Will the Teabagger Congress Reauthorize VAWA?
Yesterday, Attorney General Beau Biden, along with all of his counterparts across the country, called on Congress to re-authorize the Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”).
Biden’s father, Vice President Joe Biden, drafted and sponsorsed the bill back in 1994, and he frequently points to it as one of his best accomplishments as legislator. Indeed, the National Organization for Women described the bill as “the greatest breakthrough in civil rights for women in nearly two decades.”
VAWA provided $1.6 billion to enhance investigation and prosecution of violent crimes perpetrated against women (i.e. domestic violence) that had long gone unreported or underreported, or when reported, not prosecuted or pursued. The Act imposed automatic and mandatory restitution on those convicted, and allowed civil redress in cases prosecutors chose to leave unprosecuted. The Act has to be reauthorized (i.e. refunded) every so often. After being signed into law in 1994, it was reauthorized by Congress in 2000, and again in 2005. It is now up for reauthorization again in 2012.
Biden and his counterparts sent a letter to lawmakers Wednesday saying since the measure passed in 1994, crimes against women that used to be kept behind closed doors have been subject to public scrutiny, cutting domestic violence by 50 percent nationally, but the problem hasn’t gone away. The AG’s say if the Act isn’t re-funded, programs vital to victims of domestic violence and other crimes against women will stop.
So this act has been wildly successful, and it is vitally important to protect abused women.
But the question remains, can it pass this Congress?
To be sure, Republican Congresses have reauthorized VAWA in the past, in 2000 and 2005. A Republican Congress has reauthorized it under a Democratic President and a Republican President. So reauthorizing this bill seems to be a geniune bipartisan issue, as if you can be partisan at all in combating violence against women.
But I still have a sneaky suspicision that the radical conservatives that now dominate the GOP in the House and Senate will gum up the works at the very least. Take for example Republican Congressman Ted Poe. He wants the law rewritten so as to be gender neutral, and believes the law discriminates against men. Some conservatives will say that they want to pass the bill, really they do, but the spending, the horrible evil spending is just too much, and we all must sacrifice now (except the rich). At the very least, VAWA will be held hostage for something. Probably more tax cuts for the rich again.
Prove me wrong Republicans.
They might try a play like that, but all they need in the House is every Democrat, plus a handful of Republicans afraid to be seen blocking it. Then Joe Biden can handle the Senate.
It does seem like an excellent opportunity for the worst Congressmen to cover themselves in s**t.
“I …have a sneaky suspicion that the radical conservatives that now dominate the GOP…will gum up the works…”
Ya think?
well, it has to be paid for! it is discrimination! why doesn’t it also protect men? This only passes if the Hate Crime law is repealed (the 1969 version, the black panthers terrorize Nebraska all the time) and VaWA is expanded to protect men from abusive wives.
…. is what i think they will try and do.
I believe ContactLifeline Delaware receives funding through this bill for rape crisis counseling (trained volunteers are required to meet sexual assault victims at hospital within one hour of notification from police of victim intake). As being very familiar with this organization, which is composed of salt-of-the-earth souls who work for free, it has always amazed me how many victims of sexual assault are not female. Also, the prevalence of ‘roofies’ used to perpetrate assault is outrageous.
This legislation is feminist garbage that should be totally repealed. Abuse is defined so broadly under the law as to make arguing with your spouse, abusive if it upsets him/her. It completely obliterates the fourth and fifth amendment rights of men and harms/threatens every family member in America subjecting men to oppressive automatic arrest, automatic restraint and automatic prosecution processes through bribes given to state and local governments (the 1.6 billion spent by our corrupt government under the direction of the “Justice Department).
This law by itself has proven beyond doubt that the United States no longer represents freedom for at least 1/2 of its citizens (men), that for this group of targeted citizens, being free is not something that is any longer a right or something under their control, that the mere opinion of another person can land them in jail, ruin them financially, obliterate their career/ability to make a living and brand them for life, all based upon nothing more than someone’s unsubstantiated opinion.
And let’s not forget, we just approved retaining individuals for life without legal representation and due process. Put all this together and the US is beginning to look a lot like Nazi Germany just before and during World War II.
So Hellobobo declares that he supports violence against women.
the US is Nazi Germany. my, what an original thought. you are such a smart one. now go get your nickel from mr Rove.
“This law by itself has proven beyond doubt that the United States no longer represents freedom for at least 1/2 of its citizens (men”
Abusing your wife physically and psychologically without penalty is freedom. got it. Oh wait, i bet you think the abuse IS the punishment. that’ll teach HER to burn the chicken. Right, blalololo?
@Delaware Dem — So how do you conclude that defending the basic constitutional rights of men constitutes supporting violence against women?
WOW – WOW!! apparently they have never seen a woman chocked nearly to death – or beaten and raped in her 4th trimester of pregnancy, by the father of the baby she is pregnent with.
How about a baby sexually assaulted, raped digitally, or with a foreign object – that is reality folks. Every damm day,
so whose rights do you want to protect? the abusers. VAWA does cover the LGBT and same-gender couples – thats why its called DOMESTIC Violence – not couples or hetro-sexual protection aaginst violence. Read the darn thing – whatever knuckle-head suggested that it is discriminatory against men is…well…..ignorant about the act itself
furthermore – our friend Grassley from Iowa has been holding portions of it up – he is worried about $16 dollar muffins – a total inaccurte meme he has invented.
Look – if $16 dollar muffins did exist – I would be happy to pay for them to ensure, men, women and children are safe from abuse – in all its forms
after all – we dont treat the gay community, women or children like the Taliban does, however, it seems the RWNJ and the conservatives want to – therefore they deserve the name – American Taliban.
whats next – whipping women’s legs coz a skirt is too short or an ankle is showing??
WOW
Ivanka, I was unaware that I, as a man, have the constitutional right to beat women. How silly of me.
End Sarcasm.
This is a little window into the conservative man’s mindset: Women are chattel and a man can treat her as he pleases. And apparently, if Ivanka is a woman, some conservative women agree.
@deldem – maybe because they are into the whole “submission” thing??
there’s clubs for that folks…