Fw: Sample letter to send to Trent Lott re: Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

[Guest guest]

I hope you all are copying the NOW Foundation on these particular issues ---

www.NOWfoundation.org

Thanks, Martha M

-----Original Message-----

From: ruby rahn <rubyrm@...>

Ruby Rahn <rubyrm@...>

Date: Thursday, October 05, 2000 10:23 PM

Subject: Sample letter to send to Trent Lott re: Violence Against Women Act

(VAWA)

>From Working Assets...

>

>!!!!!!!!!!!!Urgent Flash Activist Network Alert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>

>HELP REDUCE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

>

>Congress is getting ready to call it quits for the year -- even though it

>has very little to show for itself -- so members can head back to their

home

>states to campaign. As a result, even bills with broad based bi-partisan

>support are being held hostage by congressional leaders unwilling to

>schedule votes on anything but spending bills in the waning days of the

>106th Congress. One such example is the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA),

>sponsored by Rep. Connie Morella (R-MD), which recently passed by a vote of

>415-3 in the House. This important legislation now runs the risk of dying

in

>the Senate because Senate Majority Leader Lott refuses to schedule a vote

on

>the bill.

>

>VAWA, first passed in 1994, is a landmark piece of legislation that has

>provided almost $2 billion in federal dollars over the past six years to

>support programs working to end domestic violence and sexual assault. This

>important program has affected the lives of millions of women by

>strengthening the prosecution of child abuse, sexual assault and domestic

>violence cases; increasing services for victims by funding shelters and

>sexual assault crisis centers; increasing resources for law enforcement;

and

>creating a National Domestic Violence Hotline.

>

>Many victims of domestic violence and sexual assault have great difficulty

>leaving violent relationships because they can't afford safe housing or

>adequate legal assistance. The VAWA reauthorization bill addresses these

>critical issues by providing the necessary funding to ensure that victims

of

>domestic violence and their children have access to transitional housing

and

>legal counsel.

>

>Unfortunately, VAWA expired on October 1, 2000, and a Senate vote is needed

>to extend this vital program for another five years. If the reauthorization

>bill doesn't pass, the programs already in place will only be guaranteed

>funding for the next year and new programs needed to help women fight back

>against violence will not come to fruition. This is Congressional gridlock

>at its worst, and victims of domestic violence and sexual assault deserve

>better.

>

>ACTION:

>Call Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and urge him to immediately schedule

>a vote to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The Senate

>should pass the Violence Against Women Act and give battered women the

>support they need to create safe homes for themselves and their children.

>

>For more info. on this issue, call the National Coalition Against Domestic

>Violence at 202/745-1211 or visit www.ncadv.org.

>

>WAYS TO TAKE ACTION:

>YOU CAN LET US MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU:

>Call 1-800-995-7575. Listen to the menu and instructions. At the press of

>a button, you can request us to send a fax for you at NO EXTRA COST. Or we

>can connect you directly by phone to Senate Majority Leader Lott (9am-5pm

>EST only).

>

>YOU CAN FAX OR E-MAIL:

>Attached is a sample letter. You may modify the attached letter or print

it

>as is, sign and send it off. Senate Majority Leader Lott's fax number is

>202-224-4639. His e-mail address is senatorlott@.... If you

>choose to fax or e-mail on your own please cc: us so we can better track

>responses fax: 415/371-1046 Attn: FAN or fan@....

>

>YOU CAN CALL: Call 1-800-995-7575 and we will connect you to Senate

>Majority Leader Lott (9am-5pm EST only). Or, you can call him directly at

>202/224-3135 (9am-5pm EST only).

>

>(sample letter)

>

>e-mail: senatorlott@....

>

>The Honorable Trent Lott

>United States Senate

>Washington, DC 20510

>

>Dear Senator Lott,

>

>I urge you to immediately schedule a vote to reauthorize the Violence

>Against Women Act (VAWA).

>

>VAWA was first passed in 1994 and currently enjoys strong bipartisan

support

>in both houses of Congress. VAWA funding has saved countless lives through

>programs like the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic violence

>shelters, rape crisis centers and training programs for police officers,

>judges and prosecutors.

>

>Violence against women -- rape, sexual assault, domestic violence and

>stalking -- affects millions of women each year in the United States alone,

>regardless of financial means, race, religion, or country of origin.

>Estimates range from 1 million to nearly 4 million women who are physically

>abused by their husbands or live-in partners per year. Domestic violence

>not only affects the lives of men and women, but also the lives of children

>who witness violence in their homes and/ or experience violence in their

own

>dating relationships.

>

>The help provided by - and programs created under -- the Violence Against

>Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) have already made a difference in thousands of

>women's lives. The VAWA Reauthorization Bill, S.2787, will strengthen

these

>crucial programs over the next five years.

>

>On September 26, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the

>reauthorization of VAWA by a vote of 415 - 3. But VAWA expired on October

1,

>and the Senate still hasn't addressed this important issue. This is

>Congressional gridlock at its worst, and victims of domestic violence and

>sexual assault deserve better. The Senate should immediately pass the

>Violence Against Women Reauthorization Bill.

>

>Please tell me how you plan to respond to this vital issue.

>

>Sincerely,

>

>(your name & address)

>

>*********************************************************************

>

>IMPORTANT NOTE:

>If you're not a FAN member and this e-mail was forwarded to you, you will

>not be able to use the FAN Hotline to take action.

>

>********************************************************************

>FLASH ACTIVIST NETWORK INFORMATION:

>

>If you need to reach a Flash Activist Network Associate you can call

>1-800-772-1077 or e-mail fan@.... You can also write to Working Assets

>- FAN, 101 Market Street, Suite 700, San Francisco, CA 94105.

>

>The Flash Activist Network is a special subscriber service of Working

>Assets. It is a closed and moderated list. If you wish to find out more

>about FAN, visit our Web site at

>

>http://www.workingforchange.com/services/activism/fan/fan.cfm.

>

>To join or change your account information, contact the Flash Activist

Network

>directly. Please send e-mail to the Flash Activist Coordinator

>(fan@...) or call 1-800-772-1077.

>

>

>

>__________________________________________________

>