Yarmuth comments on expanded legal protection for women - WDRB 41 Louisville - News, Weather, Sports Community

Yarmuth comments on expanded legal protection for women

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LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- Congress has approved legislation that widens the net of protection of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act.

The law lapsed in 2011.

Today, Congressman John Yarmuth told us that even though it would have stayed on the books, this new version expands the protection to cover gays and lesbians, Native American women, and even illegal immigrants.

"That was what was so critical about this one. Because if you're a wife of an illegal immigrant and you're a victim of abuse, you're not going to go to authorities because you're worried about being deported. So there was an awful lot of women who suffered because of that lack of protection," says Yarmuth.

Eighty-seven Republicans crossed party lines to join every Democrat to vote in favor of the bill.

Now, President Obama needs to sign off on the bill.

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    Thanks to a grant from Norton Healthcare, this story and others are available in real-time closed captioning on WDRB.