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WASHINGTON — The House and Senate appeared headed for another partisan battle as the House prepared to take up its version of the once-noncontroversial Violence Against Women Act.
The Republican-crafted House bill to renew the popular 1994 act, which expired in 2011, was introduced Friday to instant criticism from Senate Democrats, who said it fell short in fulfilling the law’s mission of protecting women from domestic violence.
The office of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., defended the bill, saying Cantor was committed to reauthorizing the law and had worked hard to build consensus between the two parties and with advocacy groups.
The Senate last week passed its version of what is called VAWA on a bipartisan 78-22 vote, and Senate supporters, joined by House Democrats, have been urging House GOP leaders to model their legislation after the Senate bill.
The House bill, headed for a vote next week, does move toward the Senate on the issue of giving tribal authorities the power to prosecute non-Indians in domestic violence cases but drew fire on other points.
The House proposal, said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a chief sponsor of the Senate bill, “will not provide critical protections for rape victims, domestic violence victims, human trafficking victims, students on campuses or stalking victims.”
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), said it stripped protections in the Senate bill for the lesbian and gay community and “drastically reduces protections for women on tribal lands.”
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Cantor has been at the head of GOP efforts to come up with a House alternative to the Senate bill and has promised legislation that will ensure that the law’s role in protecting women is continued.
Supporters of the House approach say it strengthens protections by increasing accountability in VAWA programs and guaranteeing that sexual assault resources are distributed equitably.
The law has been a cornerstone in federal efforts to reduce acts of violence against women and prosecute offenders and is credited for making Americans more aware of the domestic violence issue. It provides federal grants for programs such as transitional housing, law enforcement training, legal assistance, anti-violence hotlines and improving campus safety.
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like this
And the House is controlled by the GOP
Who is “liking” this?
Sickening US House!
What a surprise!
how heterosupremacist of those gay bashing House Republicans
Well ill just say it Our Nation is Controlled by the Illuminati and Obama is Pretty much comparable to Hitler :)
The House is of course run by the INTOLERANT, BIGOTED, LYING, HATEFUL HOMOPHOBIC “REPUBLICAN” party, controlled by people who want rights ONLY for parts of the population, the parts THEY DECIDE DESERVE RIGHTS!! ….And these LYING BIGOTS actually get elected??!! WHO VOTES FOR THESE BIGOTS??!!??!!??!!
Why are these elected officials called “representatives” when majority of US supports protection of gays? Should be called “reprehensibles.”
Sickening but not surprising.
Comparable to Hitler? How could you say such an ignorant thing. We are not building death camps. We are not putting people in gas chambers to murder them. What an insult to the Jewish Community. If you wish to compare anything to the Holocaust I suggest you read about it so you know what you are speaking of.
@ Jeff..other intolerant, bigoted, lying, hateful homophobic republicans vote them in. I do believe however the American people are waking up to this and now the only way the republican believe they can win is by cheating state by state.
Fucking Republicans… they are worthless when it comes to any sort of human rights or equality. If you are not a straight white male, and in love with Jebus, there’s no room for you in the GOP.
and Trevor, you are a tinfoil hat wearing dumbass… STFU
Republicans are nothing but trash
tha fuck…
GOP House attempting a “divide and conquer strategy” here to get various factions to turn against one another
WTF?
Yeah, cause only straight people beat up their spouses!
The GOP in action: oppress minorities & women.
won’t pass!
GOP Congress are all clones, since obviously none of them have mothers, daughters, or sisters.
two steps forwerd 3 steeps back
I bet it was this part of the bill that those 22 senators voted against the bill for. wtf is wrong with this country?
un me gusta almi pagina soy LGBT
ASSHOLES!!!
It is about time.
Not cool…..
Isn’t violence against gays already illegal?
Well, of course they do. Duh.
oh yes..its an act that shuns violence…except for LGBT….kill them all…..
And you wonder why I call LGBT voters that vote GOP traitors….
They have to appeal to the lowest common denominators in their base.
To hell with that party.
What a bunch of morons. Tho really I don’t understand the law as violence against anyone male or female is still illegal with or without this bill, so I guess I’ll need to look into it to see whats up beyond thinking it is just an extra law making something extra not legal
GOP, marching proudly into the 12th century.
god doesnt like ugly and holy spirit will do his justifiable on the gop amen
Steven Swedelson, there are actually laws that prevent Native American women from prosecuting men who assault them on reservations if the men do not live on reservations aka White on Native sex crimes. It’s a Federal vs. State loophole that needs to be closed. The VAWA would close it. The GOP objects to this part. Also “Domestic Violence” is treated differently than other types of assault. For many decades, it was never even prosecuted. It barely is now, esp by typically all-male police departments. Women have had little to no legal recourse bringing charges against spouses or boyfriends. The VAWA put an end to that. If the police are called, and there is visible evidence that a crime has taken place, the police must make an arrest. No more telling the woman to just let him “cool off and things will be fine” or “he pays the rent, what do you want us to do about it?” There are also law enforcement officers, lawyers, and judges who batter their wives and girlfriends. Before the VAWA, there was nowhere for these women to turn to to get help. Now, a law enforcement official outside of the local jurisdiction handles the case.
The GOP and the Tea Party are blocking this bill because it extends these types of protections to Native Americans, women of the GLBT community–who sometimes face death because of hate crimes and vicious assaults, and immigrant women, both legal and illegal, who have been victimized by being forced to work in the sex trafficking trade or prostitution. I guess they feel that some women are more worthy of protection and legal recourse than others. You are right about there already being laws on the books about assault. But they are not applied equally to all citizens, esp women, and different subsets of women. For example, a rich White suburbanite woman who is raped in her home will get better access to the criminal justice system than a poor immigrant woman who was kidnapped and taken into the US for the purposes of prostitution. The VAWA tries to even the field. It’s really sad that in this day and age that all women are not valued and protected by law against violent crime. This bill needs to be reauthorized, and it’s coverage expanded to include all women, no matter where they live, what their sexual orientation is, or where they come from. It’s a matter of justice and equal protection under the law. That does not currently exist now.
The House proposal, said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a chief sponsor of the Senate bill, “will not provide critical protections for rape victims, domestic violence victims, human trafficking victims, students on campuses or stalking victims.”
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), said it stripped protections in the Senate bill for the lesbian and gay community and “drastically reduces protections for women on tribal lands.
Here we go again with those DAMN Republicans. So Heartless.
Most of them have been in the Senate / Congress since Jesus was a baby. They need to get the ones out of there who still believe in the old way of doing things, and get some fresh minds in, bring in people who are in touch with society as it is now, and know what’s out here. It’s not rocket science…
Who the hell do these creeps think they are? Such hateful, bigoted, non leadership capable thugs should NOT be in a position of power no matter what or where that position is!
Well, I think you are a hateful bigot for not seeing my views… You know… The natural way. And don’t go comparing yourselves to animals. It’s a very degrading way to win people to your immoral/unnatural life.
The libertarians can’t take the reigns rom the GOP establishment soon enough.
Sign the petition Stop LGBT discrimination in Russia!! http://www.avaaz.org/ru/petition/Stop_LGBT_discrimiantion_in_Russia/