President Joe Biden referenced Republican desires to boot him from the White House during a bipartisan event celebrating the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
“The idea that this took five years to reauthorize — I was out of office those years, and it drove me crazy,” he told the crowd gathered in the East Room on Wednesday.
“That’s not why it didn’t happen,” he added. “I know some of you think maybe I should be out of office for another four years.”
Renewing the Violence Against Women Act for another five years after it expired in 2019 became a signature campaign promise for Biden following his role in first passing it in 1994. But it clearing Congress as part of the $1.5 trillion government funding bill this week was an across-the-political-aisle effort. Republicans in attendance Wednesday included Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Joni Ernst of Iowa, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
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“My dad used to say that the greatest sin was the abuse of power and the cardinal sin was when a man would raise his hand against a woman or his child,” Biden said. “That’s what this law has always been about: the abuse of power.”
The Violence Against Women Act’s latest iteration provides money for prevention and survival support programs, strengthens investigation and enforcement measures, and addresses emerging problems, such as revenge pornography.
The event was held on a busy day for Biden. Earlier, he responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s impassioned plea to a joint session of Congress for more help in the war Russia has waged against his country.
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“I listened to it in the private residence, and he was convincing in a significant speech,” he said. “He speaks for a people who have shown remarkable courage and strength in the face of brutal aggression.”
