Biden: House Republican Proposed Budget Would Reduce, Eliminate Programs Aimed at Helping Domestic Violence Victims

Pete Souza / The White HouseWASHINGTON) — Vice President Joe Biden criticized the budget proposed by House Republicans on Friday while addressing the seventh biennial National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence, saying that the proposal would reduce or eliminate programs aimed at assisting female victims of domestic violence.

“You saw the debates we had about reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act,” Biden said. “But wasn’t it amazing that after all these years and all the evidence presented that it’s still a debate?” He called that debate “one of the most disappointing things to me in all my years in public life.”

The Republican proposal, which would eliminate the Affordable Care Act, would also cut home visitation programs for victims and allow health insurers to consider injuries caused by abuse as previously existing conditions, Biden said. Other programs would be slashed by more than 12 percent, including subsidies to help alleviate a backlog of untested rape kits nationally.

“A budget is to reflect a country’s values and priorities,” Biden said.

“The House Republican budget — it will not pass, God willing — totally eliminates the Affordable Care Act, does not replace it with anything, and all those programs I just mentioned that benefit victimized women will be gone,” Biden concluded.

He also took to Twitter, saying that as important as it is to protect American women from violence, we must do the same for women around the world.

 

“As we protect women in America from violence, we have a similar obligation to end violence against women around the world.” -VP Biden

— Vice President Biden (@VP) March 20, 2015

“Our Administration will continue using the tools at our disposal to promote the human rights of women.” -Vice President Biden

— Vice President Biden (@VP) March 20, 2015

 

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