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Last week, AG Racine urged Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Since 1995, this legislation has provided over $6 billion in crucial grants supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse nationwide, but funding expires later this month.

Here is an excerpt from a letter I joined to the U.S. Senate and House leadership:

September 17, 2018

Dear Honorable Leaders:

We write to strongly urge you to act swiftly to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), funding for which is set to expire this year. As the chief legal officers of our respective states, reducing the rate and devastating effects of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and stalking and supporting survivors as they rebuild their lives has been a constant and consistent priority. If Congress allows VAWA to lapse, it will mean that millions of survivors will have nowhere to turn, violent crimes against women will increase, and perpetrators of these crimes will go unpunished.

Since VAWA was originally passed in 1994, legislation reauthorizing and further strengthening the law has passed with bipartisan support in 2000, 2005, and 2013. These improvements to VAWA have recognized and addressed the severity of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. With every iteration of the law, services, resources, protections, and remedies for survivors of these crimes have been enhanced.

Congress must stand with survivors and act now. Read the full letter.