Bill Text: MI HR0187 | 2019-2020 | 100th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-10-23 - Referred To Committee On Judiciary [HR0187 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2019-HR0187-Introduced.html
house Resolution No.187
Reps. Hope, Bolden, Gay-Dagnogo, Anthony, Witwer and Sabo offered the following resolution:
Whereas, The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) aims to prevent violent crimes; respond to the needs of crime victims; and increase public understanding of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and other related crimes. VAWA operates largely through grants that provide funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as nonprofit organizations and universities; and
Whereas, As of February 2019, authorization for VAWA has lapsed. VAWA was originally enacted in 1994 and has been reauthorized by Congress three times, most recently in 2013. The most recent reauthorization of VAWA was set to expire on September 30, 2018, but was extended to December 7, 2018, and later to December 21, 2018, as part of federal budget extensions. It was extended via a short-term spending bill on January 25, 2019, but expired again on February 15, 2019. The United States House of Representatives passed a reauthorization bill in April 2019 (H.R. 1585), but the bill has not been taken up in the United States Senate; and
Whereas, The Violence Against Women Act needs to be reauthorized and funded by Congress. VAWA-funded programs generally cannot manage more than a short funding delay. An extended lapse in authorization and funding could negatively impact local providers' ability to respond to the needs of their communities; and
Whereas, Violence against women remains an ever-present problem in our nation, and vulnerable people around the country rely on programs funded by VAWA. Not reauthorizing and funding these vital programs due to unrelated political gridlock and dysfunction in Washington endangers the lives of Michigan survivors; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
