Please forward widely!

November 14, 2012

679 Days Since VAWA Expired

183 Days Since Congress’ Last Action on VAWA

30 Days Left to pass VAWA before this Congress ends

Now that the election is over, we must make every effort to get our Representatives and Senators in Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)!  This is our final opportunity to push for VAWA before this Congress is done.  There is so much at stake and too much to lose – join us in telling Congress: Pass VAWA now!      

National Day of Action:

Today – Wednesday, November 14 – is the National Day of Action to pass VAWA.  Advocates all across the nation will be contacting their elected officials to tell them “Pass VAWA now!”

Please take a few minutes tomorrow to call your Senators and Representatives.

·         Use this number 888.269.5702 to connect to the Capitol switchboard.  Then ask to be connected to your U.S. Representative (www.house.gov) or Senator (www.senate.gov).  
·         Tell them:  “I am your constituent.  Now that the elections are over, I urge you to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)!  It has been 679 days since VAWA expired, and 183 days since Congress’s last action on VAWA.  Please, show women and victims that you care – pass VAWA now!” 

Email: Don’t have time to call? You can also email the short message above to your Members of Congress. 

Twitter:  Do you tweet?  Here are a few sample tweets that you can use! 

@[INSERT YOUR REP’S TWITTER HANDLE] #PassVAWA2012 because victims need safe and affordable housing #dv #VAWA

@[INSERT YOUR REP’S TWITTER HANDLE] #PassVAWA2012 because victims are still being killed by their partners. #dv #VAWA

@[INSERT YOUR REP’S TWIITER HANDLE] #PassVAWA2012 because our shelter serves victims in your community who depend on it!

Social Media

Be a part of a ground-breaking campaign to leverage the full power of social media in fighting for theReauthorization of VAWA! Join advocates across the nation in the #PassVAWA2012 Facebook Photo Campaign to tell Congress that it’s time to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act!  It’s easy – just snap photos of you, your friends, and your colleagues holding up signs saying why we need to Pass VAWA NOW! Submit your photos via email to advocacy@nnedv.org and lccref@gmail.com or tweetpic to #PassVAWA2012.

The Background

You have worked so hard over the past two years to urge Congress to reauthorize VAWA.  Election cycle politics derailed VAWA’s passage and now we have a final opportunity to get this done!  Congress needs to hear from you that this is still a priority and that they need to act in the “lame duck” session.  With the combination of additional pressure from you throughout November and the work of NNEDV and others at the national level, we believe that it is very likely that Congress will act on VAWA before the end of this session. 

Thanks you for all that you do!

The Policy Team

Monica McLaughlin

Senior Public Policy Specialist

National Network to End Domestic Violence

mmclaughlin@nnedv.org

Main office: 202.543.5566

www.nnedv.org