Tell the Senate to Reauthorize VAWA & ACTION ALERT: Tell Senate Republicans to Stop Delaying VAWA – Pass it NOW! 5JUL21

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is one of the three pillars of the Federal response to domestic violence. First passed in 1994 under the leadership of then-Senator Biden, VAWA has been reauthorized three times since then, most recently in 2013.Mar 17, 2021

 I do not know why this is not a permanent law of the land, it should be. But I really do not understand the political games played, like now, when this legislation comes up for a reauthorization vote. It should be very clear to all if a politician is undecided or totally against the VAWA they have a very poor, a very shameful attitude toward and opinion of women, their mothers, grandmothers, wives, sisters, daughters, aunts, nieces, sisters-in-law and all females of the nation. Please e mail your senators and tell them to get the VAWA , the Violence Against Women Act passed now. I did. This from Sojourners & NOW.....

 Tell the Senate to Reauthorize VAWA

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) became a law 25 years ago, providing crucial protections for women and survivors of domestic violence. VAWA is now up for reauthorization but is being held up in the Senate. Please ask your senators to vote for this important bill.

ACTION ALERT: Tell Senate Republicans to Stop Delaying VAWA – Pass it NOW!

Urge the Senate to Stop Delaying VAWA – Domestic Violence Is on the Rise 

BACKGROUND 

THE ISSUE:  The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA or H.R. 1620) is urgently needed legislation that protects abuse survivors and allocates funding for survivor support services. Reauthorization of VAWA is now three years overdue – owing to Republican senators who would rather see VAWA expire.  We’ve had it with their neglect of battered, raped and murdered women.  

WHY IT MATTERS:  VAWA saves lives by strengthening the health care system’s response to domestic abuse, improving access to resources like housing for survivors, and expanding assistance to LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities of color. In the U.S. and around the world, incidents of domestic violence have risen dramatically during the pandemic. 

The National Coalition of Violence against Women (NCADV) reports that; 

• 261 domestic violence fatalities have occurred thus far in 2021 
• 10 million people are physically abused by an intimate partner  
• 20,000 calls are placed per day to domestic violence hotlines   
• 20 percent of women in the U.S. have been raped  

A study by the Violence Policy Center, based on 2018 data found that 2,000 women were murdered by men; nine of ten victims were killed by men they knew and the most common weapon used was a gun. Black women are disproportionately impacted by lethal domestic violence.  

NOW decries that violence against women is perpetrated by a culture that tacitly tolerates misogyny, often connected with White Supremacy views — which the Trump Administration consistently encouraged. There is also a harmful gender bias in law enforcement and judicial systems, leading to inadequate investigations and prosecution in violent crimes against women, especially women of color. We must address these deeply seated structural problems.

THE STATUS: In 2019, the House of Representatives passed VAWA, which then stalled in the Senate where it was blocked by Republican Senate leadership. On March 8, a group of bipartisan lawmakers including Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) reintroduced VAWA with vital enhancements addressing the needs of survivors in underserved communities and communities of color. The House of Representatives passed H.R. 1620 with a vote of 244-172 on Wednesday, March 17. Now, VAWA is headed to the Senate. We cannot have a repeat of 2019-2020 and let Republicans drag their feet only to promote a watered-down version of the bill, which will put women at risk. VAWA saves lives and it is one of the most critically important bills the Senate will consider. 

TAKE ACTION 

WHAT CAN I DO? Make sure this critical bill gets much needed bi-partisan support by contacting your Senator, voicing your support of VAWA, and urging them to ensure its passage. Contacting Republican Senators to urge support is particularly important. 

HOW DO I DO IT? Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and be connected to your Senator’s office. Here is also a directory of current Senators, where you can find their websites and ways to contact them online. If you can call during the time when senators are home in your state, you can contact one of their several in-state offices. Just check their Senate websites to find contact information. 

WHAT DO I SAY?  “I am calling to urge Senator [NAME] to vote in favor of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act and show their support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. This is a critical step needed to allow the rights, safety, and protection of women to be supported by the letter of the law for ALL constituents of [STATE].” 

SPREAD THE WORD 

Contacting your representatives is just a start. Help us keep the conversation going by spreading the word on social media and urging others to take action. You can find their Twitter handles here and below are some sample social media posts you can use: 

• Republican senators have failed to re-authorize the Violence Against Women Act now for three years. Women are being beaten and murdered while Senators drag their feet. Call your senators now and urge the immediate passage of the H.R. 1620 – pass #VAWANOW! 
• The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act is awaiting action in the Senate! We cannot let the filibuster stand in the way of protecting survivors, yet again! Call your senators and urge passage of #VAWA21 #VAWA4ALL 
• With states stripping away gun control, #VAWA21’s passage is critical. We must close the boyfriend loophole and prevent firearm homicides. Urge your senator to pass #VAWA NOW! 

Twitter Graphic: 

Facebook/Instagram Graphic:  

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

• A Proclamation on National Sexual Assault Prevention And Awareness Month, 2021 
• Congress.gov Bill Summary & Text: H.R.1620 – To reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and for other purposes. 

Prevent the next Ray Rice from using a gun 12SEP14

 
THE video of ray rice beating his fiance (now wife) is disturbing as is the delay in an appropriate response by the NFL. It is disgusting that a "celebrity" has to be involved in something like this for the nation to become aware that 25% of all American women experience domestic violence and 46 women are killed by a domestic / intimate partner with a gun. THAT'S 552 WOMEN A YEAR! Please sign this petition demanding Congress pass this expansion of the Violence Against Women Act / VAWA (S 1290) making it illegal for stalkers and abusers to buy and own guns. If you don't support this, and demand it be passed by Congress, who are you going to blame if the next victim is someone in your family, someone you care about, someone you know? Click the link and please share this petition. 

People may be talking about Ray Rice now, but domestic violence is all too often a hidden crime. 1 in 4 American women experience physical violence from an intimate partner, and every month 46 women are killed by an intimate partner with a gun.

I grew up with guns, am keen on gun safety and believe that responsible gun owners should not have their rights taken away. However, I also believe that background checks are essential and I certainly do not believe violent people should have legal access to guns ~ especially when the consequences are so clear and predictable.

Twenty years ago, Congress passed the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, but this can't wait.

Tell Congress: Please plug the legislative loopholes and protect all victims of domestic violence NOW by co-sponsoring Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s bill (S. 1290) to prevent stalkers and abusers from buying and possessing guns .

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/tell-congress-to-protect-1?mailing_id=25140&source=s.icn.em.cr&amp%3Br_by=6827589&r_by=2619399

Congress already expanded VAWA to make it a crime for those convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor to buy or possess a gun. But we need to expand protection to include women in dating relationships, and to prevent stalkers from owning guns. That's why I am helping States United to Prevent Gun Violence and the Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus to deliver this message to Congress.

Onward,

Diane Russell
Maine State Representative

P.S. If you're a doctor or medical health professional, you may want to sign up to be a part of the National Physicians Alliance gun violence prevention project too.

VICTORY!!!! THE HOUSE PASSES THE VAWA!!!!! The Violence Against Women Act’s most interesting votes 28FEB13

HERE is a great victory for women and all Americans!!!! WOMEN, TAKE NOTE OF HOW YOUR REP VOTED, click the link to see the roll call vote in the House on the VAWA. From the Washington Post.....

By Sean Sullivan

The House on Thursday voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, ending an extended political battle over a measure the Senate has already passed and President Obama has agreed to sign.

But for some House Republicans, this may not be the last word they hear about it.

The legislation clears the way for funding to help prosecute sexual assault and domestic abuse crimes, as well as assist victims of such crimes. Some Republicans opposed the measure for a variety of reasons, ranging from a belief that states should handle such matters to concerns over protections extended to gays and lesbians and expanding the authority of tribal courts. Other Republicans supported the measure.

Below we take a closer look at the votes (here’s the full roll call) that could matter in future campaigns and why they stand out.

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)

How he voted: Yes

Why it matters: Ryan is one of three current members of Congress frequently mentioned as a potential 2016 presidential candidate. The other two — Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) — both voted against reauthorizing VAWA, citing a preference that such decisions be made locally. It’s always worth bearing in mind where the three diverge with their votes because the differences could well come up in a GOP primary. And of course, if Ryan runs and is the GOP nominee, Democrats won’t be able to hit him for not voting for VAWA like they would with Rubio or Paul.

Reps. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Steve King (R-Iowa), Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Justin Amash (R-Mich.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and John Fleming (R-La.)

How they voted: No

Why it matters: Because they are all possible Senate candidates. And rest assured that if they run, Senate Democrats and their allies will bring up their”no” votes in an effort to weaken their support among women voters, with whom the GOP simply cannot afford to lose ground.

Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Charles Boustany (R-La.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), John Kline (R-Minn.), and Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.)

How they voted: Yes

Why it matters: They are all potential or current Senate candidates. In the case of Capito, who declared her candidacy early and is the presumptive GOP nominee in West Virginia, it gives Democrats one less line of attack. The same could be said of  the others, if they end up being Senate nominees. Of course, in crowded GOP primaries where conservative voters often wield a lot of influence, the “yes” votes could be liabilities.

Georgia Republican Reps. Paul Broun, Jack Kingston, Phil Gingrey, Tom Graves, and Tom Price

How they voted: No

Why it matters: Not to sound like a broken record but, well, because they are all either potential or current Senate candidates. Broun is in, Gingrey looks set to enter, while Kingston and Price remain possibilities. Since they all voted “no,” this issue isn’t likely to surface in the politics of a GOP primary. But it likely would be raised by Democrats in the general election, if one of them is nominated.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/02/28/the-violence-against-women-acts-most-interesting-votes/

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll055.xml

© The Washington Post Company

House Republicans Strip Protections From LGBT Victims In New Violence Against Women Act 22FEB13

rep eric "kapo" cantor r VA is one nasty SOB. With this action on the VAWA he shows he deserves the nickname kapo, he would have handed his family over to the gestapo to save his own skin. That is what he is doing with the VAWA. He is handing the women of the LGBT community and Native American communities over to the right-wing social engineers, the extremeist, many of  whom claim to be guided by their religious beliefs, to do with them as they will because they are different and aren't the kind of women their god intended them to be and so don't deserve protection from violence. From ThinkProgress......

By Aviva Shen

The Violence Against Women Act expired at the end of 2012 after House Republicans refused to accept the Senate bill’s protections for LGBT, Native American, and undocumented victims. Though the Senate passed another bipartisan VAWA reauthorization over a week ago, House Republicans may derail passage once again. On Friday, House GOP leaders released their own VAWA bill, stripping protections for LGBT individuals and adding a loophole for Native American victims.

Where the Senate bill granted access to federal grants for LGBT victims, the House bill is silent, removing all mention of “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.” As a result of this omission, LGBT-inclusive crisis centers could be shut out from essential grant programs:

The House GOP bill entirely leaves out provisions aimed at helping LGBT victims of domestic violence. Specifically, the bill removes “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” from the list of underserved populations who face barriers to accessing victim services, thereby disqualifying LGBT victims from a related grant program. The bill also eliminates a requirement in the Senate bill that programs that receive funding under VAWA provide services regardless of a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

The House bill also gives states some wiggle room by shifting greater authority to state government to decide which victimized groups are “underserved” and therefore deserve funding.

The Senate bill’s protections for Native American victims were also protested as“unconstitutional” and received vocal opposition from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA). Though the House bill does grant tribal courts the authority to prosecute non-native perpetrators of domestic abuse, these abusers can only receive a maximum sentence of 1 year. The bill states, “A participating tribe may exercise this special domestic violence jurisdiction over only domestic or dating violence offenses punishable by up to one year committed in Indian country against a tribal member or non-tribal member Indian who resides in Indian country.” The House also adds a provision allowing the accused to take their case to federal court if they feel their rights are being violated. Currently, Native American victims with non-native partners are caught in a limbo where tribal courts cannot touch perpetrators but federal law enforcement does not have jurisdiction.

Since its inception in 1994, VAWA has been instrumental in driving down the number of partner homicides and establishing community programs to help women in abusive situations.

UPDATE

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), a chief advocate for VAWA in the Senate, blasted the House bill as a “non-starter” and called for moderate Republicans to take action: “It’s not a compromise, it’s an unfortunate effort to exclude specific groups of women from receiving basic protections under the law… The protections included in the Senate for new communities of women are not bargaining chips that can be played with in order to appease the far right in their party. These are badly needed new tools to give women an escape from a life stunted by abuse…It’s time for moderate Republicans in the House to step up and finally force their leadership to stop ignoring the calls of women across the country.”

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/02/22/1628411/house-republicans-strip-protections-from-lgbt-victims-in-new-violence-against-women-act/?mobile=nc

Reauthorize Violence Against Women Act 18APR12

TIM KAINE is officially calling on Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), legislation that has been supported by both Republicans and Democrats for 20 years but is facing opposition in Congress now, and which has not been endorsed by Tim Kaine's gop / tea-bagger opponent for the VA U.S. Senate george allen. Please sign the Kaine petition calling for Congress to reauthorize the VAWA, click the link below....

The first thing I hear from the individuals I meet across Virginia is that they are frustrated with Congress' inability to get things done.
They're right to be concerned -- and this week is no exception. After receiving bipartisan support for over 20 years, some Republicans have threatened to hold up the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
It's outrageous. This legislation is a public safety measure that has previously been backed by both sides of the aisle. This is not the sort of legislation that should be held hostage to the narrow and intolerant ideology of a few senators.

With so much important work to be done, Congress doesn't have time to get caught up in the partisan battles of the past. We need leaders who will come together and put people before politics for the good of the country. I hope you'll stand with me to create a groundswell of public support for a bipartisan approach.

Click here to sign the petition today and tell members of Congress to find common ground and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

Legislation protecting our mothers, sisters, and daughters should never be in jeopardy because of political posturing in Washington. But politics as usual is threatening to end a law that's been preventing and prosecuting violent crime against women since 1994.

The only way that we are going to be able to address our biggest challenges -- like creating jobs and growing our economy -- is if Democrats and Republicans can come together and find common ground on nonpartisan issues like protecting women. Our leaders need to start rolling up their sleeves and working across the aisle -- and they need to start now.

Add your voice to the petition. Click here to send a message to Washington to put politics aside and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

With your help, we can help ensure that legislation protecting women remains intact, and that leaders in Congress stay focused on moving our country forward, not on partisan politics.

Tim Kaine