Update on Federal Legislation

VAWA II is H.R. 3514 in the House and S.2110 in the Senate. Parts of the original legislation have been amended onto other bills. Whatever does not pass this year will be included in VAWA 99. H.R. 3514 has 136 cosponsors. All the Democrats in the Illinois delegation are cosponsors except William Lipinski (D-3); none of the Republicans is a cosponsor. Both Illinois Senators Richard Durbin and Carol Moseley-Braun are chief sponsors of S.2110.

National Call-In Week for VAWA II

begins on Monday, September 28, and ends on October 2. Those committed to ending violence against women should call their representatives. If the representatives are already cosponsors, thank them for their support and, if not, ask them to become cosponsors. The Capitol switchboard is 202.224.3121. Calls to home district offices are also effective.

On the Senate side, thank Senators Durbin and Moseley-Braun for their sponsorship of S.2110, and ask them also to sponsor the Battered Women’s Economic Security Act (BWESA). This legislation, introduced by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), includes the parts of the House VAWA II bill that S.2110 omitted. BWESA will address important workplace violence issues as well as housing and military violence. It also authorizes sizable grants to provide legal services to impoverished victims of violence.

Changes in Bankruptcy Law That Threaten Child Support

Senator Durbin, a chief sponsor of the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1998 (S.1301), has been involved in negotiations on the terms of the Senate bill. The bill may come to the Senate floor for a vote as early as this week or next. Once it passes the Senate it will go to a joint House-Senate conference committee where the language of the final legislation will be negotiated. It is not clear when this will happen. Call or fax Senator Durbin to ensure that he does not sell out women and children and will fight any attempts by the credit card industry to put credit card debt on par with child support and alimony when a bankruptcy is filed. Senator Durbin’s direct number is 202.224.2152/fax 202.228.0400.

For more information contact Wendy Pollack at 312.263.3830 ext. 238.