AFA-CWA Urges Passage of Protections Against Domestic Violence

AFA-CWA President Veda Shook calls for passage of the expanded Violence Against Women Act.

At a Capitol Hill news conference, AFA-CWA President Veda Shook called on Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act now.

"We need to pass comprehensive, expansive reauthorization that expands protections to all victims of domestic violence; female, male, gay, bisexual, transgender, Native American and immigrants. Now is not the time to roll back current law and deny coverage to any victim," she said.

Flight Attendants have been calling their senators and representatives, urging them to take action before summer recess.

Since 1994, when this law was first adopted, there has been bipartisan cooperation and a real understanding of just how important these protections are to millions of people who face abuse. But some Republican Senators are holding up the bill because they don't like the bipartisan improvements that have been added.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), one of the bill's principal sponsors along with Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), has said "you cannot say that we will seek to stop domestic violence but only for certain people."