Domestic violence law’s renewal gets complicated
WASHINGTON – The highly charged politics of the #MeToo movement and the gun control debate came together in the House on Thursday when lawmakers voted 263-158 to renew a decadesold law aimed at reducing domestic and sexual violence.
First enacted in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act enjoyed widespread support for years.
But for the second time since 2013, efforts to renew and expand it have been complicated by partisan disputes.
How it all started
Originally included in a omnibus crime package in 1994, the law primarily uses federal grants to help victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking and try to reduce those crimes.
It grew out of the aftermath of the 1992 elections, dubbed the Year of the Woman after a record number of women were elected to the House and Senate following the galvanizing testimony of Anita Hill against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, who was the lead author of the legislation, said it was one of the top accomplishments from his lengthy Senate career.
Biden, who was accused by four women of unwanted, inappropriate behavior, said in a video Wednesday that he will be more “mindful and respectful” of people’s personal space.
The allegations against Biden come amid #MeToo, a movement started nearly a decade ago that went viral in 2017 as women in Hollywood and across the country shared stories of sexual harassment and assault.
The movement helped fuel the second Year of the Woman in the 2018 elections, which set a record for the number of women elected to Congress.
In the first few months of the new Congress, female lawmakers spoke out about their personal experiences, including when the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act was being debated.
“I remember what it was like when you called the police and they didn’t come because your father was an important man in town,” Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said on the House floor Thursday. “We cannot go back to those days.”
Why now?
The latest version of the law expired in December. Both parties wanted to extend the law but disagreed on changes.
The bill the Democratic-led House voted on Thursday would expand programs and broaden eligibility. Responding to the #MeToo movement, the bill would create grants for programs addressing sexual harassment and bullying.
“We’re making it stronger with the legislation today with lifesaving updates that reflect the voices of victims and survivors and the input of experts,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, DCalif.
It also includes a provision that has drawn the ire of the National Rifle Association. The bill would bar people convicted of stalking from being able to purchase firearms.
Democrats said they need to close what they call the “boyfriend loophole” to prevent people convicted of abusing dating partners from buying or owning guns.
The NRA argued that the change is too broad and would ensnare people for minor offenses such as a tweet.
Tricky politics for Republicans
The NRA’s opposition puts some Republicans in a tricky spot. They don’t want to get a low rating from the advocacy group, which holds sway with GOP voters. But Republicans in swing districts risk being attacked by Democrats for not standing up for women if they oppose the legislation.
When the law was last renewed in 2013, 87 House Republicans voted for it. Although previous versions of the law enjoyed wide bipartisan support, the two sides couldn’t agree on the last round of changes, which were aimed at helping gay and lesbian victims, Native Americans and immigrants in the country illegally.
This year, House Republicans wanted Democrats to pass an immediate, but shorter, extension of the law without changes.
“The Democratic bill on the floor today will collect dust in the Senate,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. “Let’s pass this clean extension today.”
After the House rejected that approach, 33 Republicans voted for the bill.