Top Dems Reject House GOP’s Violence Against Women Act: ‘Simply Unacceptable’ Top Senate Democrats excoriated the competing House Republican version of the Violence Against Women Act hours after it was unveiled Friday. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the author of VAWA, derided the legislation as “partisan” and said it omits critical measures designed to protect vulnerable populations like Native Americans, immigrants and the gay and lesbian community. ya see...if this was a dem bill and the gop rejected it....you'd be screaming they were misogynist and advocates of violence against women. this f**king country is warped.