Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has been working to urge lawmakers to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act which provides services for victims of domestic violence. (Astrid Stawlarz/ Getty Images)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Grace Meng of Queens joined survivors of domestic violence at a Midtown press conference on Sunday as they called on House lawmakers to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
The bill, first enacted in 1994, funds programs for domestic violence victims. It has been reauthorized two times since then, but the Act’s 2012 renewal was opposed by House Republicans who objected to expanding the bill to include LGBT and Native American victims of domestic violence.
Gillibrand told reporters that she believed the Act should protect all groups, the Daily News reports.
The Senate passed the legislation last week, 78 to 22, but it is not clear how the House will vote on the measure.
In New York City, police responded to nearly 258,000 domestic violence calls in 2011.
