Our Native women need you to act right now and ensure VAWA's tribal provisions aren't completely left behind by the U.S. House Representatives.
Last week we all celebrated the 68-31 vote by both Republican and Democratic Senators, passing VAWA with the tribal provisions intact. Amongst other things, these provisions would restore concurrent tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians who commit dating and domestic violence in Indian Country.
However, actions by members of the House last week threaten to leave the tribal provisions out of legislation moving forward. Legislation on VAWA could move as early as the beginning of next week.
Protect the Tribal Provisions: Pick up the Phone - Send an Email Now!
This week members returned to their home districts to talk with constituents. It's up to you to make your voice heard with members of the U.S. House of Representatives and tell them not to leave protections for tribal women behind.
Pick up the phone, write an email, or visit them in person and tell them:
"I urge you to oppose H.R. 4970, the Adams/Cantor VAWA bill, UNLESS the key tribal jurisdictional provisions in Title IX are added!"
Use this sample letter to send House members and important message and attach this one-pager on the tribal provisions to your letter or share it with Representatives when you meet with them.
There is already bipartisan support for the House version of the Stand Against Violence and Empower Native Women Act (SAVE Native Women Act), H.R. 4154. Current co-sponsors of that bill include: Tom Cole (R-OK), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Jay Inslee (D-WA), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Michael Simpson (R-ID), Mike Thompson (D-CA), and Peter Welch (D-VT). We need your help to ensure the same type of bipartisan support for inclusion of H.R.4154's key provisions in the larger VAWA bill!
Background on H.R. 4970
Late last week, about 12 Republican Congresswomen and 3 Republican leaders in the House introduced H.R. 4970, a watered down version of the Senate VAWA bill that contains NONE of the critical tribal jurisdictional provisions.
H.R.4970 is scheduled to be marked up by the House Judiciary Committee on May 8th and it could hit the House floor for a vote as early as that week or the next.
An amendment to include the tribal provisions will likely be offered when H.R. 4970 comes to the House floor for a vote, but passing such an amendment would require 218 votes-and quite a bit of Republican support. This is definitely doable, but we need your help to garner support for these critical provisions!
Contact your Representatives now and urge inclusion of the
