Dear Editor,

According to the latest United States census data, 48.8% of the Schuylkill County residents are female. I cannot stop wondering how women in our 9th Congressional District feel about Congressman Dan Meuser voting “no” against H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019.

The original Violence Against Women Act was introduced in 1994 under President Bill Clinton because of the abundant evidence of spousal abuse.

The act provided $1.6 billion toward investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women. It imposed automatic and mandatory restitution on the offenders in the criminal process. It also allowed victims to sue in court.

The Violence Against Women Act also provided shelters where victims can safely escape further harm.

The act expired on Feb. 15, 2019, and Congress immediately introduced H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019. That bill passed the House of Representatives on April 4, 2019, by a vote of 263-158, with 33 Republicans joining Democrats in the affirmative.

Dan Meuser was one of the congressmen who voted against the bill, putting partisanship over the protection of women from domestic violence. VAWA had been reauthorized in a bipartisan manner several times since its inception, most recently in 2013.

As a female voter, whether you are a Democrat, a Republican or an Independent, you really need to ask yourself whether Congressman Meuser follows through on his oath of office to serve and protect you, his constituents.

And with that in mind, you’ve got to ask yourself for whom you want to cast your vote for on Nov. 3.

Sincerely,

Nadia Hassani

West Penn Township