Planned Parenthood 'Strongly Opposes' House GOP's Violence Against Women Act

WASHINGTON -- The Planned Parenthood Federation of America has joined a growing list of civil rights organizations, women's rights groups, domestic violence workers and faith-based organizations in strong opposition to the House GOP's version of the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization.

Planned Parenthood released a statement on Tuesday saying that it "strongly opposes" the House measure.

"There are few pieces of legislation that have delivered as greatly on their promise as the Violence Against Women Act," said Cecile Richards, president of the health services provider. "However, instead of seeking to expand protections, this new House bill puts victims of domestic violence in greater danger and excludes vulnerable populations from critical protections."

After the Senate passed a bipartisan bill that included protections for unauthorized immigrant, Native American and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender victims of domestic violence, House Republicans wrote a bill that not only strips out those provisions, but also rolls back existing confidentiality protections for immigrant women who have been abused. The House version of the bill passed out of the Judiciary Committee on party lines last week and is scheduled for a full House vote on Wednesday.

Richards said Planned Parenthood is particularly concerned about the removal of the confidentiality protections. Under current law, an immigrant woman who has been abused by her American husband can apply for legal status in her own right without her husband's knowledge, in order to escape the marriage without being deported. The GOP version of VAWA strips out that measure so that the state could notify the suspected abuser that his wife was seeking citizenship, which Republicans lawmakers argue will help protect anti-domestic violence programs from immigration fraud.

"As we've seen all too clearly over the past 18 months, women still face gender discrimination in this country," said Richards, referring to the ongoing state and federal battles over women's health and reproductive rights. "This House bill does not advance protections against discrimination, but would further stigmatize particular populations. Planned Parenthood firmly stands against this bill and urges the House to pass the bipartisan Senate reauthorization instead."

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Comments

[Bear bee]

04:21 AM on 05/16/2012

"Women still face gender discrimination in this country"

LOL: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/15/pass-the-gop-version-of-vawa/

[Lacey Robinson]

10:50 PM on 05/15/2012

The opposite of progress is congress. Until there is actually seperation of Church and State these issues will never be resolved. There has to be a way to be religious without being restrictive...

[The Corporate Champion]

09:58 PM on 05/15/2012

Of course the feminist organizations are going to wild out when their sugar daddy (the government) threatens to take away their money.

[rivertown]

08:57 PM on 05/16/2012

Until you can fully understand the impact of violence against women I suggest you don't comment any further on this topic. Do some research and see how well women are fairing in this country with abuse. Just such a bad comment I can't even begin to tell you what I think about it. When women in your family or life have been beaten, raped, and yes murdered you might understand better. We have a responsibility to protect all from these violences and to have programs set up to help women in crisis. It happens every day, every hour, and every minute. This is not about feminist it's about the women of our country and their freedoms in this country. And by the way I'm extremely proud to be a feminist and feel sorry for you that you don't have the capacity to actually know what a feminist is.

[AwesomeInfo]

12:56 PM on 05/30/2012

But you also have to understand that men are victims of violent crime at a rate of 5-1 over women. Domestic abuse is shown to be reciprocal in study after study, but yet, the only ones we want to see are women.

Violence Against Person's Act would be something I firmly support. NO ONE deserves to have a violent act committed against them. There are victims of both genders involved. The worst cases of spousal battery are almost always men abusing women, but it is important to note that an extremely small percent of domestic violence is spousal battery.

Women should have a right to walk down the street without being raped. Women should have a right to walk down the street without being murdered. But when you look at the entire population and 5 men are gunned down for every woman who is a victim, it is nothing but politics to focus solely on one aspect of violent crime. It gets people elected, it presents opportunities for money and power, but does little for violence across the country.

Violence is wrong. No matter who does it, no matter who its victim is. Until we can see past gender, and actually find solutions to all violence, perhaps we should all refrain from commenting on the topic, no?

[Twin420]

09:18 PM on 05/15/2012

Another example of the Republican's War on Women that they claim doesn't exist. Sheer and utter hypocracy.

[lisalulu]

09:02 PM on 05/15/2012

No Thank you Kristie Noem of SD: I support Matt Varilek for HR this November.

[jenniferkizzy]

08:21 PM on 05/15/2012

back word's thinking is failed logic

[jenniferkizzy]

08:20 PM on 05/15/2012

a woman must first consent too having children not the other way around

[jenniferkizzy]

02:55 AM on 05/16/2012

that's what's up ag 

[jenniferkizzy]

08:17 PM on 05/15/2012

your logic is flawed out dated antiquated and harmful do you not see the failed twisted logic you are spouting

[judibluiz]

07:59 PM on 05/15/2012

I know many pro choice women, but I don't know any woman who is pro-abortion. Too keep abortions safe and rare, prevention and sex education in the schools are key, something Republicans are against.

[Maribel Del Villar Perez]

08:35 PM on 05/15/2012

Completely true. My stance on choice puzzled some dumb-dumbs around me when I decided to keep my unplanned pregnancy. I had to make it clear I was pro-CHOICE - the right for every woman to decide the size of their family (or lack there of), without government intervention.
If I want the right to keep my pregnancy, other women should have a right to end it.

[judibluiz]

12:08 PM on 05/16/2012

Yes, I wholeheartedly agree. Choice means the right to choose.

[yoyoming]

07:56 PM on 05/15/2012

Faith based organizations need to call these sleazy GOPers out publicly on stuff like this -- mainstream churches should point out what craven policies they support.

[jenniferkizzy]

07:16 PM on 05/15/2012

very few if any people have heart there for a child is the consenting conceptive idea of two adult's it take's two too tango do you not see the failed flawed logic of that bye

[MNKen]

08:10 PM on 05/15/2012

I have no idea what you tried to say.

[jenniferkizzy]

08:36 PM on 05/15/2012

in other word's if you can't take care of a child don't have one simple do we really have too go back too pre school 

[CherryDDs]

09:42 PM on 05/15/2012

hahaha.. fyi, when you see that username skip right over the post. It's incoherent rantings that are just a travesty.

[jenniferkizzy]

07:14 PM on 05/15/2012

we do not cultivate have or nurture nor do we have children for the right's of the people we have a child because we love them that is something people will never understand it take's more than the female form too have a child i'm gonna quote of my favorite anime's armitage matrix three when armitage tell's the bad guy it take's heart love the need too see that child through it take's the force of the mother too protect her child that is something you will never understand it take's more than the female form too have a child it take's heart something i'm sad too say very people have

[solvseus]

07:34 AM on 05/16/2012

It's called punctuation, please use it. ;)

[jenniferkizzy]

10:57 AM on 05/16/2012

 fu

[jenniferkizzy]

07:12 PM on 05/15/2012

the whole anti women's movement is pretty evident a woman is more than a baby making machine

[jenniferkizzy]

09:37 PM on 05/15/2012

call it like i see it 

[jenniferkizzy]

07:02 PM on 05/15/2012

no one under stands british humor

[jenniferkizzy]

07:02 PM on 05/15/2012

i was being sarcastic i don't hate everyone