Larson: VAWA Should Protect ALL Women From Domestic Violence

WASHINGTON – House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (CT) released the following statement on the partisan passage of the House Republican Violence Against Women Act, which would put the safety and security of American women at risk:

“For nearly two decades the Violence Against Women Act has helped protect the victims of abuse and offer them much-needed support. Time and again, the law has been reauthorized without controversy, almost entirely devoid of any partisan rancor or division. And every time it has come up for reauthorization, Congress has increased its protections for women. Until today.

“While both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate and Democrats in the House support a bill that would strengthen the law and guarantee that there can be no discrimination against any woman based on her race, color, religion, national origin or sexual orientation, Republicans in the House are insisting on a controversial bill that will weaken the protections we provide.

“When we pass a law to protect all women from domestic violence, we should mean all women – with no exceptions. As we move forward, I hope my Republican colleagues will end this partisan gamesmanship on an issue that has always been, and should always be a bipartisan one, and work with us to ensure equal protection to all women in the United States of America.”