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| House Republicans vote to renew and expand Violence Against Women Act | House Republicans vote to renew and expand Violence Against Women Act |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| House Republicans made a surprise about-turn on a bill to renew and expand the Violence Against Women Act on Thursday. | House Republicans made a surprise about-turn on a bill to renew and expand the Violence Against Women Act on Thursday. |
| The move amounted to a tacit admission by the GOP that it had suffered in the November White House and Congressional elections from its perceived image as being hostile on women's issues and gay rights. | The move amounted to a tacit admission by the GOP that it had suffered in the November White House and Congressional elections from its perceived image as being hostile on women's issues and gay rights. |
| The act, a landmark piece of legislation first passed in 1994, provides financial support for a host of provisions such as refuges for battered women, violence hotlines, rape education programmes and new methods for dealing with abusers and stalkers. | The act, a landmark piece of legislation first passed in 1994, provides financial support for a host of provisions such as refuges for battered women, violence hotlines, rape education programmes and new methods for dealing with abusers and stalkers. |
| The bill passed by the House on Thursday extends the protections to gays, lesbians, transgender people, undocumented workers and Native Americans. | The bill passed by the House on Thursday extends the protections to gays, lesbians, transgender people, undocumented workers and Native Americans. |
| House Republicans blocked renewal of the act last year, expressing opposition to extending coverage. But on Thursday, 87 Republicans joined Democrats to vote for renewal by 286 to 138. | House Republicans blocked renewal of the act last year, expressing opposition to extending coverage. But on Thursday, 87 Republicans joined Democrats to vote for renewal by 286 to 138. |
| The act was pushed through in 1994 by then-senator Joe Biden. The vice-president on Thursday welcomed its passage: "Today Congress put politics aside and voted to reauthorise the Violence Against Women Act ... Since VAWA first passed in 1994, we have seen a 64% reduction in domestic violence." | The act was pushed through in 1994 by then-senator Joe Biden. The vice-president on Thursday welcomed its passage: "Today Congress put politics aside and voted to reauthorise the Violence Against Women Act ... Since VAWA first passed in 1994, we have seen a 64% reduction in domestic violence." |
| "The urgent need for this bill cannot be more obvious," Biden said. "Consider just one fact – that 40% of all mass shootings started with the murderer targeting their girlfriend, or their wife, or their ex-wife." | "The urgent need for this bill cannot be more obvious," Biden said. "Consider just one fact – that 40% of all mass shootings started with the murderer targeting their girlfriend, or their wife, or their ex-wife." |
| The Senate voted earlier for renewal by 78 to 22. It now goes to the White House for signature. | The Senate voted earlier for renewal by 78 to 22. It now goes to the White House for signature. |
| Barack Obama fought his campaign for re-election partly on portraying the Democrats as champions of women's rights and those of gays, and accusing the Republicans of waging war against women. | Barack Obama fought his campaign for re-election partly on portraying the Democrats as champions of women's rights and those of gays, and accusing the Republicans of waging war against women. |
| The Democratic leader in the House, Nancy Pelosi, expressed concern that even though renewal of the act has gone through, it might end up a victim of budget cuts under sequestration, with programmes tackling abuse of women facing a $20 million reduction. | The Democratic leader in the House, Nancy Pelosi, expressed concern that even though renewal of the act has gone through, it might end up a victim of budget cuts under sequestration, with programmes tackling abuse of women facing a $20 million reduction. |
| Abuse of women is a serious and widespread problem in tribal areas. House Republicans last year cited constitutional rights that give a high degree of autonomy on the reservations, as one of their reasons for opposing the renewal of the act extending its reach into the tribal areas. | Abuse of women is a serious and widespread problem in tribal areas. House Republicans last year cited constitutional rights that give a high degree of autonomy on the reservations, as one of their reasons for opposing the renewal of the act extending its reach into the tribal areas. |
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