May 14, 2012 The Honorable John A. Boehner Speaker U.S.

House of Representatives H-232 Capitol Building Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Eric Cantor Majority Leader U.S. House of Representatives 303 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 50515 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives H-204 Capitol Building Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Steny Hoyer Minority Whip U.S. House of Representatives 1705 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 50515

Dear Speaker Boehner, Minority Leader Pelosi, Majority Leader Cantor, and Minority Whip Hoyer: We, the undersigned organizations, represent millions of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and the professionals who serve them, throughout the United States and territories. We would like to express our strong opposition to H.R. 4970, the bill introduced by Rep. Sandy Adams (R-FL) to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). As you know, Congress has recognized the severity of violence against women and our need for a national strategy since the enactment of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. Over the last 18 years, this landmark federal laws comprehensive approach to violence against women has had dramatic results. VAWA funds are used to: Train over 500,000 law enforcement personnel every year, Support sexual assault services in every state; when victims receive advocate-assisted services following assaults, rape survivors are 59 percent more likely to have police reports taken than survivors without advocates whose reports are only taken 41 percent of the time, and Support programs that reduce domestic violence homicides; as an example, between 1993 and 2007, the rate of intimate partner homicides of females decreased by 35 percent and the rate of intimate partner homicides of males decreased 46 percent.

We all support a strong, bipartisan VAWA reauthorization bill similar to what the Senate passed last month, which would continue the life-saving protections and services needed by victims and their families. Again, H.R. 4970, which recently passed out of the House Judiciary Committee by a near party-line vote, would be a rollback of years of progress and likely increase the number of women and children who could be hurt. While we respect Congresswoman Adams personal commitment to the issue of violence against women and girls, we must oppose her harmful bill. H.R. 4970 is genuinely dangerous for immigrant women and their families. It includes damaging provisions that create obstacles for immigrant victims to report crimes, increases danger for immigrant victims by eliminating important confidentiality protections, and undermines effective anti-fraud protections that exist in current law. While embracing many elements of the bipartisan reauthorization that recently passed the Senate, the bill excludes key improvements that were included in the Senate reauthorization. It

expressly rejects protections for men and women who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender and eliminates strong protections and justice for women and children who are beaten or abused on Tribal lands by perpetrators who are not members of a particular tribe. And it removes a key requirement that would more easily allow victims to move from one subsidized housing program to another in order to avoid an abuser and drops an important provision that would tackle the violence that occurs on our nations college campuses. We respectfully request that you reconsider advancing this legislation and instead focus on developing a bipartisan bill modeled after H.R. 4271, the companion bill to the Senatepassed version of VAWA. Thank you for your past efforts to prevent and respond to violence against women and children. We look forward to working with you to craft a bill that works to protect all victims and directs resources to this urgent task in the most effective way possible. Sincerely, 9to5, National Association of Working Women A New Hope Center, Inc. Abortion Care Network Advocates for Youth African Services Committee Akiak Native Community Alianza--National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence AAUW American Federation of Teachers American Red Cross Rape Crisis Services Americans for Immigrant Justice Amnesty International USA Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence ASISTA Immigration Assistance Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) Battered Women's Legal Advocacy Project Black Women's Health Imperative Break the Cycle Business and Professional Women's Foundation Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities Center for Legal and Social Justice Charging Buffalo Society Children's Civil Rights Union Coalition of Labor Union Women Coalition on Human Needs Compass Rape Crisis & Counseling Center Covenant House International Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons Domestic Violence Alternatives/Sexual Assault Center Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project

End Violence Against Women International Enlace Comunitario Farmworker Justice Feminist Majority Foundation Forensic Healthcare Consulting Friends Committee on National Legislation Futures Without Violence, formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund Global Workers Justice Alliance Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) Holistic Living Project Human Rights Campaign Immigrant Ability INCourage, Advocacy Beyond Purpose Indian Law Resource Center Indigenous Women's Justice Institute International Institute of Buffalo Jewish Council for Public Affairs Jewish Federations of North America Jewish Labor Committee Jewish Women International Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs (JACPAC) Justice & Mercy Legal Aid Clinic L.U.N.A La Casa de las Madres La Esperanza La Mariposa Enterprises Latin American Association Latinas Unidas Por Un Nuevo Amanecer Legal Momentum Manavi Media Equity Collaborative Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office Mental Health America of Licking County MESA Mosaic Family Services National Alliance to End Sexual Violence National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) National Association of Human Rights Workers National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators National Center for Transgender Equality National Center for Victims of Crime National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life National Coalition Against Domestic Violence National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc.

National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs National Congress of American Indians National Council of Jewish Women National Council of Women's Organizations National Domestic Violence Hotline National Education Association National Employment Law Project National Health Care for the Homeless Council National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty National Legal Aid & Defender Association National Low Income Housing Coalition National Network to End Domestic Violence National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS) National Organization for Women National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault National Resource Center on Domestic Violence National Women's Conference Committee National Women's Health Network National Women's Law Center Native Women's Coalition NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby Paso Del Norte Civil Rights Project Planned Parenthood Federation of America Rape Victim Advocates Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association Redwood Justice Fund Refugio del Rio Grande, Inc. Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Rural Women's Health Project Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law Share Time Wisely Consulting Services Sisters of Mercy Institute Justice Team Stop Abuse Campaign Tahirih Justice Center The Domestic Violence Action Center The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights The Legal Project The NAACP Time To Tell Tiyospaye Winyan Maka Turning Anger into Change UNANIMA International UnidosNow Union for Reform Judaism Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

United Church of Christ United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries United Methodist Church, General Board of Church & Society United South and Eastern Tribes Uniting Three Fires Against Violence UNO Immigration Ministry Urban Justice Center Vera House, Inc. Victim Rights Law Center Victims Services of Behavioral Connections VOICE MALE Magazine Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii Wider Opportunities for Women Women Against Abuse Women for Genuine Security Women in Federal Law Enforcement, Inc. Women of Color Network Women of Reform Judaism Women's Law Project YWCA USA