Violence Against Women Act

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Before Burying Sergeant, Chief Slams Senators, NRA

Houston's top cop blasts Cruz, Cornyn for stalling Violence Against Women Act

(Newser) - Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo laid into the National Rifle Association and Texas politicians Monday, minutes before he escorted the body of a slain officer from the medical examiner's office to a funeral home. Sgt. Christopher Brewster, 32, was shot Saturday after responding to a call about a domestic...

Violence Against Women Act Breezes Through House

Enough Republicans cross aisle to pass Senate version of bill

(Newser) - The House today overwhelmingly approved the Senate's version of the Violence Against Women Act, by a vote of 286-138. Included in that tally were every Democrat and 87 Republicans; all 138 opposing votes were Republicans. The GOP leadership had opposed the Senate version of the bill, but changed their...

House GOP Lets Violence Against Women Act Expire

House GOP opposed new protections

(Newser) - Public scorn may have saved the vote on emergency aid funding for superstorm Sandy victims , but the same can't be said for the Violence Against Women Act. The Huffington Post reports that the latest version of VAWA—which was originally signed in 1994 and reauthorized in 2000 and 2005—...

Lame-Duck Congress Back as Fiscal Cliff Looms

Postal Service, Sandy relief may also be on agenda

(Newser) - Congress is back in Washington today, bracing for battle over how to avoid the fiscal cliff. Legislators have seven weeks to hit on a deal, with tax cut extensions taking center stage, notes Reuters . But analysts warn that "the longer it takes the president and Congress to negotiate a...

Partisan Showdown Looms Over Domestic Violence Bill

House passes its version of renewal bill despite veto threat

(Newser) - The Violence Against Women Act, which provides funding to protect women from domestic violence and passed Congress easily in its prior two reauthorizations, is headed for Congress' latest partisan showdown. The House passed its version of the bill by a 222-205 vote yesterday over a veto threat from the White...

GOP Balks at Renewing Violence Against Women Act

Because Democrats added provisions about immigrants, same-sex couples

(Newser) - Conservative senators are coming out against renewing the Violence Against Women Act, which provides federal funding for domestic violence programs and passed with broad bipartisan support in 1994. Democratic women plan to march to the Senate floor today and demand a quick vote to extend the bill, the New York ...

Kidman: Hollywood Hurting Women

It contributes to violence by portraying them as weak sex objects

(Newser) - Violence against women can "probably" be blamed in part on Hollywood's depiction of them as weak sex objects, Nicole Kidman says. The actress—and goodwill ambassador for the UN Development Fund for Women—testified before a House subcommittee to promote humanitarian efforts to relieve such violence overseas. She was...

ERs Will Offer Anonymous Rape Tests to Victims

Anonymity removes barrier, gives option to press charges after the fact

(Newser) - Starting next year throughout the US, rape victims will be able to take an anonymous forensic rape test in the ER and save the evidence in case they want to press charges. The so-called "Jane Doe" kits will be paid for by states, reports the AP. "Sometimes the...

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