Facing a tight deadline, the House on September 26 passed, 415-3, a bill (H.R. 1248) to reauthorize and extend the 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Under P.L. 103-22, VAWA programs are set to expire on September 30. While the House approved the measure, it has not come before the Senate. Noting that there are several disagreements between the House and Senate positions on VAWA, Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) stated that appropriators intend to fund VAWA programs regardless of whether the authorization has expired. Rep. Hyde called the House measure “a balanced and comprehensive effort.”
Sponsored by Rep. Connie Morella (R-MD), H.R. 1248 would authorize $3 billion over 5 years for VAWA programs. In addition to reauthorizing original VAWA programs, the bill would also authorize several new programs intended to strengthen the original Act. The measure was approved by the House Judiciary Committee on June 27 and the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a similar measure on June 29 (see The Source, 6/30/00, p. 4).
Touting the importance of VAWA, Rep. Morella stated, “When Congress passed VAWA in 1994, we provided tens of thousands of battered women with hope….Federally funded programs currently provide training for law enforcement, judicial personnel, enable the hotline, counselors and shelters to provide safe alternatives for victims while helping them to rebuild their lives and the lives of their children.”
Passage of H.R. 1248 was one of the top priorities for the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues (CCWI). Reps. Sue Kelly (R-NY) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Co-Chairs of the CCWI, gave their strong support for the measure. “Unlike many people, we are in a position to help turn these statistics around. We can begin by passing this bill today and help thousands of men and millions of women who face abuse in their own homes to feel a little safer knowing that we are here, that we are listening, and that we will once again fulfill our promise and continue to supply the resources to help them escape from abuse and end the cycle of violence,” stated Rep. Kelly.
Rep. Maloney added, “The Violence Against Women Act is the most important legislative action before Congress that has been endorsed by the bipartisan Women’s Caucus.”
