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Pelosi Statement on the 22nd Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act

September 13, 2016

Contact: Drew Hammill/Caroline Behringer, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the 22nd anniversary of the enactment of the Violence Against Women Act legislation, which President Bill Clinton signed into law on September 13, 1994:

“Twenty-two years ago, President Bill Clinton signed the Violence Against Women Act into law, and we took a vital step forward in confronting sexual and domestic violence in the United States. For two decades now, this law spearheaded by then-Senator Joe Biden has been the foundation of America’s promise to end violence against women.

“Freedom from abuse is a basic human right, and all survivors deserve our support. Three years ago, Congress affirmed that right by reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. But for the previous 18 months, House Republicans had refused to pass the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization unless they could exclude immigrant, LGBT and Native American women from the law’s vital protections.

“All women deserve to be safe from violence – no exceptions. That’s why Democrats kept fighting and why we enacted a comprehensive Violence Against Women Act reauthorization that protects every woman. As we mark this anniversary, let us rededicate ourselves to the continuing fight to end violence against women in America.”

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