Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, supported strong protections for the victims of domestic violence by voting in favor of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization.  Speaking on the House floor, Nadler also derided the efforts of House Republicans to water down the bill’s protections for the LGBT community, Native Americans, immigrants, and students on college campuses.

“This bill is about protecting women,” said Nadler.  “It is about our sisters and daughters.  It is about combating violence that no human being should ever face – rape, sexual assault, human trafficking.  By offering an amendment that will further delay and even endanger passage of the bill, Republicans are not just standing up for the men who abuse immigrants, or men who rape Native Americans – they are delaying justice and counseling and healthcare and protection for everyone.”

Nadler specifically noted the effect that the Republican measure would have on the LGBT community.  By removing protections for LGBT Americans, Nadler said, the Republican amendment “appears to say that if you’re gay, or lesbian, or bisexual, or transgender, it’s OK to beat you up.  VAWA will not help you.  This is the Republican idea of equality in the 21st century.”

Watch the video of Nadler's remarks here.

Below is the full text of Nadler’s remarks:

“Madame Speaker, this bill is about protecting women.  It is about our sisters and daughters.  It is about combating violence that no human being should ever face – rape, sexual assault, human trafficking.  By offering an amendment that will further delay and even endanger passage of the bill, Republicans are not just standing up for the men who abuse immigrants, or men who rape Native Americans – they are delaying justice and counseling and healthcare and protection for everyone.

“The Republican amendment would roll back protections for immigrants who are victims of domestic abuse by making it harder to obtain U Visas.  The new restrictions would deter undocumented immigrants from reporting assaults and from cooperating with police, leaving victims vulnerable.

“The bipartisan Senate bill would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the eligibility for grant programs under VAWA and would include sexual orientation and gender identity as classes.

“The Republican amendment – by deleting these provisions – appears to say that if you’re gay, or lesbian, or bisexual, or transgender, it’s OK to beat you up.  VAWA will not help you.  This is the Republican idea of equality in the 21st century.

“An approval of the Republican amendment would delay the bill for weeks or months.  It could even kill the bill altogether, as it did in the last Congress.  I hope that is not the true motive behind the amendment.  However the fact that Republicans in Congress have been waging a war on women from the moment they took over control of the House does make you wonder.

“It is time to reject this cynical ploy and pass the Senate’s bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization now, without amendment.  I ask my colleagues to join me in voting against the Republican amendment and for the Senate bill.  We don’t need a retrogressive House bill that goes back on existing protections and endangers passage of any bill.  The Senate did a fine job on a bipartisan basis.  We should pass its bill without delay and not engage in partisan, retrogressive conduct.”

 ###