My wife Jane Stoever is not only an amazing spouse and mother but also happens to be a thought and advocacy leader in the area of domestic violence.

Jane is a professor at UC Irvine School of Law, where she teaches Family Law and directs the Domestic Violence Clinic, which represents survivors of DV in accessing the legal and other help they need to escape abusive relationships. Jane has written a number of leading legal research papers in this area, and her on-the-ground experience has been incredibly informative in her research. 

With her help, I authored eight DV-related bills into law in the State of California, protecting survivors of domestic violence and saving lives. These include a number of first-in-the-nation bills, including legislation to designate reproductive coercion as a form of abuse. In Congress, I’m working to extend these protections nationwide and last year, I authored a bill to help protect survivors’ reproductive freedom and safety. I also secured over $1 million in federal funding to help expand services and training for law enforcement and other first responders so they can better support survivors of domestic violence here in Orange County. 

I’ve also tried to use my role as a member of the House Oversight Committee to push to protect women, including in our ongoing efforts to force the release of the Epstein Files and get accountability for the survivors of that horrific sex trafficking ring. I previously had authored legislation to create criminal penalties for religious clergy who take advantage of their positions to sexually abuse those under their supervision. 

As a member of Congress, I will continue to work to develop solutions to the far too common problems of domestic violence and sexual abuse.