Following passage of the Violence against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization in the Senate Tuesday, Congresswoman Corrine Brown called on the leadership in U.S. House of Representatives to do the same without delay.
Earlier today, the Senate passed S. 47, a strong, bipartisan VAWA Reauthorization bill by a vote of 78 to 22. This Senate-passed bill is almost identical to the strong, bipartisan bill that passed the Senate by a vote of 68 to 31 in April 2012.
“There can be no more delay,” said Brown. “The victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault should not have to wait any longer. It has been 501 days since House Republicans allowed VAWA to expire. Despite the fact that the Senate passed a strong, bipartisan bill in the last Congress, the House GOP Leadership failed to bring this bill to the Floor. Now, in this new Congress, the Senate has once again acted. The House must quickly take up this strong Senate-passed bill and get it to the President’s desk for his signature.”
This Senate-passed bill significantly strengthens the ability of the Federal Government, the States, law enforcement, and service providers to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. It also includes provisions to ensure that all victims of domestic violence receive the protection they need, and it includes new protections for tribal members and immigrants, among others.
On January 22, Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) introduced H.R. 11, a VAWA Reauthorization identical to S. 47 (the Senate bill), and Congresswoman Brown is an original cosponsor of that bill.
