House passes reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act
Thu. February 28, 2013 1:57 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
congressman mike quigley (d-il)
photo credit // jay shaff
Washington, DC -
On a vote of 286-138, the U.S. House of Representatives easily passed reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act on Thursday morning. President Obama is expected to sign the bill which has already passed the Senate in a bi-partisan fashion.
Prior to the final vote, the House rejected a Republican substitute version of the measure as Democrats argued it stripped out important protections for LGBT women.
Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL) celebrated Congress reauthorizing an expanded Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that provides protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), immigrant, and tribal victims of violent crime.
"The Violence Against Women Act passed today finally recognizes and provides equal protection for all domestic and sexual violence victims in our LGBT, immigrant and tribal communities," said Rep. Quigley. "Domestic and sexual violence can affect anyone. It doesn't discriminate based on sexual orientation or immigration status and neither should our government in the support and resources we provide victims. All Americans are stronger when we uphold our founding principles of fairness and justice by protecting all of the most vulnerable among us."
Rep. Quigley has long fought to strengthen VAWA and previously offered legislation to expand protections for LGBT victims. According to a 2010 study, 96 percent of victim services and law enforcement agencies said they did not have specific services for LGBT victims. According to a 2011 survey, 85 percent of service providers working with LGBT victims of violence saw a victim turned away or denied services because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is landmark legislation that provides vital resources to prevent, investigate and prosecute domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Every bipartisan reauthorization since original passage in 1994 has been updated to cover additional groups of vulnerable individuals, including seniors and victims with disabilities.
Prior to the final vote, the House rejected a Republican substitute version of the measure as Democrats argued it stripped out important protections for LGBT women.
Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL) celebrated Congress reauthorizing an expanded Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that provides protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), immigrant, and tribal victims of violent crime.
"The Violence Against Women Act passed today finally recognizes and provides equal protection for all domestic and sexual violence victims in our LGBT, immigrant and tribal communities," said Rep. Quigley. "Domestic and sexual violence can affect anyone. It doesn't discriminate based on sexual orientation or immigration status and neither should our government in the support and resources we provide victims. All Americans are stronger when we uphold our founding principles of fairness and justice by protecting all of the most vulnerable among us."
Rep. Quigley has long fought to strengthen VAWA and previously offered legislation to expand protections for LGBT victims. According to a 2010 study, 96 percent of victim services and law enforcement agencies said they did not have specific services for LGBT victims. According to a 2011 survey, 85 percent of service providers working with LGBT victims of violence saw a victim turned away or denied services because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is landmark legislation that provides vital resources to prevent, investigate and prosecute domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Every bipartisan reauthorization since original passage in 1994 has been updated to cover additional groups of vulnerable individuals, including seniors and victims with disabilities.