Violence Against Women Act Passes House, Includes Two Underwood Provisions
WASHINGTON– Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL) today announced the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization of 2019 (H.R. 1585), a bipartisan, robust, long-term Violence Against Women Act reauthorization. The legislation, co-sponsored by Underwood, would reauthorize funding for five years and make vital improvements to address gaps in current law, based on extensive consultation with victim service providers, law enforcement, and other experts.
Underwood successfully included two key provisions in the final passage. The first would increase access to mental health care and substance abuse treatment for survivors of domestic violence. The second requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to report to Congress the effects of the recent federal government shutdown on DOJ's efforts to disperse funding and services to victims of domestic violence.
"Nearly twenty people every minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in our country—an astounding statistic that isn't just a number for millions of survivors, it's their life. The Violence Against Women Act is critical to addressing our nation's crisis, providing support for survivors who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, and curbing an epidemic that affects far too many. It's up to us to ensure every spouse, parent, or child in our community is free to live their life without the threat of domestic violence."
Video of Underwood speaking on the House floor can be found here.
The landmark Violence Against Women Act of 1994 ushered in transformative progress by calling for the protection of all Americans from violence and abuse, and working to ensure survivors had access to essential services and to justice. Every time Congress has reauthorized VAWA, they have strengthened it to improve protections and access to safety and justice for all survivors.
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