Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. Calls On House GOP Leadership to Act Now to Pass the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act

“I am very pleased to see the Senate pass the bipartisan VAWA Reauthorization, and it is time for the House to follow suit,” said Rep. Payne, Jr. “Congress cannot wait any longer. It has been well over a year since the House allowed VAWA to expire. And the longer Congress refuses to act, the more victims of domestic violence who are unable to get the safety and support they need to survive. It’s unfair to the victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault to force them to wait any longer.

“Protection against domestic violence cannot be afforded to only a select group. This bill would ensure that all women – whether they are LGBT, Native American, or immigrants – are protected against violence. This is not a bipartisan issue; it’s a safety issue, and the time to act is now.”

On January 22, Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) and other House Democrats introduced H.R. 11, a VAWA Reauthorization identical to S. 47, the Senate bill, and Rep. Donald Payne, Jr., is a cosponsor of that bill.