Déjà vu Again and Again and Again
Once again the legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act has been introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress. This action stalled in the last Congress due to partisan bickering and efforts to undercut important new provisions in VAWA. These provisions are still included in this current version and include enhanced protections for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims, who were identified as critical priorities by advocates across the country and also received bipartisan support last year.
Once again the legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act has been introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress. This action stalled in the last Congress due to partisan bickering and efforts to undercut important new provisions in VAWA.
These provisions are still included in this current version and include enhanced protections for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims, who were identified as critical priorities by advocates across the country and also received bipartisan support last year.
It is critical that this legislation be passed and passed now. There is abundant evidence since its inception in 1994 that the Violence Against Women Act is working -- the support of the federal government in terms of training and funding has been pivotal in the efforts at the state and local levels to address the needs of victims of sexual and domestic violence and also work on prevention and change of our cultural norms.
Please take a moment to contact your Senators and Representatives. They need to know that there is a sustained grassroots commitment to getting on with this important work. Tell them to put their partisanship aside and pass this bill now.
Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators or Representative. Urge them to co-sponsor S. 47 or H. 11, respectively, and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
For more information, visit: www.4vawa.org.
Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune
FaithTrust Institute
www.faithtrustinstitute.org
Click here to subscribe to Marie's blog.
