Just when we thought Congressman Bill Johnson and his Republican cohorts in Congress couldn't go any farther to the right - they have set a new record. Recently, Republicans and Democrats came together in the United States Senate to extend the Violence Against Women Act. The extension passed on a wide bi-partisan basis with 69 senators voting for it. The bill was then sent to the House of Representatives for their vote. Congressman Johnson, Michelle Bachmann, and their colleagues refused to vote on the Senate bill because it included protections for lesbian women. Then - before they passed their version of the Violence Against Women Act, they also stripped away protections for native American women and non-citizen women. I respect Congressman Johnson and I'm disappointed. I really didn't think he could go this far. If you see him out campaigning, ask him - who's next?
The Violence Against Women act was first passed in 1994 and extended in 2000 and 2005. Each time on a wide bi-partisan basis and signed by presidents Bush and Clinton.
Jim Rapp
Lowell
