In the News

By John Parkinson The House voted today to pass a Senate-approved version of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act today, sending the bill to President Obama for his signature. An earlier vote on a controversial Republican version of the legislation was voted down. “The Violence Against Women Act has long ensured that no woman would ever be forced to suffer in… Read more »

 By Tom Cohen Washington (CNN) -- An expanded Violence Against Women Act won bipartisan approval on Thursday from the U.S. House after Republicans failed to pass their own proposal due to a party split on an issue important to women and minority groups. The measure now goes to President Barack Obama, who said in a statement that it was "an important step towards making… Read more »

 By Bruce Alpert Washington -- Half the six-member Louisiana House delegation voted against a Senate bill designed to protect victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking. Still, the bill passed 286-138 Thursday, with 87 Republicans joining 199 Democrats in voting yes. President Barack Obama said he would sign the measure into law. Voting against the bill… Read more »

By David Grant Last year, Republican concerns with the Violence Against Women Act were a primary exhibit in the Democrats’ argument that the GOP was waging a “war on women.” This year, a nearly-identical bill will land on the president’s desk with wide bipartisan support in both chambers after the House passed the Senate’s version of the bill, known… Read more »

By Lisa Keen In a major victory for Democrats, the U.S. House voted Thursday (February 28) to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act with a bill that includes language to ensure that victims of domestic violence can receive assistance from federally funded programs regardless of their sexual orientation. The vote was 286 to 138. The legislation originally passed the Senate… Read more »

By Stephen C. Webster A grand total of 87 House Republicans broke away from their party on Thursday to join with Democrats in passing the Senate’s bipartisan extension of the Violence Against Women Act (PDF) by a vote of 286 to 138. All 138 votes in opposition were cast by Republican legislators, with six abstaining. “The Violence Against Women Act has long… Read more »

 By Jason Kurtyka Barring a last-second deal, $85 billion will be cut from the federal budget starting tomorrow as a result of the failure to reach a budgetary agreement by President Barack Obama and Congress during the last two years. The cuts would take effect over the next seven months and could have a direct impact on Marquette students and Wis. residents. According to… Read more »

 By JENNIFER EPSTEIN  Vice President Joe Biden offered a personal thanks Thursday to lawmakers for voting to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a law he drafted while serving in the Senate in the early 1990s and has advocated for from his position in the Obama administration. "I consider almost a sacred commitment we have ... to protect our mothers, our… Read more »

 By Tom Cohen Washington (CNN) -- An expanded Violence Against Women Act won bipartisan approval on Thursday from the U.S. House after Republicans failed to pass their own proposal due to a party split on an issue important to women and minority groups. The measure now goes to President Barack Obama, who said in a statement that it was "an important step towards making… Read more »

 By Craig Gilbert of the Journal Sentinel Milwaukee Democrat Gwen Moore, who took the lead in the House on renewal of the Violence Against Women Act, hailed its passage Thursday with lopsided, bipartisan support. "There are just layers of this to celebrate," said Moore in an interview. "This is personal to me. I hardly know a woman, it's a shame to… Read more »