Cole Statement on House Passage of VAWA Reauthorization

Press Release

Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04), a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, made the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1620, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) of 2021. Cole supported the legislation.

"As a strong and longtime supporter of the Violence Against Women Act, I recognize the importance of strengthening and renewing tools to address domestic violence by reauthorizing the law," said Cole. "While there are many misguided provisions that do not belong in the reauthorization legislation passed by the House, I am very supportive of the areas concerning Native American tribes and their ability to combat and end violence against women and children in their own communities.

"However, although I voted in favor of the legislation, I remain concerned that inclusion of certain partisan provisions puts final reauthorization of this critical law at risk. In order to actually pass something out of Congress and get it to the president's desk, this legislation must be truly bipartisan. I believe this legislation will have to change significantly if it is to have any chance to pass the Senate and be signed into law. I will be working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers to see that some of its partisan and objectionable provisions are removed from the final bill. Indeed, the American people deserve nothing less."

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