Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the upcoming reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue. We must do all we can to prevent domestic and sexual violence from occurring, to help victims receive the help and support they need and to punish the perpetrators of the crime. I am a strong supporter of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). I have on many occasions joined with colleagues in the Senate to advocate for full funding for the programs contained in VAWA. VAWA is due to be reauthorized this Congress, and I will be working closely with my colleagues to ensure that the vital programs supported by VAWA can continue. I have also authored S. 834, the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (Campus SaVE) Act. This important legislation will improve how institutions of higher education prevent and respond to incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and empower young people to end unhealthy relationships before they become victims. The Campus SaVE Act updates the Clery Act, the landmark federal law (originally known as the Campus Security Act) that requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses. The Campus SaVE Act will close a serious gap in the law by requiring colleges and universities to clearly spell out their policies regarding domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and will increase awareness and prevention of these acts by requiring transparency of information, prevention programs and assistance for victims. Language based on the Campus SaVE Act has been included in recently-introduced legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which I strongly support. As always, I appreciate your views, thoughts and concerns as they assist me in understanding what is important to the people of Pennsylvania. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you. If you have access to the Internet, I encourage you to visit my web site, http://casey.senate.gov. I invite you to use this online office as a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania. Sincerely, Bob Casey United States Senator |