Democratic Senator Tina Smith is urging Republican leaders of the U-S Senate to stop stalling and pass a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which cleared the U-S House with bipartisan support. Smith says, “Does that not break our hearts, to think that women’s lives would be used as leverage so that somebody can accomplish some political aim.”
The National Rifle Association reportedly has objections to the House bill, which would prohibit those convicted of misdemeanor stalking offenses from owning firearms, as well as abusers subject to temporary protection orders. Smith responds, “If you were to ask the members, the Minnesota members, of the National Rifle Association and communities all across the country whether they think… that the Violence Against Women Act should be held up because of objections by the N-R-A, I think that most of those members would say, absolutely not.”