Recognizing that members of Congress were anxious to finish the year's already overdue legislative business and hit the campaign trail, supporters of VAWA '00 lobbied intensely for the measure's passage in the early days of October. This flurry of Capitol Hill activity culminated in a rally to end violence against women sponsored by the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women. An Agenda for the Nation , a report providing a framework for ending violent acts against women through a coordinated effort of a diverse group of stakeholders. Both Republican and Democrat politicians expressed their pleasure at completing work on the VAWA '00, though some openly regretted that partisan wrangling had held up the important legislation for so long.
Today is a great day for American families . . .
Most advocacy groups reported being pleased overall with the final measure, which provides more than double the funding allotted by the original act, the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. President Clinton, who has pushed Congress to pass the VAWA '00 for months, is expected to sign the legislation into law as soon as it reaches his desk. Other Federal News Almost three weeks into fiscal year 2001 work remains on four of the thirteen annual appropriations bills that federal lawmakers must enact to keep the government running. Among these four measures awaiting congressional approval are the two that fund the Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services. President Clinton has publicly expressed his frustration with this year's prolonged budget process and has indicated that he will no longer approve such extended temporary funding measures passed by Congress.