Germantown Patch: Cardin Seeks Support for Domestic Violence Law
June 4, 2012
By Sonia Dasgupta
Maryland programs for domestic violence victims could be hurt if the Violence Against Women Act isn’t reauthorized by Congress.
The proposed legislation, which provides about $660 million over a five-year period, would fund programs aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence, education on prevention and legal aid for survivors, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) has implored the House to pass the Senate’s version of VAWA.
“The Violence Against Women Act has a proven track record of protecting women from domestic violence and it is hard to understand opposition to legislation with the goal of curbing domestic violence,” Cardin stated in a press release. “Saving women’s lives should not be a partisan issue.”
“Can we stop the election-year gimmicks? Can we stop these manufactured wars that pit one group of Americans against another group of Americans?” freshman Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) asked in mid May on the House floor, according to theChristian Science Monitor.
The Senate passed its version in April.
The U.S. House of Representatives’ version, passed in May, does not explicitly define that VAWA would cover the rights of gay, lesbian and transgender Americans. It leaves the language up to local law enforcement to interpret.