Senate OKs Deal on Domestic Violence Act

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- The Senate Friday approved an extension of the Violence Against Women Act that calls for increased funding for the landmark act.

The House is expected to pass the legislation Saturday, according to the office of Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican who chairs the House Judiciary Committee.
....
The original legislation was championed by Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., and his wife, Sheila Wellstone, who were killed in a plane crash three years ago. The Wellstones' son, Mark Wellstone, has lobbied Congress this year to renew the act.

"We're really happy that House and Senate members came together on a new Violence Against Women Act that emphasizes prevention," said Julie Koob, director of the Sheila Wellstone Institute, an anti-domestic violence group which helped lobby for the extension.

The $3.9 billion called for in the new bill represents a 20 percent increase over the last five-year extension, although the actual funding levels will be left to yearly appropriations legislation.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-violence-against-women,0,1434268.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[katinmn]

1. Whew! Thank goodness. Many people have worked on

this for years. This will save lives! Thank you Paul and Sheila Wellstone for this wonderful legacy.

[Up2Late]

2. HEY, This isn't supposed to happen!

How did we sneak this one past the Regressives in Congress? Good bills aren't supposed to pass with this Congress?:shrug: