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Action Alert

Join us in urging your Members of Congress to act now and prevent catastrophic cuts to th [Read More]

Take Action

[CLOSED] Urge Your Represenstatives to Vote “No” on House VAWA Bill

February 26, 2013 – The U.S. Senate passed a strong, bipartisan bill to renew the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) on February 12, 2013.  Unfortunately, the substitute bill introduced by House leadership on Friday, February 22, 2013 fails to adequately support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and it leaves out a number of critical provisions that are needed to ensure that victims have access to much-needed services and support.

The House may vote on their bill as early as Wednesday, February 27th.  Your Representatives need to hear from you today and tomorrow: “This is not the VAWA bill that should pass!”

Take Action

Call the Capitol switchboard at 888.269.5702 and ask the operator to connect you to your Representative.  If you do not know who your Representative is, you can find out here.

When you are connected to your Representative’s office, tell the person who answers the phone:

  1. I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.
  2. I am calling about the bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act that was introduced by House majority leadership last week.
  3. This bill does not adequately serve all victims, nor does it safely and effectively meet their needs. I believe that it is still possible for the House to reach agreement on a strong, bipartisan bill – but this is not that bill. Therefore, I am asking Representative ________ to vote against this bill.

About VAWA

VAWA is the cornerstone of our nation’s response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and because of VAWA, millions of victims have received lifesaving services and support. Despite VAWA’s proven ability to substantially improve lives, it has not reached all victims. VAWA’s reauthorization provides an opportunity to build upon the successes of the current law by including key improvements to protect and provide safety and access to justice for Native American, immigrant, and LGBT victims, as well as victims on college campuses and in communities of color. Additionally, a renewed VAWA must include strengthened housing protections that provide emergency housing transfer options for survivors, as well as implementation of transparent and effective accountability measures that support and strengthen, rather than endanger, the programs that assist victims.