--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Congressional Republicans refused to…" description: "\"“Congressional Republicans refused to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act because they objected to the protection it gave immigrants, transgende..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/rebecca-solnit-569_american-women_congressional-republicans-refused-to-rea_855400.jpg" --- # Congressional Republicans refused to reauthorize the… ![“Congressional Republicans refused to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act because they objected to the protection it gave immigrants, transgender women, and Native American women. (Speaking of epidemics, one of three Native American women will be raped, and on the reservations 88 percent of…” quote by Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/rebecca-solnit-569_american-women_congressional-republicans-refused-to-rea_855400.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/rebecca-solnit-569_american-women_congressional-republicans-refused-to-rea_855400.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/rebecca-solnit-569_american-women_congressional-republicans-refused-to-rea_855400.jpg) > ““Congressional Republicans refused to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act because they objected to the protection it gave immigrants, transgender women, and Native American women. (Speaking of epidemics, one of three Native American women will be raped, and on the reservations 88 percent of those rapes are by non-Native men who know tribal governments can’t prosecute them. So much for rape as a crime of passion—these are crimes of calculation and opportunism.) And”” [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She critiques the politicization of the Violence Against Women Act, emphasizing how its protection of marginalized groups is undermined by opposition and systemic failures. **In simple terms:** Political opposition harms protections for vulnerable women. Key Takeaway Advocate for inclusive legislation. Themes justice gender policy Mood critical urgent Type opinion piece activist When to use this quote - legislative advocacy - community organizing - education on rights - support services Key Concepts feminist theory legal reform Questions to Reflect On - How can allies amplify marginalized voices? - What reforms can address jurisdictional gaps? A Different Perspective Opposition often frames protection as “special interest,” hindering progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-women/) [Percent Rapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent-rapes-795517/) [Raped Reservations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raped-reservations-795515/) [Rapes Non](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapes-non-795519/) [Reauthorize Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reauthorize-violence-795516/) [Violence against women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-against-women/) [Women Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-act-795518/) ## Related quotes > [“(Speaking of epidemics, one of three Native American women will be raped, and on the reservations 88 percent of those rapes are by non-Native…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/speaking-of-epidemics-one-of-three-native-american-women-will-be/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [We have seen a man dragged to death in Texas simply because he was black. A young man murdered in Wyoming simply because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-have-seen-a-man-dragged-to-death-in-texas-simply-because-he-was/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [A vast majority of Republicans are on the record saying that they believe the Violence Against Women Act should be reauthorized. Let me be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cornyn/a-vast-majority-of-republicans-are-on-the-record-saying-that-they/) [John Cornyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cornyn/) > [When women act like women, they are accused of being inferior. When women act like human beings, they are accused of behaving like men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/when-women-act-like-women-they-are-accused-of-being-inferior-when/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It's amazing to me that no matter what city, what state, no matter where I am, a woman will come up to me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/it-s-amazing-to-me-that-no-matter-what-city-what-state-no-matter/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [It's a very difficult thing for people to accept, seeing women act out anger on the screen. We're more accustomed to seeing men expressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-de-mornay/it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-for-people-to-accept-seeing-women-act-out/) [Rebecca De Mornay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-de-mornay/) > [Once a month, some women act like men act all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/once-a-month-some-women-act-like-men-act-all-the-time/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Wild Woman teaches women when not to act "nice" about protecting their soulful lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/wild-woman-teaches-women-when-not-to-act-nice-about-protecting-their/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estés](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [The Violence Against Women Act protects the lives of tens of thousands of domestic violence victims. But the U.S. must also support gender equality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-boxer/the-violence-against-women-act-protects-the-lives-of-tens-of/) [Barbara Boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-boxer/) > [I don't think there are that many parts I could say unequivocally "I would not play that," but there's lots of parts I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gyllenhaal/i-don-t-think-there-are-that-many-parts-i-could-say-unequivocally-i/) [Maggie Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gyllenhaal/) > [“Men, being accustomed to act on reflection themselves, are a great deal too apt to believe that women act on reflection, too. Women do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/men-being-accustomed-to-act-on-reflection-themselves-are-a-great-deal/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [As legislators and as Members of Congress, it is our obligation to speak up for those who are being ignored in our society. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-moore/as-legislators-and-as-members-of-congress-it-is-our-obligation-to/) [Gwen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-moore/) > [When domestic violence was often a dark secret, Dad wrote the Violence Against Women Act, which gave countless women support, protection and a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-biden/when-domestic-violence-was-often-a-dark-secret-dad-wrote-the-violence/) [Beau Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-biden/) > [I talk a lot about women in my act, 'cause let's face it -- if I was hungry, I would talk about food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferrara/i-talk-a-lot-about-women-in-my-act-cause-let-s-face-it-if-i-was/) [Adam Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferrara/) > [Without question, women can act with bravery, foresight, and tactical intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/without-question-women-can-act-with-bravery-foresight-and-tactical/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) ## More by Rebecca Solnit > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. 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Maybe Persephone was glad to run off with the king of death to his underground realm, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/i-wonder-now-about-demeter-and-persephone-maybe-persephone-was-glad/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [ \[In mountaineering, if\] we look for private experience rather than public history, even getting to the top becomes an optional narrative rather than the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/in-mountaineering-if-we-look-for-private-experience-rather-than/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [For me, being in a car or on an airplane is like being in limbo. It's this dead zone between two places. But to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/for-me-being-in-a-car-or-on-an-airplane-is-like-being-in-limbo-it-s/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“How do you calculate upon the unforeseen? It seems to be an art of recognizing the role of the unforeseen, of keeping your balance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/how-do-you-calculate-upon-the-unforeseen-it-seems-to-be-an-art-of/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Walking shares with making and working that crucial element of engagement of the body and the mind with the world, of knowing the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/walking-shares-with-making-and-working-that-crucial-element-of/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Marriage equality is a threat: to inequality. It’s a boon to everyone who values and benefits from equality. It’s for all of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/marriage-equality-is-a-threat-to-inequality-it-s-a-boon-to-everyone/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Mountaineering is always spoken of as though summiting is conquest, but as you get higher, the world gets bigger, and you feel smaller in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/mountaineering-is-always-spoken-of-as-though-summiting-is-conquest/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“A procession is a participants' journey, while a parade is a performance with an audience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/a-procession-is-a-participants-journey-while-a-parade-is-a/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Explore all 469 Rebecca Solnit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) ## More American women quotes > [The work-family divide is the biggest issue for American women. 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