Award winning actress Angelina Jolie has called upon the Congress to make reauthorization of the Violence against Women Act (VAWA) a priority. She expressed support for renewing legislation that would provide victims of such abuse with medical and legal assistance and support children who have been exposed to violence in their homes.
President Joe Biden, was the primary author of the original version of the bill first signed into law in 1994 when he was a US senator. Subsequent versions of the Act have passed with support from both Democrats and Republicans. However, in 2019, the bill was stalled in the Senate by the Republicans who prevented it from coming to a final vote.
It has now been taken up again and Biden applauded the group of lawmakers from both parties who came together to introduce the VAWA reauthorization. Biden now looks forward to the bill reaching his desk without any more delay. The Act is to combat domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking.
