With only 87 Republican House members voting in favor, and 138 voting against, the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Senate version of the Violence Against Women Act. Democrats, without a single no vote, joined a minority of Republicans to send the legislation to the President’s desk by a final vote of 286 to 138.
Before the Senate version came to a vote, a House version of the bill failed. Voting on the House version, expected to fail, gave members the opportunity to vote for a VAWA in the House version before voting against the final version that will become law.
This is the third time Speaker John Boehner has had to rely on House Democrats to pass legislation. One of the principal differences between House and Senate versions was the ability of tribal courts to prosecute non-natives for violence against native women on tribal lands.
More at Politico .
/
Contributor, aka tidbits. Retired attorney in complex litigation, death penalty defense and constitutional law. Former Nat’l Board Chair: Alzheimer’s Association. Served on multiple political campaigns, including two for U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield (R-OR). Contributing author to three legal books and multiple legal publications.