. Tragically, many women never report their abuse, and their cries go unheard. In 1994, Congress enacted a broad federal response to the problem of violence against women under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (P.L. 103-322). Title IV of this bill, the Violence Against Women Act (V AW A), established a number of grant programs within the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS) to prosecute offenders and help victims of violence. The DOJ programs included grants to states for law enforcement, prosecution, and training. Likewise, the HHS programs included state grants for battered women's shelters, rape prevention, and education. During this Congress, my colleagues and I have worked to heighten awareness and increase funding for programs in the Violence Against Women Act. Recently, I supported passage of the appropriations bills which included $435.75 million for FY2000 Violence Against Women Act programs. Legislation to extend and expand these programs has been introduced by Rep. Connie Morelia (R-MD) (H.R.1248) and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) (H.R.357). Both bills, entitled the Violence Against Women Act of 1999, have been assigned to committee. I will keep your views in mind should either bill reach the floor of the House of Representatives. In addition to governmental efforts, the private sector has taken a role in the fight against domestic violence. I have joined with other members of Congress in embracing the National Call to Protect Program. This two year old program, a partnership between the Wireless Foundation, Motorola and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, utilizes preprogrammed cellular phones to help known victims of domestic violence call "911" anywhere at anytime. A recent survey by Research Communications, Ltd. reports four out of ten survivors of domestic violence have used their wireless phones in a life-threatening situation. The availability of these phones gives victims, particularly poor women, the opportunity to protect