House of Representatives Passes Broader Senate Version of Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act
jen.bendery@huffingtonpost.com
WASHINGTON — The Violence Against Women Act is finally heading to the president’s desk this week after a dragged-out political fight over expanding protections to Native American, LGBT and immigrant victims of abuse. The House voted 286 to 138 on Thursday to pass the bipartisan Senate version of VAWA. President Barack Obama praised the House for passing the broader Senate bill and said he’ll sign it into law as soon as possible. The House’s action means that VAWA will be reauthorized for another five years, with $659 million being provided for various programs targeting domestic violence.