The Republican-led House on Wednesday approved in a mostly partisan 222 to 205 vote its own version of a Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, rejecting Democratic requests to also permit a vote on the Senate-passed bill that passed in that chamber with bipartisan support. The Senate bill provides new protections for gay, immigrant and Native American victims of domestic abuse while the House version does not.
The House’s passage of a more limited law sets the stage for what is likely to be weeks or even months more of election-year political maneuvering on the legislation. There was uncertainty Wednesday night over how soon the two chambers might try soon to work toward agreement on a finalized bill in conference, if at all. The White House already has called the House Republicans’ bill unacceptable, and threatened a veto by President Obama should that version land on his desk.
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