Action Alert: VAWA
Reintroduced This Week – Call on Senators to Co-sponsor
On
Tuesday, Jan. 22, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Michael Crapo (R-ID)
introduced S. 47, a strong, bipartisan
bill that would reauthorize the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)!
This bill closely mirrors the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators
Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen
protections for all victims of violence (see description of legislation below).
In order to build on our
incredible momentum from last Congress, please take action TODAY by contacting your Senators to co-sponsor S. 47. The goal
is to get 60 co-sponsors by January 31st so that VAWA can get
to the Senate floor for a bipartisan victory. We need to keep the phones
ringing and emails starting right now!
** please check the following list and
edit the message to your senators if they are already co-sponsor (or better
yet, put in a phone call). Make sure to
thank them for their witness on this issue.
So
far, the bill has the following co-sponsors in addition to its chief sponsor,
Senator Leahy (D-VT): Senators Ayotte (R-NH), Baucus (D-MT), Begich
(D-AK), Bennet (D-CO), Cantwell (D-WA), Cardin (D-MD), Casey (D-PA), Collins
(R-ME), Coons (D-DE), Crapo (R-ID), Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (D-CA), Franken
(D-MN), Hagan (D-NC), Heitkamp (D-ND), King (I-ME), Kirk (R-IL), Klobuchar
(D-MN), McCaskill (D-MO), Mikulski (D-MD), Murkowski (R-AK), Murray (D-WA),
Pryor (D-AR), Reed (D-RI), Shaheen (D-NH), Stabenow (D-MI), Tester (D-MT),
Udall (D-CO), Udall (D-NM), Warren (D-MA), Whitehouse (D-RI), and Wyden
(D-OR). (as of 9:30am 1/25/13)
Also
on Tuesday, Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI) and John Conyers (D-MI)
introduced H.R. 11, a House companion identical to the bipartisan Senate bill. Call on the House of Representatives to work
together in a bipartisan effort reauthorize VAWA as a matter of priority. This
bill has 158 co-sponsors in the House.
Today
is OrangeDay,* a monthly action on the 25th of each month when we lift up
issues of violence against women. Join
the global effort to confront violence against women by taking action today!
Action Item:
Call
the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to
connect you to your Senators. If you don’t know who your Senators are, you can look them up here.
When you’re connected to their offices, tell the person who answers the phone:
1)
I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.
2)
I urge Senator____ to co-sponsor the S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that
would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
3)
Thank you and I look forward to hearing that the Senator is a co-sponsor.
###
Description
of legislation:
In addition to many important improvements throughout the bill that received
bipartisan support last year, this bill also contains enhanced protections
for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims, which were identified as critical
priorities by advocates across the country and also received bipartisan support
last year. Last year’s bill, however, also included a modest increase in
the number of U visas (created by Congress in VAWA 2000) available to immigrant
victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and certain other violent crimes
who assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the
crime. Increasing the number of U visas helps both victims and law
enforcement. Unfortunately, that provision led to a technical objection
from House Republican leaders.
In
the interest of obtaining the swift reauthorization of VAWA, the
Senate introduced the new VAWA bill without that provision in order to
avoid any initial technical obstacles. However, this new
VAWA bill does recommit Congress to important immigration provisions
so that all victims are protected. Senator Leahy will be working hard to
include the U visa increase in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation
that will soon be considered by Congress. The members of the National Task
Force likewise commit to support that effort.
* On January 25 – and the 25th of each month – join people
around the world in observing an Orange Day to work for an end to violence against
women and girls. SayNO – UNiTE toEnd Violence against Women is a social mobilization platform on ending violence against
women and girls related to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s campaign, UNiTE to End Violence against Women. The campaign invites us to wear orange and take
action on the 25th of each month to end violence against women and girls. Learn more and
find ideas for action.
