Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chair, I rise today to speak about the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA.

For the last several decades VAWA has been a positive force in our nation for the protection of some of our most vulnerable populations. Providing grants to domestic violence organizations, increasing access to housing for survivors, supporting law enforcement, addressing the scourge of sex trafficking, and reducing the rape kit backlog--these are just some of the ways VAWA has helped victims of violence in our communities.

While this should be a bipartisan effort to reauthorize VAWA, the new Democratic majority here in the House has decided to insert provisions into the legislation that advance a political agenda at the expense of sexual assault and domestic violence survivors.

Because of the importance of reauthorizing VAWA and protecting vulnerable women across the nation, I will still be supporting final passage of the Democrat-authored bill. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey has found that over 43 percent of women experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. Sexual and domestic violence are pervasive problems and reauthorizing VAWA is critical to the fight against these crimes.

However, I wanted to take a minute to highlight some of the provisions included in this legislation that I remain firmly opposed to, and would vote against if given the opportunity.

Fourth Amendment due process rights and the protection of our Second Amendment rights are inherent rights that should not be infringed upon lightly. Ensuring that due process rights are protected prior to removal of fundamental constitutional rights should not be up for debate.

The majority, however, has done just that in their version of VAWA before us today.

We agree that victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other types of violent behavior should have protections under the law from their abusers and stalkers. Many states have enacted measures to codify limitations on firearm possession following judicial action as it relates to domestic violence and stalking, oftentimes called red flag provisions. Let me be clear, I support such red flag provisions when the accused has the protections of due process and judicial action. But this is an effort that is best handled at the state, not federal, level.

Congress must address violence against women and girls. Restricting constitutional due process and Second Amendment protections, however, is not the right way to legislate.

While I plan to vote for the underlying bill before us today, I must reiterate my strong opposition to these provisions. It is my hope that the House majority's partisan provisions--including the firearm possession provisions and other sections that may compromise the safety of women's prisons and shelters--will eventually be removed during conference committee with the Senate and I can cast my vote for a final version that protects women and girls and maintains protections for our Fourth and Second Amendment rights.

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