Opinion: Republicans sacrifice protections for Indian women

Tuesday, February 26, 2013  

"Battered Indian women are being used as pawns in a shameful political game being played by some Republicans in Congress.

Sadly, Wyoming’s U.S. Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso joined 20 of their male GOP colleagues who are apparently more than willing to sacrifice the safety of women everywhere by voting against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which had received strong bipartisan support for nearly two decades.

Like nearly all of the men who voted against the bill, Barrasso claims he really loves the VAWA and would vote for it, if only it didn’t contain a “controversial and unconstitutional provision that allows Indian tribes to arrest, prosecute, and imprison non-Indians.”

It is a controversial bill, but only because Republicans like Barrasso and Enzi have widely distorted the impact of what it actually does."

Get the Story:
Kerry Drake: Wyoming’s senators choose politics over protecting women (WyoFile 2/26)

Committee Notice:
S. 47—Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (February 26, 2013)

Related Stories:
House to consider VAWA with different jurisdiction provisions (2/25)
NCAI denounces Sen. Grassley for 'fear mongering' on tribes (2/25)
Editorial: Congress must renew Violence Against Women Act (2/25)
Top GOP lawmaker doesn't think non-Indians will get fair trial (2/22)
GOP lawmakers introduce Violence Against Indian Women Act (2/21)
Tribal jurisdiction provisions of VAWA face questions in House (2/20)
Editorial: Close tribal jurisdiction loophole with VAWA update (2/19)
Rep. Tom Cole defends tribal jurisdiction provisions in VAWA (2/18)
Editorial: Congress must renew Violence Against Women Act (2/18)
NCAI President Keel calls on Congress to protect Indian women (2/15)
PRI: Professor Sarah Deer discusses tribal jurisdiction in VAWA (2/15)
Republican blames VAWA vote on tribal jurisdiction provisions (2/14)
Opinion: Tribal jurisdiction provision violates U.S. Constitution (2/14)
Tribes hail passage of VAWA with tribal jurisdiction provision (2/13)
Senate keeps tribal jurisdiction provisions in VAWA measure (2/12)
Senate set for vote on VAWA with tribal jurisdiction provisions (2/11)
Editorial: Reauthorize VAWA with tribal jurisdiction provisions (2/11)
Column: Failing to respond to violence against Native women (2/11)
Senate rejects alternative to VAWA without tribal jurisdiction (2/8)
Senate set to vote on VAWA with tribal jurisdiction provision (2/7)
White House backs tribal jurisdiction provisions in VAWA bill (2/5)
Frontline: Closing a loophole in VAWA to help Native women (2/5)
Ryan Dreveskracht: Tribal provisions of VAWA up for debate (2/5)
Opinion: The Violence Against Women Act is on life support (01/28)
Matt Remle: Violence against women, violence against earth (1/25)
Haley Elkins: Media goes silent on the failure to pass VAWA (1/24)
NCAI calls on Congress to pass Violence Against Women Act (01/24)