The Associated Press reported Wednesday on Senator Coons’ roundtable meeting with Delaware leaders to discuss reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The meeting, which was held at the New Castle County Department of Public Safety, focused on the importance of reauthorizing VAWA, which is being considered by the Senate and Chris has cosponsored.
For the first time, the reauthorization faces Republican opposition in the Senate.
All of the [roundtable] participants said funding for the federal law has played a critical role in their work and must be reauthorized. Many also expressed concern that the authorization level for it was being reduced.
The current authorization for the law, which must be reauthorized every five years, expired in September. The program currently is funded under a continuing resolution, and Coons’ staff said Congress must pass a reauthorization bill by Sept. 30 to authorize funds going forward.
One amendment that has drawn Republican criticism would extend the act’s protections to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Other amendments would expand the availability of visas for undocumented immigrants who have been victims of domestic violence and allow Native American tribes limited jurisdiction to prosecute both Indian and non-Indians charged with domestic violence.
“The right to live in peace, free from abuse, fear and violence is universal, yet threats to this basic right can be found across lines of race, class and even gender,” Coons said in a statement issued after Tuesday’s meeting. “If we are to protect this right and truly build a climate of security in our homes and communities, these crimes cannot be tolerated. VAWA offers important tools for that effort, and I’m concerned that partisan obstructionism in Washington might take those tools out of our communities.”
Click here to read the full article on USA Today’s website.
Click here to read more about the partisan fight over VAWA.
Click here to watch or read Chris’ February 2nd floor speech on VAWA.