In what House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) called “probably the first positive act we’ve taken this Congress,” House Democrats joined with 87 Republicans to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act on Thursday. The bill will grant more than $650 million over five years to states and local governments to provide transitional housing, legal advice, and other services to victims. VAWA will also include protections for immigrants and LGBT people, and grants Native American tribal courts the authority to prosecute non-American Indians.
