Cornyn Praises New Bipartisan VAWA Reauthorization Bill

Statement

Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the bipartisan VAWA Reauthorization Act, which would fund critical programs for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn's remarks are below, and video can be found here.

"For three decades, the Violence Against Women Act has been at the forefront of our efforts to support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault."

"Unfortunately, like many good bipartisan ideas, this became a political football over time. When the time came to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act in 2019, it was dragged through the gutter of Washington politics."

"After three years of waiting, we've seen real progress on efforts to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Last week, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation to extend and modernize that legislation, and I'm proud to be a cosponsor of that. Senators Ernst from Iowa and Senator Murkowski, our Alaska colleague, have led this effort on the Republican side, and I want to commend our colleagues for their leadership."

"Like all legislation, this bill is not perfect but, as the saying goes, "You can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.' Throughout the negotiating process, I've raised concerns about some of the provisions, and I've seen our colleagues work in good faith with us to address many of those issues."

"There's no question in my mind that this is a good bill that will go a long way to modernize the Violence Against Women Act and ensure that it continues to serve survivors."

"The VAWA Reauthorization Act extends this legislation through 2027 and builds on the advancements made in previous reauthorizations and improves access to services, especially those in rural communities with fewer resources."

"It promotes partnerships with law enforcement and victim service organizations to provide victim-centered training for law enforcement officers. It approves grants to help school-based professionals connect students with victims' services and strengthens existing campus grant programs for colleges and universities."

"It establishes a pilot program to support domestic violence victims seeking employment, and it takes aim at relatively new threats, including cybercrimes, by establishing the National Resource Center on Cybercrimes against individuals."

"I'm proud to support this legislation, and I hope Senator Schumer, the Majority Leader, can find time to put it on the Senate calendar and to vote it out without delay."

Source