II 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2189

To establish grants to improve and study the National Domestic Violence 

Hotline. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 10, 2004

Mr. BIDEN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL

To establish grants to improve and study the National 

Domestic Violence Hotline.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Domestic Violence 

5 Connections Campaign Act of 2004’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) More than 500 men and women call the Na9 tional Domestic Violence Hotline every day to get 
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1 immediate, informed, and confidential assistance to 

2 help deal with family violence. 

3 (2) The National Domestic Violence Hotline 

4 service is available, toll-free, 24 hours a day and 7 

5 days a week, with bilingual staff, access to trans6 lators in 150 languages, and a TTY line for the 

7 hearing-impaired. 

8 (3) With access to over 5,000 shelters and serv9 ice providers across the United States, Puerto Rico, 

10 Alaska, Hawaii, and the United States Virgin Is11 lands, the National Domestic Violence Hotline pro12 vides crisis intervention and immediately connects 

13 callers with sources of help in their local community. 

14 (4) The National Domestic Violence Hotline, 

15 which was created by the Violence Against Women 

16 Act and is located in Austin, Texas, answered its 

17 first call on February 21, 1996, and answered its 

18 one millionth call on August 4, 2003. 

19 (5) Approximately 60 percent of the callers in20 dicate that calling the Hotline is their first attempt 

21 to address a domestic violence situation and that 

22 they have not called the police or any other support 

23 services. 

24 (6) Between 2000 and 2003, there was a 27 

25 percent increase in call volume. 
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1 (7) Due to high call volume and limited re2 sources, approximately 26,000 calls to the Hotline 

3 went unanswered in 2002 due to long hold times or 

4 busy signals. 

5 (8) Widespread demand for the Hotline service 

6 continues. The Department of Justice reported that 

7 over 18,000 acts of violence were committed by inti8 mate partners in the United States each day during 

9 2001. An average of 3 women are murdered every 

10 day in this Country by their husbands or boyfriends. 

11 (9) Working with outdated telephone and com12 puter equipment creates many challenges for the 

13 National Domestic Violence Hotline. 

14 (10) Improving technology infrastructure at the 

15 National Domestic Violence Hotline and training ad16 vocates, volunteers, and other staff on upgraded 

17 technology will drastically increase the Hotline’s 

18 ability to answer more calls quickly and effectively. 

19 (11) Partnerships between the public sector and 

20 the private sector are an effective way of providing 

21 necessary technology improvements to the National 

22 Domestic Violence Hotline. 

23 (12) The Connections Campaign is a project 

24 that unites nonprofit organizations, major corpora25 tions, and Federal agencies to launch a major new 
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1 initiative to help ensure that the National Domestic 

2 Violence Hotline can answer every call with up3 graded, proficient, and sophisticated technology 

4 tools. 

5 SEC. 3. TECHNOLOGY GRANT TO NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIO6 LENCE HOTLINE. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General, in con8 sultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Serv9 ices, shall award a grant to the National Domestic Vio10 lence Hotline. 

11 (b) USE OF FUNDS.—The grant awarded under sub12 section (a) shall be used to provide technology and tele13 communication training and assistance for advocates, vol14 unteers, staff, and others affiliated with the Hotline so 

15 that such persons are able to effectively use improved 

16 equipment made available through the Connections Cam17 paign. 

18 SEC. 4. RESEARCH GRANT TO STUDY NATIONAL DOMESTIC 

19 VIOLENCE HOTLINE. 

20 (a) GRANT AUTHORIZED.—Not later than 6 months 

21 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney Gen22 eral, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and 

23 Human Services and the National Domestic Violence Hot24 line, shall award a grant to a university or other research 

25 institution with demonstrated experience and expertise 
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1 with domestic violence issues to conduct a study of the 

2 National Domestic Violence Hotline for the purpose of 

3 conducting the research described under subsection (c), 

4 and for the input, interpretation, and dissemination of re5 search data. 

6 (b) APPLICATION.—Each university or research insti7 tution desiring to receive a grant under this section shall 

8 submit an application to the Attorney General, at such 

9 time, in such manner, and accompanied by such additional 

10 information as the Attorney General, in consultation with 

11 the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Na12 tional Domestic Violence Hotline, may reasonably require. 

13 (c) ISSUES TO BE STUDIED.—The study described 

14 in subsection (a) shall—

15 (1) compile statistical and substantive informa16 tion about calls received by the Hotline since its in17 ception, or a representative sample of such calls, 

18 while maintaining the confidentiality of Hotline call19 ers; 

20 (2) interpret the data compiled under para21 graph (1)—

22 (A) to determine the trends, gaps in serv23 ices, and geographical areas of need; and 
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1 (B) to assess the trends and gaps in serv2 ices to underserved communities and the mili3 tary community; and 

4 (3) gather other important information about 

5 domestic violence. 

6 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 

7 of enactment of this Act, the grantee conducting the study 

8 under this section shall submit a report on the results of 

9 such study to Congress and the Attorney General. 

10 SEC. 5. GRANT TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF DOMES11 TIC VIOLENCE ISSUES. 

12 (a) GRANT AUTHORIZED.—Not later than 6 months 

13 after the submission of the report required under section 

14 4(d), the Attorney General, in consultation with the Sec15 retary of Health and Human Services and the National 

16 Domestic Violence Hotline, shall award a grant to an ex17 perienced organization to conduct a public awareness cam18 paign to increase the public’s understanding of domestic 

19 violence issues and awareness of the National Domestic 

20 Violence Hotline. 

21 (b) APPLICATION.—Each organization desiring to re22 ceive a grant under this section shall submit an application 

23 to the Attorney General, at such time, in such manner, 

24 and accompanied by such additional information as the 

25 Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of 
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1 Health and Human Services and the National Domestic 

2 Violence Hotline, may reasonably require. 

3 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro5 priated, for each of the fiscal years 2005 and 2006—

6 (1) $500,000 to carry out section 3; 

7 (2) $250,000 to carry out section 4; and 

8 (3) $800,000 to carry out section 5. 

9 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Any amounts appropriated pur10 suant to the authority of subsection (a) shall remain avail11 able until expended. 

12 (c) NONEXCLUSIVITY.—Nothing in this section shall 

13 be construed to limit or restrict the National Domestic Vi14 olence Hotline to apply for and obtain Federal funding 

15 from any other agency or department or any other Federal 

16 grant program. 

17 (d) NO CONDITION ON APPROPRIATIONS.—Amounts 

18 appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) shall not be con19 sidered amounts appropriated for purposes of the condi20 tions imposed under section 316(g)(2) of the Family Vio21 lence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 

22 10416(g)(2)).

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