Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) voted in favor of H.R. 1585, Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) of 2019, which passed the House 263-158. The VAWA funding expired on February 15, 2019, causing lapses in programs and protections to help domestic violence victims.

Following the vote, Congressman Kinzinger released this statement:

“Today, I voted in favor of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which provides protections for victims of domestic violence as well as lifesaving services to communities here in IL-16 and across the country. Since it was enacted in 1994, VAWA has contributed to a significant decrease in domestic violence and has saved countless lives. This critical law has been continually reauthorized on a bipartisan basis, but has languished in recent years due to unresolved lapses in short-term funding.

“In my district, like in many others, the programs and protections authorized by VAWA are essential to ensuring our law enforcement and first responders have the proper training to best care for, and protect, victims in our community.  I have long supported a clean reauthorization of VAWA and am disappointed that House Democrats chose to play politics on something this important. While I do have concerns with the partisan provisions included in this legislation, I’m hopeful that by moving this bill forward, we can work with our Senate colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral manner to improve and strengthen the full VAWA reauthorization.”

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