GFWC Celebrates VAWA Reauthorization

March 16, 2022

GFWC International President Marian St.Clair is attending the White House event with U.S. President Joe Biden to commemorate the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. GFWC and GFWC State Federations joined the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence by signing a VAWA National Sign On Letter, signed by 740 local, state, tribal, national, and international organizations dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence, dating violence, and stalking. The GFWC Legislative Action Center, under the direction of the GFWC Legislation/Public Policy Committee, enabled GFWC members to contact their Members of Congress multiple times throughout the legislative process.

The House of Representatives passed its bill on March 17, 2021. In early February, 2022, S. 3623, negotiated by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) was introduced in the Senate. The sponsors worked with Senate and House Leadership to add the VAWA Reauthorization to the FY 2022 omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 2471). President Biden signed the omnibus appropriations bill on March 15. VAWA 2022 includes important enhancements that make programs and services more responsive to the needs of survivors and communities.