Press Releases

Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of H.R. 1585, the bipartisan 2019 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA):

“H.R. 1585, the ‘Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019,’ will not only reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act—also known as ‘VAWA’—but will also strengthen and expand the Act’s critical programs.   

“VAWA’s grant programs provide communities across America the crucial assistance they need to combat crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.  H.R. 1585 builds on this foundation by enhancing the services available under these programs, and by expanding their reach to include vulnerable populations who are victims of these crimes. 

“VAWA, which is not gender-exclusive, addresses the needs of men and women, children, persons with disabilities, homeless persons, and LGBTQ people, among others.  Importantly, H.R. 1585 includes new protections for transgender individuals.  The range of individuals VAWA helps is broad and should be as diverse as our communities around the country.  I am pleased that this reauthorization continues our commitment to this important principle.

“This bill reauthorizes a wide variety of grant programs, including programs to help prosecute violent crimes against women and to provide services to sexual assault victims.  It also strengthens various non-discrimination provisions; provides greater protections for survivors during the prosecution of perpetrators; expands services for older survivors of abuse; authorizes programs specifically targeted toward rural areas; strengthens protections against gun violence in domestic abuse situations; and expands the jurisdiction of some tribal authorities over non-Indians who commit certain crimes on tribal lands.

“I want to thank Ms. Bass, the Chair of the Crime Subcommittee, and the sponsor of this legislation, for her outstanding leadership in the effort to reauthorize VAWA.  I also want to thank Ms. Jackson Lee for her longstanding and tireless efforts over the years to protect and to strengthen the Act. 

“Thanks to their efforts—and the efforts of many others—this bill will not only continue the progress enabled by VAWA, as originally enacted, but will also make the Act an even more effective tool in addressing the horrible scourge of domestic violence. 

“Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and I reserve the balance of my time.”

Closing Remarks

“Every year, approximately 7.9 million women are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, and an average of 3 women are killed every day by a current or former intimate partner. 

“These grim statistics underscore the crucial need for us to act without delay to reauthorize VAWA and to enhance and expand the Act so that it is even more effective. 

“The ‘Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019’ is comprehensive and inclusive legislation that I hope will earn bipartisan support, in the long tradition of this important law.  Therefore, I urge my colleagues to join with me in voting for this critical legislation today. 

“Thank you.  I yield back the balance of my time.”