kalikshama
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House Democrats Urge Senate Version of Violence Against Women Act
Several Democratic congresswomen said Wednesday that the House should adopt the Senate version of a bill to renew a 1994 domestic violence law.
Seven lawmakers from the Asian, black and Hispanic caucuses, including Representatives Judy Chu of California and Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas, appeared together on Capitol Hill to rebuke House Republican leaders for offering their own version of the bill — one that they say tips the balance of the law in favor of abusers. They charge that Republicans are rewriting the federal domestic violence law in a way that would exclude some protections for immigrants, American Indians and gay men and lesbians.
The 1994 law has sailed through the renewal process twice before in 2000 and 2005, but it has become the latest front in an election-year battle for female voters, who will be critical in deciding which party controls Congress and the White House.
The Republican-authored House bill, offered by Representative Sandy Adams of Florida, a woman, is expected to pass the House on Wednesday, despite opposition from Democrats and more than 300 objections from law enforcement groups, providers of social services, Catholics and evangelicals.
“This is just unbelievable that we could be here, you know,” said Representative Nydia M. Velázquez of New York. “Whatever happened with compassionate conservatism? Whatever happened with respect for women’s dignity and integrity, you know? The role of us to protect humans’ life, and this bill is short on that.”
House Democrats say the Republican-authored law would raise requirements to prove domestic violence and sexual assault, erase confidentiality protections for immigrant women and alert abusers when their victims seek help. They say it would eliminate a path to citizenship for immigrant victims who cooperate with police and cut “culturally competent services” for Muslims, gay men and lesbians, and victims who don’t speak English.
The lawmakers urged Republicans to drop their renewal bill and take up the Senate version, which passed in April with the support of 15 Republicans and expands the law to protect American Indians, gay men and lesbians. The White House has also threatened to veto the House bill, citing its lack of protections for women on American Indian reservations and college campuses, and for gay men and lesbians.
“The irony here is that no one is asking Republicans to go out on a limb,” said Ms. Chu, a former rape counselor.
But Republican women took to the House floor to support the House bill against the onslaught of criticism.
Representative Lynn Jenkins, Republican of Kansas, said the House legislation “takes enormous strides” to protect victims, but it would also curb fraud. She said the House version of the bill limits overhead expenses and requires the Justice Department to conduct annual audits.
“Any attempt to exploit this important law as partisan political issue is contemptible,” she said.
But Ms. Velázquez said that Republicans’ claim that the changes were necessary to curb fraud are a “red herring” that has not been backed up by “one shred of evidence.”
“We’re here today to say with one voice that we will not turn back the clock, we will not abandon these women, and we reject this bill,” she said.
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House Passes Violence Against Women Act That Leaves Out... - 
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