From Pat Reuss of NOW, the godmother of VAWA.
October 10, 2013
Please forward widely!
Government Shutdown Jeopardizes Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Victims and Programs
Urge the House to vote to end the shutdown now by voting for a clean continuing resolution!
The federal government shutdown is having a very real impact in the lives of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault across the country. Because the federal agencies that administer funding for the thousands of programs that serve victims have ceased operating, many programs are already (or will soon be) without access to the federal resources they rely on to provide life-saving services every day. A prolonged shutdown means that victims fleeing violence and seeking supportive services will be without access to emergency shelter, an advocate during the rape kit exam, crisis intervention, or other critical services needed to escape and heal.
Even before the shutdown began, service providers across the country were often operating on shoestring budgets, having been squeezed by repeated cuts to funding and the federal sequestration. The truth of the shutdown is that the burden on Congress to agree on the federal budget is tragically being passed off to victims, amplifying their vulnerability and forcing them to stay in harm's way. Victims are bearing the weight of our lawmakers' inability to agree on federal spending. While programs remain committed to staying open and providing services as long as they possibly can, they will not be able to weather an extended shutdown. The shutdown must end now in order to ensure that no more programs have to close their doors to victims in desperate need of services and support.
Targeted Action: The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was renewed earlier this year with bi-partisan support in the House and Senate. The government shutdown undermines this lifesaving bill. Let's call on those who voted for VAWA to make good on their commitments – to fund the federal government's response to domestic violence and sexual assault. Tell all Representatives, especially Republicans who voted for VAWA (found here and below) that the shutdown is endangering the very victims they voted to protect just a few months ago!
For more information on how the shutdown is impacting victims of sexual assault and domestic violence:
ACTION ITEM 1: TWEET REPRESENTATIVES TO SAY #JUSTVOTE
.@[handle] The #shutdown is hurting #DV & #SA programs, leaving victims with nowhere to turn. Need clean CR now! #JustVote
ACTION ITEM 2: CALL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE & URGE THEM TO VOTE TO END THE SHUTDOWN
When you're connected to their offices, say (or leave a message saying): I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _____________. Please tell Representative _________ to vote to end the shutdown and pass a clean continuing resolution to fund the government IMMEDIATELY. The shutdown is placing domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers in serious danger of closing, leaving victims with nowhere to turn for safety and support. A vote for VAWA earlier this year is meaningless if services and programs are shut down or deprived of crucial funding. You must move to a clean vote in order to ensure that life-saving services will continue to be available to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Calls should especially be made to these 87 House Republicans who voted for final passage of VAWA.
Alexander
Amodei Bachus Barletta Barr Benishek Boustany Brooks (IN) Buchanan Bucshon Calvert Camp Capito Coffman Cole Collins (NY) Cook Cramer Crenshaw Daines Davis, Rodney Denham Dent Diaz-Balart Duffy Farenthold Fitzpatrick Frelinghuysen Gardner |
Gerlach
Gibbs Gibson Grimm Hanna Harper Heck (NV) Herrera Beutler Hunter Issa Jenkins Joyce King (NY) Kinzinger (IL) Kline Lance Latham LoBiondo McCarthy (CA) McHenry McKeon McKinley McMorris Rodgers Meehan Messer Miller (MI) Nugent Nunes |
Paulsen
Pearce Poe (TX) Reichert Renacci Rigell Rogers (MI) Rokita Ros-Lehtinen Royce Runyan Ryan (WI) Schock Shimkus Shuster Simpson Stivers Terry Thompson (PA) Tiberi Tipton Turner Upton Valadao Walden Walorski Webster (FL) Yoder Young (FL) Young (IN) |
Action Item #3 – Sign the Ultraviolet petition to Speaker Boehner and House Members: http://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/vawa_shutdown/?akid=625.529187.1DUyiE&rd=1&t=2
If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org. For more info, go to www.4vawa.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment