Jerry,Three times.
Since 1994, Congress has passed the Violence Against Women Act three times, always with broad bipartisan support. VAWA was revolutionary legislation that changed the landscape for women who had suffered in silence.
VAWA is up for reauthorization again, and I am a proud cosponsor of the bill. However, the political landscape has changed. The Republican Party has been taken over by extremists who put narrow ideology and partisan gain above good policy. When the bill was in the Judiciary Committee last month, it didn’t receive a single Republican vote. Not one.
The Violence Against Women Act should be above partisan politics. Please join me in telling my GOP colleagues to put politics aside and reauthorize this critical legislation that can mean the difference between life and death for women subjected to abusive relationships.
When President Clinton first signed the Violence Against Women Act into law, it ushered in a new era of law enforcement against domestic violence. It strengthened community-based responses and gave women new resources to protect themselves and seek justice.
We must reauthorize this legislation. We need it to ensure that the federal government can continue working with state and local law enforcement to combat domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes.
This isn’t a partisan issue. There couldn’t be an issue less partisan than this. It’s time for my Republican colleagues to stand up for women and support this bill, just as they have in the past.
Thank you for your support on this critical issue.
Sincerely,
Bob Menendez
Bob Menendez
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