House Democrats Introduce Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization
March 29, 2012 — House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) on Wednesday introduced a bill to reauthorize and expand the Violence Against Women Act, ABC News Radio/KGO 810 News reports.
Shortly after the measure was introduced, House Democrats attempted to attach it to Republicans' budget proposal but failed.
The bill's opponents object to provisions that would provide temporary visas to undocumented immigrants who are abused and bar organizations that receive federal grants under the law from discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The law expired on Sept. 30, but previously disbursed funding is sustaining it for the current fiscal year.
Moore shared her personal experience with sexual assault and rape to urge lawmakers to support the bill.
"Domestic violence has been a thread throughout my personal life -- up to and including being a child repeatedly sexually assaulted, up to and including being an adult who's been raped," Moore said (Williams, ABC News Radio/KGO News 810, 3/29).
She added, "Violence against women in this country is not levied against just Democrats, but Republicans as well, ... not just rich people or poor people. It knows no gender, it knows no ethnicity, it knows nothing" (Murphy, Daily Beast, 3/29).
The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
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