Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Karen Bass introduced this reauthorization, intended to improve services for survivors of violence, expand housing protections for survivors and expand training and prevention programs
The Times
The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Karen Bass, a California Democrat, introduced this reauthorization, intended to improve services for survivors of violence, expand housing protections for survivors and expand training and prevention programs.
The VAWA Reauthorization also includes Fitzpatrick’s Combat Online Predators Act, which increases penalties for cyberstalking against minors and requires federal law enforcement officials to evaluate and update practices to combat cyberstalking.
“The Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2019 is crucial to the work we do in Bucks County with survivors of domestic violence every single day. Because of the countless lives that are saved by VAWA every day, this shouldn’t be a partisan issue and I was happy to see the bipartisan cooperation Congressman Fitzpatrick helped foster. We at A Woman’s Place thank Congressman Fitzpatrick for his work on this important issue, are proud to support this bill and encourage the Senate to move forward with the reauthorization of VAWA,” said Jen Hinds, director of advocacy and outreach at A Woman’s Place.
“It’s vitally important Congress reauthorizes VAWA funds by passing HR 1585, a bipartisan bill that will ensure protections for any individual who has been a victim of sexual assault in any community across the country and will allow the expansion of personal safety programs for children and youth that will lead us to a community free of sexual violence. I want to thank Congressman Fitzpatrick for co-sponsoring HR 1585 and building bipartisan support for the bill in the House,” said Penny Ettinger, executive director of Network of Victim Assistance.
VAWA provides services, protection and justice for young victims of violence by addressing bullying of children, improving grants focused on prevention education, and expanding training in school-based and campus health centers; reauthorizes and updates the use of STOP Grants, which are awarded to states to assist law enforcement combat violent crimes against women and children; updates the SMART Prevention Program to reduce dating violence and engage men in preventing violence; preserves and expands housing protections for survivors; and prohibits those convicted of domestic violence and stalking from possessing firearms ••
