Senate Passes VAWA Reauthorization

The Senate approved the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization bill, S. 47, on February 12 by vote of 78–22. The legislation, among other provisions, expands housing protections for domestic violence victims who live in federally subsidized housing (see Memo, 2/1). A VAWA reauthorization bill passed the Senate in the 112th Congress, but stalled in the House due to disagreement around protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered victims of domestic violence, protections for immigrant victims of domestic violence, and a provision that would provide tribal authorities with the ability to prosecute domestic violence cases that occur on tribal land (see Memo, 5/18/12).S. 47 retains language to allow tribal authorities to prosecute domestic violence cases that occur on tribal land. This provision proved to be highly contentious in the 112th Congress, with some Republicans arguing that the provision is unconstitutional. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has indicated that negotiations around the bill have centered on this provision. The measure does not include another controversial provision from the VAWA reauthorization bill considered in the 112th Congress: the expansion of U-visas for immigrant domestic violence victims.Although House Republican leadership has indicated that reauthorizing VAWA is a priority this Congress, it not clear if the House will consider the Senate version of the legislation.Click here for the full text of S. 47.