Pelosi Sends Letter to Speaker Ryan Urging a Vote on VAWA Reauthorization Act

Contact: Ashley Etienne/Henry Connelly, 202-226-7616

San Francisco – Today, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan urging him to bring the VAWA Reauthorization Act to the House Floor, which would strengthen and expand the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)'s critical protections to include vulnerable communities. With VAWA expiring on September 30, House Republicans' decision to include only a short-term reauthorization of the bill in the must-pass minibus spending bill represents a dereliction of Congress' duty to ensure that all women can live free from violence.

Leader Pelosi wrote, "Republicans' decision to include only a short-term VAWA reauthorization in the must-pass minibus spending bill is nothing short of an abdication of our responsibilities to women in our country… We urge Republicans to end their assault on the rights and safety of women, and immediately begin working with Democrats to pass the VAWA Reauthorization Act swiftly and on a bipartisan basis."

Full text of the letter can be found below:

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September 17, 2018

The Honorable Paul Ryan
Speaker of the House
H-232, United States Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Speaker Ryan,

The landmark Violence Against Women Act ushered in transformative progress to protect women from violence and abuse, and continues to provide essential support to victims, survivors and communities to ensure they have the legal tools and resources necessary to seek justice and receive care.

As Members of Congress, it is our responsibility to ensure that every woman, in every part of our society, can live free from violence. Yet, the continued refusal over many years of House Republicans to extend VAWA's critical protections to include vulnerable communities, particularly Native American, immigrant and LGBTQ communities, represents a blatant dereliction of that duty.

In July, Congresswoman Jackson Lee introduced the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which safeguards and further builds on VAWA's vital protections. This common sense reauthorization bill has 163 cosponsors and has the support of the nonpartisan groups representing communities around the country, and deserves strong bipartisan support in the Congress. It is shocking and shameful that under your leadership, the GOP has refused to bring this reauthorization bill to the Floor for a vote.

Republicans' decision to include only a short-term VAWA reauthorization in the must-pass minibus spending bill is nothing short of an abdication of our responsibilities to women in our country. Democrats' support for keeping government open does not diminish our resolve to ensure that a strong, long-term VAWA reauthorization be passed immediately. There are just four legislative days left until the Violence Against Women Act's critical protections expire on September 30. We urge Republicans to end their assault on the rights and safety of women, and immediately begin working with Democrats to pass the VAWA Reauthorization Act swiftly and on a bipartisan basis.

Thank you for your urgent attention to this important matter.

best regards,

NANCY PELOSI
Democratic Leader

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