WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an effort to protect women and families from domestic violence, the U.S. Senate today voted 78 to 22 to reauthorize the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).  U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a longtime VAWA supporter and cosponsor of this bill, called on the U.S. House of Representatives to quickly take up and pass this bipartisan legislation to renew VAWA, which funds programs that provide critical support and legal aid for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

VAWA is the federal law that provides Rhode Island with funds for domestic violence hotlines, shelters, and training and education for nurses and law enforcement to help prevent domestic violence and protect victims from their abusers.  Originally passed in 1994 and reauthorized with bipartisan support in 2000 and 2005, the law expired in 2011, despite strong bipartisan support in the Senate.  House Republicans blocked the bipartisan Senate version of VAWA from becoming law because they opposed provisions of the bill that would expand protections against abuse for immigrant victims and the LGBT community.

“The Violence Against Women Act is literally a lifeline that helps victims escape their abusers.  Over the years, through this law, Rhode Island has received millions of dollars for shelters, counseling, and more effective prosecution of offenders.  The law has helped us coordinate criminal justice efforts to combat domestic violence and sexual assault,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees federal funding for the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women programs.   “Now is the time for the House to take action, reauthorize VAWA, and provide critical support to domestic violence victims.”

In 2011, the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence provided services to nearly 9,700 domestic violence victims in Rhode Island and answered over 13,000 hotline/helpline calls.  Nationwide, VAWA’s National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE) receives about 22,000 calls a month.

Now that the bill has been approved by the full Senate, it must be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives before it can be sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

“This has historically been a bipartisan issue, and we just had another strong bipartisan vote in the Senate.  I strongly urge the House to respect this tradition of bipartisanship by promptly voting to renew the Violence Against Women Act,” concluded Reed.