Posted on Advocate.com April 26, 2012 07:26:43 PM ET

Senate Passes LGBT-Inclusive Domestic Violence Act
The Senate passed the first LGBT-inclusive version of the Violence Against Women Act, which will now provide explicit protections for LGBT survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse.
By Michelle Garcia

http://www.advocate.com/Women/Senate_Passes_LGBT_Inclusive_Domestic_Violence_Act/

The U.S. Senate Thursday passed the first LGBT-inclusive version of the Violence Against Women Act with a bipartisan 68-31 vote, introducing explicit protections for LGBT survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

The law organizes federal funding to enhance investigation and prosecution  of domestic violence and sexual assault while also supporting victim service programs. It was originally enacted in 1994, but it has never had LGBT-inclusive provisions. Senators defeated an amendment, with a 36-63 vote, that would have rewritten the bill and excluded protections for LGBT violence victims.

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Senate passes LGBT-inclusive domestic violence bill

By Chris Johnson on April 26, 2012

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2012/04/26/senate-passes-lgbt-inclusive-domestic-violence-bill/

The U.S. Senate approved legislation on Thursday that aims to strengthen domestic violence programs and extend their coverage to LGBT victims.

Legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, was approved by a 68-31 vote on a bipartisan basis. Republicans had help up the legislation for weeks after it had been reported out by the Senate Judiciary Committee before finally allowing it to come to the floor.

The bill aims to strengthen and improve programs authorized under the existing law — first enacted in 1994 — to assist victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Among the ways the bill builds on existing law is setting aside grant money for programs addressing sexual assault crime and enhancing training for officials to identify high risk offenders who could commit domestic violence homicide.

A good start.  Now if they could only pass a budget.  It has been three years of Senate failure in that respect.

And in the end ... its sponsor, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) of Texas - and McCain - were among the 15 Republicans who voted for the final Democratic bill.

The 31 Republicans who voted no said they support the spirit of the act but had problems with the Democratic rewrite up for consideration.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., for example, said he opposed the bill in part because he believes abused women are best served by state and local governments.

And Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said he voted 'no' because he believes the tribal provisions in the bill would be unconstitutional. Under the measure, Native American officials would be allowed to arrest, prosecute and imprison non-Indians, who cannot vote in tribal elections or have a say in crafting laws that could be used against him, Kyl said.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/26/2769457/deal-on-senate-vote-on-violence.html#storylink=cpy