Dems Attack GOP Version of Violence Against Women Act

Say it omits critical parts

Top Senate Democrats excoriated the competing House Republican version of the Violence Against Women Act hours after it was unveiled Friday.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the chief sponsor of VAWA, derided the legislation as "partisan" and said it omits critical measures designed to protect vulnerable populations like Native Americans, immigrants and the gay and lesbian community.

"Next week, the House of Representatives plans to revert back to its partisan version of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act," Leahy said in a statement. "The Republican House leadership has decided to replace the Senate-passed version with a substitute that will not provide critical protections for rape victims, domestic violence victims, human trafficking victims, students on campuses, or stalking victims. This is simply unacceptable and it further demonstrates that Republicans in the House have not heard the message sent by the American people and reflected in the Senate's overwhelming vote earlier this month to pass the bipartisan Leahy-Crapo bill. A majority of Republican Senators — and every woman serving in the United States Senate — supported it."