Sen. Gillibrand Calls On House Leaders To Call 'Up Or Down Vote' On Violence Against Women Act
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Lawmakers and victims of domestic abuse have called for the reauthorization of an act intended to provide funding for women in violent situations.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand held a news conference on Sunday "To demand action on the Violence Against Women Act."
The measure has passed with bipartisan support twice in the senate, most recently last week.
Sen. Gillibrand Calls On House Leaders To Call 'Up Or Down Vote' On Violence Against Women Act
"This would provide the lifesaving funding that cities and states provide for women who are attacked by their spouses, who are subject to domestic violence," Gillibrand told Smith. "We are calling on Speaker Boehner to have an up-or-down vote."
Gillibrand, who was joined by new Congresswoman Grace Meng, said in New York City alone, the NYPD responded to nearly 258,000 domestic violence incidents in 2011. But the measure has gone more than 400 days without a vote in the House of Representatives, Gillibrand noted.
She added that if the act is not reauthorized, it could have what she called 'horrendous impacts' on the budgets of those providing support services and law enforcement efforts.
The bill provides funding for everything from processing rape kits to tracking down and prosecuting perpetrators, Smith reported.
The main sticking point holding House Republicans from getting the bill introduced is language in the bill dealing with jurisdiction over Native American women victimized on tribal lands.
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