Why Is The Violence Against Women Act The House Passed Thursday Controversial? Its History Reveals The Fault Lines
The House on Thursday passed its own version of the Violence Against Women Act, a law enacted in 1994 to provide funding for battered-women’s shelters and other programs to prevent domestic violence and bolster its prosecution. It needs to be renewed by Congress every few years, and has proven to be more controversial than its name suggests it would be. In other news from Capitol Hill: disaster aid, organ allocation, the Indian Child Welfare Act and money for migrant children.
The New York Times:
A Brief History Of The 25-Year Debate Over The Violence Against Women Act
Since it was proposed in the early 1990s as a bill to protect women “on the streets and in homes,” the Violence Against Women Act has been scrutinized by lawmakers, the Supreme Court, civil rights groups and the National Rifle Association, among others. The bill, which President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1994, was designed to protect victims of domestic crimes and reduce the stigma associated with domestic abuse. It must be renewed every few years by Congress, and on Thursday the House approved a bill that would reauthorize the act for a fourth time. (Rueb and Chokshi, 4/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
House Democrats Seek To Expand Domestic-Violence Bill
The most contentious change sought by Democrats would expand gun laws to prohibit people convicted of crimes related to dating violence from possessing firearms. Federal law currently prohibits people convicted of or under a restraining order for domestic violence from accessing guns, but that doesn’t apply to dating partners who don’t live together or have children together. “We know victims of domestic violence are more likely to be shot and killed if there’s a weapon in the house,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean (D., Pa.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee. “So anything we can do to keep weapons out of the hands of abusers is something we must do.” (Peterson, 4/4)
NPR:
House Renews Violence Against Women Act And GOP Split Over Gun Provisions
The National Rifle Association opposed the bill — putting GOP lawmakers in a tough position of voting against a measure protecting victims of domestic and sexual violence or opposing the politically powerful gun lobby. The vote was 263 to 158, with 33 Republicans joining all but one Democrat to pass the measure. One GOP member voted present. (Davis, 4/4)
CNN:
House Passes Reauthorization Of Violence Against Women Act
While the existing law already has protections for transgender individuals in shelters and housing, the new bill would add protections in prisons, allowing transgender individuals to stay in facilities for the gender with which they identify. Republicans spent time on the House floor objecting to both the existing and new protections, pointing repeatedly to a case last year in California where women alleged a transgender resident sexually harassed them at a women's shelter. Democrats disputed facts in the case and argued there was by and large no evidence that transgender residents cause problems at women's shelters. (Killough, 4/4)
Politico:
Senators Desperately Try To Sway Trump Amid Disaster Aid Debacle
President Donald Trump received a ring from an unusual caller on Wednesday evening: Democratic Sen. Doug Jones. The vulnerable Alabama Democrat urged Trump to accept more money for Puerto Rico as a way to unstick a $13 billion disaster aid bill that's stalled in the Senate. But Trump so far has been unmoved by pleas from both Democrats and Republicans. (Everett, 4/4)
Modern Healthcare:
Senators Want To Intervene In Organ Allocation Policy
Two senators are eying Congress' appropriations authority to influence a contentious debate over a change to national organ distribution policy. The issue was raised Thursday in a Senate health appropriations panel hearing with HHS Secretary Alex Azar. Panel Chair Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) are trying to intervene against a sweeping new policy that changes the geography-based system of liver allocation to one that prioritizes the sickest patients. (Luthi, 4/4)
Wyoming Public Radio:
Mountain West Tribes And States Join Indian Child Welfare Act Lawsuit
So far, 325 tribes and states, including Montana, Idaho, Utah and Colorado, have joined forces to preserve a law that gives Native families preference in adoption of Native children. Texas, Indiana and Louisiana argue the Indian Child Welfare Act creates a special and unequal status for Native children that's unconstitutional. (Edwards, 4/4)
CQ:
HHS Needs More Money For Migrant Children, Secretary Says
The Department of Health and Human Services will likely run out of money to take care of unaccompanied migrant children before the end of fiscal 2019, even after an internal transfer of $385 million earlier this year, Secretary Alex Azar told a Senate panel on Thursday. “It’s just not sustainable at this rate,” Azar said. “We need help, and at this rate, the funding even for this year will not be satisfactory.” (Siddons, 4/4)
