by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in a rare bipartisan vote. Twenty-three Republicans joined all 53 Democrats and two independents to pass the measure.

Sen. Marco Rubio, the Republican Party's rising star who delivered the official response to President Obama's State of the Union address, joined old-time right-wingers like Tom Coburn (R-OK), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Rand Paul (R-KY) in voting No.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the bill's sponsor, questioned why anybody would vote against his legislation since it expands federal protections to vulnerable groups.

'It is difficult to understand why people would come in here and try to limit which victims could be helped by this legislation,' Leahy said. 'If you're the victim, you don't want to think that a lot of us who have never faced this kind of problem sat here in this body and said, 'Well, we have to differentiate which victims America will protect.'

INCLUDES LGBT PROTECTIONS
The bill authorizes $659 million over five years for VAWA programs. It also expands VAWA to include new protections for LGBT and Native American victims of domestic violence, to give more attention to sexual assault prevention, and to help reduce a backlog in processing rape kits.

Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a strong supporter of the bill, repeated her challenge to House Republican leaders to bring the measure up for a vote.

'Today marks an important step to renew our national commitment to ending domestic violence and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act,' Murray said in a statement.

'However, the clock is still ticking and over 160 million women across the country are watching and waiting to see if the House will act on this bill and finally provide them the protections from violence they deserve. And just like last Congress, we all know it will take leadership from Speaker [John] Boehner and [Minority] Leader [Eric] Cantor to move this bill forward. The fate of VAWA still lies squarely on their shoulders and too many women have been left vulnerable while they have played politics,' continued Murray.

'Thankfully, we're beginning to see reasonable House Republicans join their colleagues in the Senate and come out in support of this bipartisan legislation. I am confident this bill could pass the House if Republican leadership brings it up for a vote on behalf of victims all across America who can't wait one more day. Because who a person loves, where they live, or their immigration status shouldn't determine whether they are protected from violence.'

FOES OBJECT TO SCOPE
First passed in 1994, VAWA has helped to strengthen programs and services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. Because it depends on federal funding, the measure must be reauthorized periodically.

Republicans in the House objected to the LGBT and Native American protections in the bill, and stalled it during the past congressional session.

President Barack Obama hailed the vote and called on House Republican leaders to pass the Senate bill and send it to him.

'This important step shows what we can do when we come together across party lines to take up a just cause,' Obama said in a statement. 'It's now time for the House to follow suit and send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law.'

Vice President Joe Biden, an original sponsor of the 1994 law, also praised the bipartisan Senate vote and said the House needs to get moving.

'Delay isn't an option when three women are still killed by their husbands or boyfriends every day. Delay isn't an option when countless women still live in fear of abuse, and when one in five have been victims of rape,' Biden said in a statement. 'This issue should be beyond debate - the House should follow the Senate's lead and pass the Violence Against Women Act right away.'

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