U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Steve Stivers (R-OH) on March 13 signed on as original cosponsors of legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) that would reauthorize a one-year extension of current law to fund U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) programs that combat violence against women.
Specifically, H.R. 1741 would extend the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which expired in February when partisan politics squashed a compromise funding measure.
“This is a proven program that protects women from heinous crimes and the fact that it has lapsed is unacceptable,” Rep. Stivers said on March 13. “We need to put partisanship aside and pass a clean reauthorization of VAWA as soon as possible.”
The DOJ programs under the 1994 law provide funding to ensure safety and support for survivors, increase prevention efforts, expand educational awareness surrounding domestic violence and sexual assault, and implement training for health professionals and law enforcement, among others, according to the lawmakers.
“Given the proven and tangible results of this legislation, it would be nonsensical to fail to pass a clean reauthorization to ensure these critical protections for women across America continue,” said Rep. Stefanik.
The lawmakers urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats to set aside partisanship and immediately bring H.R. 1741 to the House floor to pass it.
“One of my first acts as a freshman lawmaker in 2013 was to send a letter to Republican leadership asking them to bring a bipartisan VAWA reauthorization to the floor,” Rep. Davis said. “A month later, President Obama had a bipartisan bill sent to his desk.”
H.R. 1741, added Rep. Davis, “is too important to be brought down by partisan politics. I urge Speaker Pelosi to follow the bipartisan history VAWA has had and bring this bill to the floor to extend these critical programs.”
Rep. Stivers agreed that violence against women isn’t “a Republican or Democrat issue.”
The lawmakers also cited data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that roughly one in three American females experience some sort of sexual violence in their lifetime.
“Programs authorized and funded under VAWA work to protect girls and women from these crimes,” said Rep. Stivers.
H.R. 1741 is under consideration in four U.S. House committees: Judiciary; Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; and Financial Services, according to the congressional record.