The Reauthorization of 2013 Violence Against Women Act is an act that was made to help victims of violence by providing resources of healing for the victims and seeks to take action to help end domestic violence. This act was originally created in 1994, however, the act only gave rights to certain people, excluding lesbians, gays, immigrants and Native American women from these resources, as well as excluded them from other justices related to violence. The proposed reauthorization of this act intended to not only ensure the continuation of the previous law, but proposed to expand its protection by promoting state and local efforts to combat rape and domestic violence, protecting women, gays, and Native Americans.1.
With on going issues of violence and sexual abuse, Congress felt that these issues needed to be addressed immediately. The bill was introduced to Congress on January 22, 2013, and worked to address issues that the original Violence Against Women Act did not protect and took place as a legislative bill in Congress.2 Congress's agenda setting was focused on five specific areas for the new policy: justice for Native American women in court, justice and safety for LGBT victims, safe housing for survivors of violence, protection for immigrant survivors and justice on school campuses. The political players involved in this process was Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, Senator Patrick Leahy, House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, House GOP Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, speaker John Boehner and President Barrack Obama.3 The political parties involved in this process were Democrat and Republicans, where it was favored among most Democrats in the House and opposed by a majority of the Republicans. .
The first thing this policy would do is remove problems that gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender victims face by giving all victims of the LGBT community access to the same services and rights that straight people do so to overcome trauma and seek help.