Just a few weeks ago, the Partnership’s Policy Team was in Washington, DC for Congressional meetings as part of NNEDV’s Advocacy Day. Attending were Sydnie Reyes, Krista Niemczyk, and Board Members Erin Scott and Nicholle Gonzalez-Seitz. Approximately 40 state domestic violence coalitions attended the event to share our collective federal priorities with Members of Congress and their staff. During our meetings, we focused on: federal funding for domestic violence and sexual assault programs, domestic violence homicides, and family detention.

The busy week included:

• 21 meetings with Congressional offices
• 25 additional Congressional offices received our materials
• Hearing on the intersection of domestic violence and firearms (click here to watch)
• Congressional reception at Google’s DC office
• Press conference on campus sexual assault legislation (click here for the press release)

California Representative Zoe Lofgren and Lucille Roybal-Allard, along with Representative Luis Gutierrez, circulated a sign-on letter call on the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to end family detention for those who don’t pose a threat to our communities. Many of these families include women and children fleeing sexual and domestic violence, and who are eligible for humanitarian immigration protections, under VAWA, the TVPA, or asylum law. You can access the House letter with the full list of signers here.