Tag Archives: Violence Against Women Act

CARE2: Voting Rights, Tar Sands and Domestic Violence


                                    The need for election reform is self-evident. We all remember the long lines, confusion over what identification was needed to vote, registered voters not… read more
                                    84,000 gallons of crude oil are glugging their way across an Arkansas community right now, putting the spotlight on the transport of tar sands oil across… read more
                                    When Republicans stood in unison against renewing the Violence Against Women Act last year and early into this year, their main justification was that the…
read more
This is a repost from 4/10/2013

Immigration Action : Julie Rodriguez, The White House


The White House

Your Immigration Action Newsletter

Friends,

It has been a busy few weeks here at the White House. Last Friday, the President met with leaders from the faith community to discuss the need to fix the broken immigration system, focusing on the growing consensus building across American for common sense immigration reform.

Last Thursday, President Obama signed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) into law. The newly reauthorized VAWA strengthens and expands protections for victims of violence, including battered immigrant women who are victims of domestic abuse. As President Obama noted during the signing ceremony last week:

“Imagine the dilemma for so many — if your immigration status is tied to a husband who beats you or abuses you, if you’re an undocumented immigrant, you may feel there’s too much to lose by coming forward.  The Violence Against Women Act already had protections so that victims could call the police without fear of deportation, and those protections saved lives.  And because we fought hard to keep them in place, they remain a lifeline for so many women.  That’s part of what today is all about.”

In addition to the Vice President, Congressional leaders, and domestic violence advocates and survivors, the President was joined by Rosie Hidalgo, Director for Public Policy of Casa Esperanza, who has worked to end domestic violence for the past eighteen years.

Watch the President’s full remarks:

President Obama Signs Violence Against Women Act

Meanwhile, immigration reform seems to be moving full steam ahead. The President met with members of his Cabinet on immigration issues in early February, and Congress has held several hearings to focus on key aspects of immigration reform. Last Wednesday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano delivered remarks at the National Association of Evangelicals’ Washington Briefing, underscoring the Administration’s efforts in securing the nation’s borders.

President Obama Listens to Secretary of State John Kerry

President Barack Obama listens to Secretary of State John Kerry during a meeting on immigration with Cabinet members and advisors in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Feb. 7, 2013.

As always, please share with your networks and we look forward to working with you as we continue to push for common sense immigration reform!

Julie Chávez Rodriguez Associate Director White House | Office of Public Engagement

Agency Updates

Justice Department Releases Spanish Language Video about Discrimination in Employment Eligibility Verification February 20, 2013 The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department launched its first Spanish-language educational video, which was developed by the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, aims to assist employers in avoiding charges of discrimination in the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 Process and to inform employees of their legal rights.

Policy Memo: CBP Enforcement Actions At or Near Certain Community Locations February 21, 2013 In a policy memo issued in late January and released in February for public viewing, CBP outlined its intent to carefully plan and mitigate the impact of its presence at and near schools, places of worship, and certain other sensitive community locations.

E-Verify Receives High Ratings in Customer Survey February 22, 2013 More than 1,300 randomly selected employers who use E-Verify were asked to evaluate the program on key aspects including registration, online tutorials, ease of use, technical assistance, and customer service. They rated the program as exceptionally high in overall customer satisfaction, averaging an 86 out of 100 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index scale.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano’s Third Annual Address on the State of Homeland Security: “The Evolution and Future of Homeland Security” February 26, 2013 On the 10th Anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Napolitano spoke at the Brookings Institution about the Department of Homeland Security’s journey, and the future of the agency, highlighting her plans for what she refers to as “DHS 3.0.”

DOJ Releases New Fact Sheet on EOIR’s Disciplinary Program and Professional Conduct Rules for Immigration Attorneys and Representatives February 27, 2013 The Department of Justice has released an updated fact sheet on the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s disciplinary program and professional conduct rules for immigration attorneys and representatives.

Provisional Waivers Introduced on March 4th, 2013 March 4, 2013 Beginning March 4th, certain immigrant visa applicants who are spouses, children, and parents of US citizens (immediate relatives), and have been unlawfully present in the United States, can start applying for provisional unlawful presence waivers through a new process that is expected to shorten the time US citizens are separated from immediate relatives while those relatives are obtaining immigrant visas to become lawful permanent residents.

Blog Highlights

Businesses Need Common Sense Immigration Reform to Keep Growing, Creating American Jobs On March 6th, Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank met with business executives whoare part of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. They discussed key issues facing them as they continue to grow, create jobs, and drive both innovation and competitiveness here in the U.S., including the need to attract and retain the best and brightest from around the world, which is a key principle of the President’s framework for commonsense immigration reform.

A Special Naturalization Ceremony in Honor of the First President of the United States On February 22nd, USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas had the privilege of administering the Oath of Allegiance to fifty new US citizens on the 281st birthday of our first president, George Washington, at Washington’s home estate of Mount Vernon. Director Mayorkas was joined by Senior Policy Director for Immigration at the White House Domestic Policy Council, Felicia Escobar, who welcomed the new citizens and led them in the Pledge of Allegiance.

E-Verify Listens—A Look Inside the Ongoing Discussion E-Verify Listens, an online community where users can submit and discuss ideas as well as vote for their favorite ideas to help frame the evolution of the program, was launched in July of 2012 and has recently been updated to accommodate user needs.

Get Involved

Know a hero? The Citizens Medal is one of our nation’s highest civilian honors. For the past two years, President Obama has relied on you to identify heroes in your community – extraordinary Americans whose exemplary deeds provide inspiration for others to serve. We’re looking for Americans who have made a difference in their communities but who may not have received national attention. Does that sound like someone you know? Click here to nominate the hero in your community today.

USCIS Public Engagement Division Introduces New Registration Process for National Stakeholder Engagements Going forward, each invitation will include a unique link to a website where registrants will enter their email address and preferences for that engagement. Public Engagement will also now maintain two subscription lists: updates from the USCIS Public Engagement Division and updates from the USCIS Intergovernmental Affairs Branch. You can now manage your subscriptions here.

USCIS Public Engagement Division: Intergovernmental Affairs Quarterly Stakeholder Engagement USCIS invites interested individuals to participate in a stakeholder teleconference. The conference will feature experts from the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program, who will provide stakeholders with program updates and information on the new SAVE Case Check service.

Date:  Wednesday, March 20th, 2013 Time:  1 pm to 3 pm (Eastern). Register Today:  To register, please email the USCIS Intergovernmental Affairs Branch (IGA) no later than Monday, March 18, 2013, at USCIS-IGAOutreach@dhs.gov. Reference “IGA Quarterly” in the subject line of your email, and be sure to include your full name and organization in the email body.

White House Women’s Update: Happy Women’s History Month


Friends-

We hope this message finds you well. Happy Women’s History Month! Today marks the beginning of a month dedicated to honoring the women who have made our country great and the moments that have defined this nation.

Thursday was a great day for women across the country with the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) passing in the House of Representatives, following the Senate’s passage of the same bill. Also this week, the Department of Labor announced the rescission of “Compensation Standards” and “Voluntary Guidelines.”

Today marks the beginning of a month dedicated to honoring the women who have made our country great and the moments that have defined this nation. You can find the President’s Women’s History Month Proclamation here.

Best wishes,

The White House Council on Women & Girls

President Obama Holds a Press Conference to Address the Sequester

President Obama held a press conference this morning after meeting with Congressional leaders to talk about his plans to move the country forward in light of the severe budget cuts that will start to take effect today.

These cuts, which are known as the sequester, will hurt our economy and cost us jobs, the President said. And as Americans all across the country work hard to keep our economic recovery going, arbitrary cuts to services and investments that businesses and workers depend on makes that far more difficult. As the President said:

“None of this is necessary. It’s happening because of a choice that Republicans in Congress have made. They’ve allowed these cuts to happen because they refuse to budge on closing a single wasteful loophole to help reduce the deficit. As recently as yesterday, they decided to protect special interest tax breaks for the well-off and well-connected, and they think that that’s apparently more important than protecting our military or middle-class families from the pain of these cuts.”

Read the President’s complete remarks here.

Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Passed by Congress

On Thursday there was exciting news for women across the country with the reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act passing in the House of Representatives. This bill, which the Senate has already passed, supports the reduction of domestic violence and the improved treatment of rape victims, extending these protections to members of the Native American and LGBT communities.

The President and Vice-President both released statements praising the bill’s importance for the country. Here is the President’s complete statement:

“I was pleased to see the House of Representatives come together and vote to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. Over more than two decades, this law has saved countless lives and transformed the way we treat victims of abuse. Today’s vote will go even further by continuing to reduce domestic violence, improving how we treat victims of rape, and extending protections to Native American women and members of the LGBT community. The bill also reauthorizes the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, providing critical support for both international and domestic victims of trafficking and helping ensure traffickers are brought to justice. I want to thank leaders from both parties – especially Leader Pelosi, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Senator Leahy – for everything they’ve done to make this happen. Renewing this bill is an important step towards making sure no one in America is forced to live in fear, and I look forward to signing it into law as soon as it hits my desk.”

VAWA: Valerie Jarrett Tweet

US Labor Department Rescinds Restrictions On Investigating Pay Discrimination

This week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced exciting news for women and all Americans. The Department is resending two documents, commonly known as the “Compensation Standards” and “Voluntary Guidelines,” that have dictated how pay discrimination can be investigated. This change will enable to Department of Labor to identify and remedy more forms of pay discrimination.

“Today, we are lifting arbitrary barriers that have prevented our investigators from finding and combating illegal pay discrimination,” said Patricia A. Shiu, a member of the President’s National Equal Pay Task Force.

The Department of Labor also plans to release new guidance for employers that will explain the procedures, analysis and protocols that will now be used in conducting compensation discrimination investigations.

“A strong American middle class hinges on ensuring equal pay,” said acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris. “As President Obama has made clear, everyone – including the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters among us – must be paid fairly and without discrimination. These new standards will strengthen our ability to ensure that women and men are fully protected under our nation’s laws.”

The new approach will enable investigators to better examine practices and available evidence to uncover discrimination.

Read the complete News Release here.

This Week’s Top 3 On ThinkProgr​ess


Dear Friend,

We know the impending budget cuts have almost completely dominated the news cycle this week, but here are three other important stories from ThinkProgress that you may have missed:

1. Scalia: Voting Rights Act Is ‘Perpetuation Of Racial Entitlement’

2. Congress Finally Reauthorizes Violence Against Women Act

3. 8 Inspiring Things That Happened Since Trayvon Martin Was Tragically Killed One Year Ago

Best,

Igor Volsky Deputy Editor, ThinkProgress

thinkprogress … VAWA


Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Justice Scalia is worse than you already thought.

Washington doesn’t have to be broken.

Yes, the vast majority of our long-term debt is because of Bush-era policies.

GOP congressman says the debt is just as “immoral” as slavery.

Obama administration calls for marriage equality in upcoming Proposition 8 Supreme Court case.

Shocking but true: top GOP senator wants to give the NRA veto power over judges.

Another day, another extreme anti-abortion law enacted by the GOP.

FACT: low tax states have lower economic growth.

Violence Against Women Act Finally Passes

A year and a half after the landmark law expired, House Republicans finally relented and allowed the updated and expanded reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to pass. The bill had already passed the Senate with overwhelming, bipartisan majorities not once, but twice.

We say House Republicans allowed it to pass because they’ve done nearly everything in their power to block it from doing so, including:

  • refusing to even take up the Senate bill last year
  • passing a watered-down, partisan version that had no chance of passing the Senate
  • attempting to block a vote on the Senate bill as recently as this week
  • trying to remove protections for LGBT people and Native Americans from the Senate bill earlier today
  • voting against the Senate bill en masse today

Last time VAWA was reauthorized, in 2005, just two House Republicans voted against the measure. Sadly, 138 House Republicans voted against VAWA today. Even more shamefully, 27 House Republicans voted against both the Senate bill and the watered-down version Republicans themselves had proposed.

Take a look at these 27 Republicans. Notice a pattern?

BOTTOM LINE: Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act is a huge victory for women and their families — a victory that came in spite of the GOP’s best efforts to prevent it.

Climate change and the Arab Spring.

H.J. Res. 118 & S.388


cbocloud

from: the Congressional Budget Office

H.J. Res. 118, a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of Family Assistance of the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health

On September 17, 2012, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for House Joint Resolution 118. In response to Congressional questions we are providing the following additional explanation of the basis of that cost estimate.

S. 388, the American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013

As introduced in the Senate on February 26, 2013

S. 388 would eliminate the automatic spending reductions scheduled to occur under current law for 2013 and would partially eliminate the reductions scheduled for 2014. The bill also would eliminate direct payments to certain agricultural producers, provide funding for agricultural disaster assistance, and exempt from sequestration all mandatory funding provided for the Department of Agriculture.

CONGRESS: Republicans … the Sequester, VAWA, PayCheck fairness and Immigration : Democrats


demsVrepub

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Thursday, February 28, 2013.

Senator McConnell obtained consent that the Inhofe-Toomey bill at the desk be considered as the bill that qualifies for introduction under the previous order. He then moved to proceed to S.16, Sequester replacement, and filed cloture on the motion.

The Senate then reached an agreement that results in 2 stacked roll call votes in relation to the sequester replacement bills at a time to be determined tomorrow. We expect the votes to occur after 2pm, but as always, another message will be sent once a time has been set.

The votes would be in relation to the following items:

-          Motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to Calendar #19, S.16, a bill to proceed for sequester replacement.

-          Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to proceed to Calendar 18, S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013

The details of the agreement are as follows.

On Thursday, February 28th, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to Calendar #19, S.16. If cloture is not invoked, the motion to proceed would be withdrawn and the Senate would then proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to proceed to Calendar #18, S.388. Further, if cloture is invoked on the McConnell motion to proceed, the motion to proceed would be agreed to and the Senate would resume consideration of the Reid motion to proceed to S.388 and vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion. If cloture is invoked on the Reid motion, the motion to proceed would be agreed to. If the motion to proceed to S.16 was previously agreed to, the Senate would then resume consideration of the bill and upon disposition of S.16, the Senate resume consideration of S.388 if the motion to proceed was previously agreed to.

Senate
Floor Schedule for Thursday, February 28, 2013   10amET

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business for one hour with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act.
  • At a time to be determined on Thursday, the Senate will conduct 2 roll call votes on the following items in the following order:
    • Motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to S.16, to provide for a sequester replacement, and
    • Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to proceed to S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act.
  • Senators will be notified when those votes are scheduled.

This morning Senator Ayotte asked unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the motion to proceed to her alternative sequester bill, which is at the desk.

Senator Reid countered by asking that the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the Inhofe bill (S.16), the Ayotte-McCain-Graham bill, which is at the desk; and the Mikulski-Murray-Reid bill (S.388),all relating to sequester replacement; and that each vote be subject to majority vote thresholds.

Senator McConnell declined Senator Reid’s offer to have majority votes on the three bills. Senator Reid objected to the Ayotte request.

The Senate has reached an agreement that results in a series of 2 roll call votes at 2:30pm today. Under the agreement, it is in order for the Republican Leader to move to proceed to S.16. The time until 2:30 is equally divided between the two Leaders or their designees.

The 2:30pm roll call votes will be on the following motions:

- Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.16, sequester replacement.

- Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.388, American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013, and

Senator Hatch asked unanimous consent that following the two cloture votes today, it be in order for him to make a motion to commit S.388, American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013, to the Finance Committee, the text of which is at the desk, and the Senate proceed to vote immediately on the motion without intervening action or debate.

The Hatch language would strip tax provisions from the bill.

Senator Baucus objected.

2:32 The Senate began a roll call vote on McConnell motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.16, a bill for sequester replacement;

Not Invoked: 38-62

2:57pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.388, American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013;

Not Invoked: 51-49 (Senator Reid entered motion to reconsider failed vote)

Cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to S.16, a bill to provide for sequestration replacement (Inhofe bill), was not invoked by a roll call vote of 38-62.

Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.388, American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013 (Mikulski-Murray-Reid bill), was not invoked by a roll call vote of 51-49.

Senator Reid changed his vote to no and then entered a motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked on his motion.

The Senate is now in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. There will be no further roll call votes during today’s session of the Senate.

Senators should expect the next vote to occur around 5:30pm on Monday in relation to a judicial nomination.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

1) Motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to S.16, to provide for a sequester replacement; Not Invoked: 38-62

2) Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to proceed to S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act; Not Invoked: 51-49

No LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

At 5:00pm on Monday, March 4 the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Calendar #15 and #16.

There will be 30 minutes for debate equally divided in the usual form prior to votes on confirmation of the nominations.

At approximately 5:30pm, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the following nominations:

- Executive Calendar #15, the nomination of Pamela Ki Mai Chen, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York; and

- Executive Calendar #16, the nomination of Katherine Polk Failla, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

We expect to voice vote the Chen nomination and conduct a roll call vote on the Failla nomination.

On Tuesday, March 5th, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of Calendar #20, S.Res.64, a resolution authorizing expenditures by committees of the Senate for the period March 1, 2013, through September 30, 2013.

The only amendment in order to the resolution is a Paul amendment striking provisions relative to the National Security Working Group. There will be up to 30 minutes of debate equally divided in the usual form on the Paul amendment. Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to vote on the Paul amendment. Upon disposition of the Paul amendment, the Senate will proceed to vote on adoption of the resolution, as amended, if amended.

*************************************************

The House votes on VAWA

286 – 136

but should Americans trust Republicans

Watch Live House Floor Proceedings

CONGRESS : the Republican led House :::::: VAWA,PAYCHECK Fairness,Immigration and S.388 :::::: the Senate led by Dems


Wethepeople

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013.

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business for one hour with the Majority controlling the first 30 minutes and the Republicans controlling the second 30 minutes.
  • The nomination of Jacob Lew to be Treasury Secretary was reported out of the Finance committee on Tuesday.  We hope to reach an agreement to consider the Lew nomination on Wednesday.
  • Also during Tuesday’s session, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act (introduced by Senators Mikulski, Murray and Reid).  Under the rule, that cloture vote will occur on Thursday.

The Senate has turned to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #26, the nomination of Jacob Lew, of
New York, to be Secretary of the Treasury. There will now be up to 8 hours for
debate equally divided between the two Leaders or their designees. Upon the use
or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to vote on confirmation of the
nomination.

There will now be 10 minutes for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the
Lew nomination. If all times is used, the vote would begin at approximately
5:37pm.

5:38pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #26, the nomination of Jacob J. Lew, of New York, to be Secretary of the Treasury;

Confirmed: 71-26

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #26, Jacob J. Lew, of New York, to be Secretary of the Treasury; Confirmed: 71-26

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed H.R.307, a bill to reauthorize certain programs under the Public Health Service Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response, and for other purposes with a Committee-reported substitute amendment.

Adopted S.Res.58, authorizing the reporting of committee funding resolutions for the period of March 1, 2013 through September 30, 2013.

Adopted S.Res.61, designating March 1, 2013, as “Read Across America Day”.

Adopted S.Res.62, a resolution to authorize the production of records by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

—————————————————————————————-

Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity

Last Floor Action:
7:14:10 P.M. – The House adjourned. 2/26/13

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on February 27, 2013.

10:00:22 A.M. The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:00:27 A.M. The Speaker designated the Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
10:01:02 A.M. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 12:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.

Are you on the Sequester cut list ?


ThinkProgress War Room

Cuts Across America: The Impact of the Sequester on Communities Across America

Budgets are statements of values and priorities. What the GOP is preparing to do in less than a week says a lot about their priorities. Instead of closing tax loopholes and making smart spending cuts, the GOP is going to let damaging across the board spending cuts kick in next Friday. These cuts will not only damage the economy, they’ll hurt individual families and communities across the country.

Check out what eliminating just two giveaways to the wealthy and corporation could pay for. For example, we could avoid painful cuts to investments in jobs and education just by ending a giveaway to corporate jet owners”

And we could stop harmful cuts to children and families with disabilities if we just stopped letting the wealthiest Americans get tax breaks for the vacation homes and yachts:

Instead of asking the wealthiest Americans and special interests like Big Oil and Wall Street to pay their fair share, Republicans are insisting that families, including the most vulnerable among us, shoulder the burden of reducing our deficit and debt.

BOTTOM LINE: There’s still a week left to avert the damaging and painful sequester cuts. All Republicans have to do is agree to a balanced approach that replaces the indiscriminate cuts with both new revenues and smarter, targeted spending cuts.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Flying will be even more unpleasant thanks to the sequester (if you’re local airport isn’t simply closed).

House Republicans quietly introduce watered-down Violence Against Women Act.

Ted Cruz goes full Joe McCarthy.

5 important stories in Africa that don’t involve Oscar Pistorious.

Maryland is on the verge of repealing the death penalty.

Here’s 5 ways the sequester might make you sick.

New abortion bill in Indiana mandates two transvaginal probes.

Why taxes must go up.

How Republican activists are trying to use the courts to dismantle decades of progressive victories.

VAWA passes in the Senate 78 – 22 : We ALL need to Stand UP and Speak Out


VAWA and Men

April is known as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” … Help break the accepted cycle and culture of violence -

Tell Congress to do what is right for ALL victims of Domestic Violence.

What better way for members of the House of Representatives to show ALL victims of domestic violence that as Public Servants, they support and protect the right to live a decent life which includes the pursuit of happiness by passing the Senate version of VAWA S.1925.

The fact is the Violence Against Women’s Act has always passed in both Chambers without a problem is well known, though the Republican led House chose to show overt prejudice against Native Alaskan, Native Americans, Undocumented and LGBT Americans when it rejected VAWA on March 30, 2012.

However, Republicans have yet another opportunity to do what is right. Tell your Republican member of Congress to be on the right side of History and pass the Senate version of #VAWA that protects all victims of these crimes, regardless of their age, gender, race, sexuality, or faith. The mission to continue that conservative party line lives on and seems to insist on taking, stripping, yanking, cutting, slashing away personal power while yelling that they want smaller Government and  it defies what Americans are about . Teapublicans in Congress, a small coalition, have made a choice to attack social issues, the decision to go out of their way to filibuster the economy is beyond my understanding.

If you believe Americans have A RIGHT to experience equality in all its forms: voter, union, women’s, gender, minority, and gay RIGHTs -along with more than a splash of compassion for the poor think about the Violence Against Women Act and how it might be affecting your family friends neighbors or co-workers.

on Apr 25, 2012 by    

Democratic Senators Barbara Boxer (CA), Amy Klobuchar (MN), and Patty Murray (WA) stress the importance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act to protect victims of domestic violence, regardless of sexual orientation or background.

President Obama and his administration changed the definition of rape to help more people

Please show support for S.1925, Call your member of Congress Tell them to PASS #VAWA  -

A lot of misinformation is being circulated by the bills detractors about S. 1925, the real #VAWA.

Read below for the facts !

(1)    Since #VAWA first passed, the number of individuals killed by an intimate partner has decreased by 34% for women and 57% for men. #VAWA has saved lives while saving money, saving $12.6 billion in its first 6 years alone.

(2)    S. 1925 saves money by consolidating and repealing more than 15 programs, ensuring more funding will go directly to needed victim services rather than grant administration.

(3)   S. 1925 adopts almost word-for-word the accountability measures developed by Senator Grassley for the Trafficking Victims Reauthorization Act.

(4)     S. 1925 does not create “new victims” or support “special interests”.  The real #VAWA protects all victims of these crimes, regardless of their age, gender, race, citizenship, sexuality, or faith.

(5)   Our nation must not say, “There are too many victims” or “You are not the ‘right’ kind of victim”. All victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking deserve help. That is what S. 1925, the real VAWA, does. It’s time – way past time — to do much more to stop this violence, and to protect victims from all walks of life including:

- Lack of services available to LGBTQ victims;•

- Barriers to services for undocumented victims; and•

- Continuing high levels of violence against Native American and Native Alaskan women.

- Please support VAWA’s Reauthorization.

- Domestic violence affects all of us.

- Congress should reauthorize the VAWA and provide funding.

Be a Seed for Change

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