On December 21, 2018, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) expired amidst a partial government shutdown that has been ongoing since late December. VAWA, which was first passed in 1994, has been instrumental in funding and administering programs for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. While grants that have already been awarded will remain valid at this time, any requests for future funding through VAWA will be placed on hold until the Act is reauthorized. Since reauthorization of the law is tied to a broader debate over the budget and whether to invest billions of dollars into a border wall, the future of the influential bill remains unclear.
Compiled from: Gathright, Jenny, Violence Against Women Act Expires Because of Government Shutdown, NPR (December 24, 2018).