US Senate: Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act passes 78-22

The original 1994 act expired in 2011 and failed to be reauthorized last year.

The vote today in the Senate was 78-22; all of the "no" votes came from Republican men.

The bill is expected to face tough opposition in the House.

From the AP:

By a robust bipartisan majority, the Senate voted Tuesday to renew the Violence Against Women Act with new assurances that gays and lesbians, immigrants and Native American women will have equal access to the act's anti-domestic violence programs.

Last year both the Republican-led House and the Democratic-controlled Senate passed renewal bills, but they were unable to reach a compromise.

This year House Republicans, sensitive to their lackluster showing among women voters in the November election, have vowed to move expeditiously on the issue.