May 16, 2012

In a vote of ____ to _____ the U.S. House reauthorized the 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The authorization provides federal funding to programs and organizations that provide assistance to victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault. VAWA grants, provided through the Department of Justice along with the Department of Health and Human Services, established such outreach programs as the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other outreach programs aimed at the education and prevention of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Today's passage also increases the mandatory penalty for forcible rape to 10 years.