Would Further Protect Survivors in HUD Programs
House Bill Omits Key Senate Provisions
The House and the Senate have approved different versions of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The House version omitted three key provisions.
On April 26, 2012, the full Senate voted on and passed the reauthorization of VAWA. The vote was 68-31 with both Senators Lautenberg and Menendez voting in favor.
On May 16, 2012, the full House voted on the reauthorization of VAWA by a vote of 222-205. New Jersey’s delegation voted 5-7 against the bill.
According to the NY Times:
The House bill omits three provisions of the Senate measure. One would allow Indian tribal courts to try certain non-Indians accused of committing crimes of domestic violence on reservations. Another would expand the number of temporary visas for illegal immigrant victims of domestic violence. The last would extend protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender victims of domestic violence.
Click here to read The National Alliance to End Homelessness recent blog post on the Act and how it impacts survivors at risk of or already experiencing homelessness.
This is how NJ’s House members voted:
| Nay | NJ-1 | Andrews, Robert [D] |
| Yea | NJ-2 | LoBiondo, Frank [R] |
| Yea | NJ-3 | Runyan, Jon [R] |
| Yea | NJ-4 | Smith, Christopher [R] |
| Nay | NJ-5 | Garrett, Scott [R] |
| Nay | NJ-6 | Pallone, Frank [D] |
| Yea | NJ-7 | Lance, Leonard [R] |
| Nay | NJ-8 | Pascrell, William [D] |
| Nay | NJ-9 | Rothman, Steven [D] |
| Yea | NJ-11 | Frelinghuysen, Rodney [R] |
| Nay | NJ-12 | Holt, Rush [D] |
| Nay | NJ-13 | Sires, Albio [D] |
