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ProSense

(116,464 posts)
Tue Mar 20, 2012, 07:18 PM Mar 2012

Violence Against Women Act gets 60th cosponsor needed to beat filibuster

Violence Against Women Act gets 60th cosponsor needed to beat filibuster

by Laura Clawson

The newly politicized fight to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act for the third time may have reached a tipping point. With the cosponsorship of Nevada Republican Sen. Dean Heller, there are now 60 cosponsors, enough to overcome a filibuster if they all actually vote for the bill.

Heller joins Idaho's Mike Crapo, an author of the bill, Maine's Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, Massachusetts' Scott Brown, and Illinois' Mark Kirk as a Republican supporting reauthorization. Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy, the bill's other author, notes that "Fewer than a dozen bills introduced in the United States Senate this Congress have amassed 60 or more cosponsors."

Republicans—with the above-named exceptions—are trying to block reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act because of, as Adam Serwer explains, gays, immigrants and Native Americans:

Republicans' biggest qualms are about provisions that make federal grants to domestic violence organizations contingent on nondiscrimination against gay, lesbian, and transgender victims; rules extending the authority of tribal courts over domestic violence matters; and a section that would provide more visas for abused undocumented women who agree to cooperate with law enforcement.

Dean Heller and Scott Brown are both facing strong challenges from women, Nevada Rep. Shelley Berkley and, of course, Elizabeth Warren. If that helps get their votes on this critical piece of legislation, excellent. But let's not forget that if Shelley Berkley and Elizabeth Warren were in the Senate, we wouldn't have to wonder about these votes.

Sign the petition telling Senate Republicans to reauthorize The Violence Against Women Act.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/20/1076210/-Violence-Against-Women-Act-gets-60th-cosponsor-needed-to-beat-filibuster


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Violence Against Women Act gets 60th cosponsor needed to beat filibuster (Original Post) ProSense Mar 2012 OP
Kick! n/t ProSense Mar 2012 #1
Republicans are trying to block reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act etherealtruth Mar 2012 #2
I'm surprised any Republicans are signing on... ellisonz Mar 2012 #3

etherealtruth

(22,165 posts)
2. Republicans are trying to block reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
Tue Mar 20, 2012, 08:27 PM
Mar 2012

No surprise there.

The bill is inconsistent with their core beliefs: women are chattel.

Ass-holes

ellisonz

(27,709 posts)
3. I'm surprised any Republicans are signing on...
Tue Mar 20, 2012, 09:05 PM
Mar 2012

...they must be getting nervous about their War on Women.

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