On the recordApril 26, 2012
Mr. President, the reason why so many people across the political spectrum support the Leahy-Crapo bill and the reason they oppose this amendment is it is going to remove the historic emphasis of women in VAWA. The improvements we have made in the bipartisan Leahy- Crapo bill are gone from the Republican proposal. There is only one real Violence Against Women Act reauthorization, and this is not it. It undermines core principles. It abandons some of the most vulnerable victims. It strips key provisions that are critically necessary to protect all victims, including battered immigrants, Native women, and victims of same-sex relationships. I hope my colleagues will strongly and roundly defeat this alternative. It guts the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the amendment.
