Bipartisan support helped to renew the Violence Against Women Act twice since it was first put into place in 1994 to protect against domestic violence.
This time around the Senate expanded those protections to include immigrants and those in LGBT relationships, as well as additional protections for students and Native Americans. A bipartisan vote that included every woman Republican senator passed the proposal. The Republican controlled House, though, doesn’t like these expansions and has put through their own version of the Violence Against Women Act.
The president has said he will veto the House bill.
Now this important legislation appears headed for an all too familiar partisan showdown.
Democrat Rep. Jackie Speier of California told Thomas Roberts on msnbc Live today: “We are talking about domestic violence, why would anyone be for that? Why would we not want to throw the net as comprehensively possible?”
Meanwhile Rep. Sandy Adams, a Republican from Florida and the lead House sponsor of the bill, bizarrely tried to tell Roberts the House proposal is “all-inclusive” and “victim-centered.” She added that she was “appalled” Democrats were politicizing the issue. Adams stressed that she too is a one-time victim of domestic violence.
The House, which is debating the bill today, has just reinstated the Senate's proposed protections for immigrants and Native Americans, but not the LGBT community.
Watch the clip below.