Conyers and Moore Applaud Senate Passage of Violence Against Women Act

(WASHINGTON) – Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Wisc.) released this statement following the Senate passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), S. 47, by a vote of 78 to 22. This Senate-passed bill is almost identical to the bill introduced in January by Reps. Moore and Conyers (H.R. 11). VAWA supporters in the House look forward to retaining the Senate improvements.

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

Rep. John Conyers, Jr.: “I am pleased that the Senate has passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. I call on the Majority to set partisan politics aside and swiftly bring this legislation to the House Floor for a vote as soon as possible.”

Since 1994, the Violence Against Women Act has given domestic violence service providers, law enforcement, and federal, state and local government the tools necessary to assist and help protect countless victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking.

Rep. Gwen Moore: “The authorization for VAWA expired 501 days ago as of today. That’s 501 days of women waiting for the services that they need and deserve. While they wait, Republicans chatter about their love for women – but women are being ‘loved’ to death every day. One in four women in the U.S. is a victim of domestic violence. Regardless of whether a person is an immigrant, Native American, or LGBT, these victims represent our daughters, our sisters, our mothers and our friends. VAWA was needed yesterday. It is needed even more today. Women cannot wait any longer.”

On January 22, Rep. Moore and Rep. Conyers joined other Democrats to introduce H.R. 11, the Violence Against Women Act, in the House of Representatives. The Moore-Conyers bill includes critical updates that strengthen and improve the Violence Against Women Act for tribal women, LGBT victims and immigrant women.

The Moore-Conyers bill currently has 194 sponsors.

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