Vote weakens safety provisions

We are writing to show our grave disappointment in his support of HR 4970 which weakens the Violence Against Women Act and will endanger victims.

We are particularly concerned with provisions that: 1) erode critical safety measures for immigrant victims seeking safety and justice; 2) fail to fix a jurisdictional issue for Native American victims on tribal lands who are beaten by non-tribal perpetrators with near impunity; 3) ignore the needs of lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender victims and other marginalized communities; 4) undermine the potential of emergency housing transfer policies; and 5) grow bureaucracy, reduce victim services and increase the administrative burden on small nonprofit organizations

In northern Minnesota, the most prevalent immigrant issue surrounding domestic violence that we see is predatory men who bring or seek out immigrant women and make them domestic slaves in their rural, isolated homes in Koochiching County.

With these major issues left unaddressed, we are forced to oppose this bill and are outraged that Congressman Chip Cravaack supported this version of the Violence Against Women Act. Programs like ours do not turn away victims of domestic violence based on race, class, disability, sexual orientation, immigration status, gender, or ethnicity.  

Congress should be inclusive in its efforts of all victims of domestic violence.

We continue to request Congressman Cravaack's office seek input from his constituents and those most affected by this bill.

We also ask that Congressman Cravaack come to Koochiching County on his next visit to Minnesota to meet with victims of domestic violence, our board of directors and staff.  

Koochiching County constituents deserve to be heard and protected by our representative in Congress.

LeeAnn Meer

executive director

Friends Against Abuse

International Falls, MN