Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the Violence Against Women Act:

“The Senate is now debating the Violence Against Women Act. We began debate on this legislation by consent; we would like to complete action on this legislation by consent; and we’ve been working to enter into an efficient consent agreement with only a couple of relevant amendments and with short time agreements for processing them. 

“This approach is in keeping with how Republicans have handled VAWA in the past. This approach would also allow us to complete this bill today. And these relevant amendments would give the Senate the opportunity to strengthen the law, especially in terms of the punishment for those who commit violence against women.

“As my friend the Majority Leader noted just yesterday, a good way to lower the incidence of violent crime is to incarcerate those who commit it.  We couldn’t agree more.  And we’d like the chance to improve the law in that respect.”