[News] [USA] U.S. House approves Violence Against Women Act without LGBT protections

[Stephanie Stevens]

LGBTQ Nation, USA


Filed: Wednesday, May 16, 2012

U.S. House approves Violence Against Women Act without LGBT protections

Staff Reports


WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to
approve the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), but unlike the
LGBT-inclusive Senate version, the House bill failed to address
discrimination faced by LGBT victims of domestic violence.

The bill passed 222-205, with only 22 Republicans opposing it.

The Violence Against Women Act, which aims to protect victims of
domestic violence, was first enacted in 1994 and has been renewed
twice since.

In April, Senate Democrats added additional protections to cover
Native Americans, undocumented immigrants, and gay, lesbian and
transgender victims, in addition to those already protected under the
legislation. That version of the bill passed late last month
<http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/04/u-s-senate-passes-lgbt-inclusive-domestic-violence-act/>
with bipartisan support.

The House version of the bill, however, stripped out those expansions.

In a statement released shortly after the vote, Human Rights Campaign
president Joe Solmonese said House Republicans were putting politics
ahead of the well being of domestic abuse victims.

“It is unfortunate – though not surprising – that some lawmakers
refuse to acknowledge the basic dignity and respect LGBT domestic
violence victims deserve,” said Solmonese said.

“These lawmakers are leaving victims out in the cold with nowhere
to turn for help, and attempting to further stigmatize many of the
stereotypes associated with domestic abuse. We urge lawmakers to work
together in conference so that VAWA is inclusive of all victims of
domestic abuse.”

The HRC noted that Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) wanted to offer an
amendment to the bill that would have increased protections for LGBT
victims, but the House Republican leadership blocked her from even
offering the amendment.

The House and Senate must now come together to resolve the differences
between the two bills with a conference committee.

Democrats and the Obama administration want the House to pick up the
Senate’s version of the bill.

Vice-President Joe Biden, who wrote the law in 1994 while serving in
the Senate, urged Congress to “come together to pass a bipartisan
measure that protects all victims,”

“VAWA has been improved each time it’s been reauthorized, and this
time should be no different,” Biden said, in a statement.


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