National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2013
Contact: Azizah Ahmad
(202) 775-9555
NAPABA APPLAUDS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA FOR SIGNING
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT INTO LAW
Today, President Barack Obama signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) into law. Advocates, law enforcement officials, tribal leaders, members of Congress, and Vice President Joe Biden, the author of the original VAWA passed in 1994, attended the signing ceremony.
“The Violence Against Women Act will provide much needed protections to some of the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Wendy Shiba, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Today marks a historic day because immigrant, Native American, and LGBT victims of violence will finally receive the resources that they so desperately need and deserve. NAPABA commends Congress for reauthorizing the bill and the President for signing it into law.”
VAWA was first enacted into law in 1994 and reauthorized in 2000 and 2005. The bill expired in 2012 and last month, the House and Senate voted to reauthorize VAWA. The 2013 reauthorization includes increased safeguards for immigrant, Native American, and LGBT victims of violence. The law also includes the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which was originally a stand-alone bill that expired in 2011. VAWA will remain in effect until 2018, when it will again be up for reauthorization.
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 63 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of people of color in the legal profession.