The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) congratulates Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) on introducing the Senate’s Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 (highlights can be found here). This bill is a bipartisan consensus bill that reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) with key enhancements to respond to the needs identified by victims, survivors and domestic violence programs. The Senate VAWA reauthorization bill invests in victim services and in prevention; provides tools to address unlawful possession of firearms by adjudicated abusers centers the needs of communities of color, underserved communities, LGBTQ communities, and rural communities; and affirms Tribes’ inherent authority to protect their citizens from non-Natives who prey on Indigenous people on Tribal lands.

Says NCADV’s President/CEO, Ruth M. Glenn, “NCADV hears constantly and consistently from victims, survivors, and advocates who emphasize the importance of reauthorizing VAWA.  They support and insist on these critical improvements that support victims, survivors and programs and to prevent future violence. Senators Feinstein, Ernst, Durbin, and Murkowski have collaboratively drafted a consensus VAWA reauthorization bill that will make an enormous difference in the lives of people across the nation and that is crafted to garner support from across the political spectrum. Thank you, Senators, for your leadership!”

The Senate’s VAWA reauthorization companion bill, H.R.1620, introduced by Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), passed the House in March with strong bipartisan support. We ask the Senate to expeditiously pass the Senate bill, the House to pass the final bill emerging from the Senate, and the President to sign it into law.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

Organizations and individuals: Join NCADV and the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (NTF) in urging your Senators to co-sponsor and vote in favor of this bill. Just click here to automatically send an email! You can find social media posts and graphics here.

Organizations only: In addition to the actions above, please use this form to sign onto the NTF’s letter in support of this bill by Monday, February 14.