For the life of me, I cannot begin to understand why this is something that is a debate within Congress.
This is a statute that has had bipartisan support over the years and it is inconceivable to me now that we are in the process of a debate about something that has proven so effective and is clearly so needed for the future. It must be passed, and it must be passed soon. -Attorney General Eric Holder
It's not clear from this excerpt, and the media has barely, if at all, covered why the Republicans are still blocking the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act, so allow me to explain.
They're blocking it because the new version of the bill grants existing protections to members of the LGBT community, immigrants, and Native American tribes. Vulnerable minorities that should have been protected long ago.
We are in the midst of what many of us consider to be a War on Women, however in this case it's so much more than that. The Republicans want to maintain the status quo, and the status quo is privilege for some, not for others.