On the recordMay 16, 2012
When the Violence Against Women Act was first passed, it was to prevent and raise awareness of domestic violence, and to create programs that help victims exit dangerous situations. Unfortunately, the bill we are debating today runs counter to these goals. It eliminates critical protections to help immigrant women and it fails to extend the protections of VAWA to other populations that need them desperately. I support the Senate's bipartisan VAWA reauthorization bill, which builds on past progress by providing battered Native American women with recourse against their abusers and ensures that anyone who experiences domestic abuse has access to VAWA resources, including those in same-sex relationships. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 4970 and ensure that the reauthorization of VAWA helps all victims of domestic abuse.
