Hank: House GOP should bring up, pass bipartisan Senate-passed VAWA bill

Senate reauthorizes VAWA overwhelmingly 78 to 22

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) called on the House GOP leadership to quickly bring up and pass the bipartisan Senate-passed Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization. 

Earlier today, the Senate passed S. 47, a VAWA Reauthorization bill by a bipartisan vote of 78 to 22 behind the force of 53 Democrats.  All 20 women in the Senate voted YEA – the 16 Democrats and four Republicans. 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.

Rep. Johnson is a cosponsor of H.R. 11, the VAWA Reauthorization in the House.

“There should be no more stalling, no more delays,” Rep. Johnson said.  “We must ask ourselves: why are we making the victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault wait?”

House Republicans allowed VAWA to expire in October 2011. Despite the fact that the Senate passed a strong, bipartisan bill in the last Congress, the House GOP leadership failed to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor in the 112th Congress.

“The House has got to take up this Senate-passed bill, pass it and get it to the President’s desk for his signature ASAP.”

The Senate 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 – including providing new protections, based on findings from experts in the field, for tribal members, immigrants and members of the LGBT community.

###