House Passes Violence Against Women Act with Two Delgado Amendments

Press Release

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act with two amendments from U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19). Rep. Delgado's amendments recognize and support abuse survivors in rural communities across the United States.

"Hundreds of thousands of survivors have sought safety and support through programs funded by the Violence Against Women Act," said Rep. Delgado. "We must reauthorize this lifesaving legislation, which includes my amendments to support survivors living in rural communities. I am proud to join Democrats and Republicans to support this bill and hope the Senate moves quickly to provide safety, resources, and protection to Americans facing abuse."

The landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 ushered in transformative progress by calling for the protection of all Americans from violence and abuse and working to ensure survivors had access to essential services and to justice. Every time Congress has reauthorized VAWA, they have strengthened it to improve protections and access to safety and justice for all survivors. The 2021 VAWA Act:

Makes vital new investments in prevention
Improves services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking
Improves the criminal justice response to gender-based violence, in order to make our communities safer
Works to better protect Native American women
Improves access to housing for survivors and victims
Supports survivors who need assistance rebuilding financially
Improves the health care system's response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking
Protects victims of dating violence from firearm homicide by closing some loopholes in current firearms laws in order to help prevent intimate partner and stalking homicides
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