Today’s Action: Demand the House pass permanent funding for the Violence Against Women Act

The House has had over two weeks to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) since funding ran out on September 30. And they haven’t…because apparently the physical safety and very survival of women is a partisan issue?

Every 16 hours in the United States, a woman is killed by her intimate partner with a gun. A staggering statistic that only scratches the surface of the variety and lethality in which millions of women face assault and brutality on a daily basis.

VAWA was enacted in 1994 in the aftermath of sexual harassment allegations by Anita Hill against then-nominee Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. This landmark legislation has provided abused, battered, and stalked women with vital support networks: rape crisis centers, shelters, legal assistance, counseling, and more.

Twenty four years later, Senate Republicans have confirmed a second Supreme Court justice with a history of sexual misconduct…and the House has allowed the VAWA to expire without a single Republican co-sponsor pushing it forward.

Which means the House must act immediately to prevent another crisis of its own making.

Call or email your Representatives and demand they co-sponsor and push forward the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2018. Tell them we need permanent funding – not temporary solutions – for this necessary and life-saving legislation.

We need this act. Introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), this act will strengthen law enforcement’s ability to remove firearms from abusers, increase funding for rape crisis centers, and provide support for victims of domestic violence.

The act currently has 141 Democrat co-signers…and zero Republicans. And although the House has passed a stop-gap bill that provides temporary funding through December 7th, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has refused all calls (even from his own party) to allow a vote on full authorization.

The GOP is really going out of its way to these days to prove their disrespect and carelessness towards women. So it’s time to turn up the volume and prove how much we care by taking action today.

Email or call (202.224.3121) your Representatives and tell them to prioritize the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2018. Anything less than permanent funding and full support is dangerous to the lives of millions of women, and we refuse to stand for it.