Senate panel to debate guns

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next week on gun violence against women.

On Wednesday, the Senate panel will discuss legislation aimed at protect victims of domestic violence against gun violence at a hearing titled, “VAWA Next Steps: Protecting Women from Gun Violence.”

{mosads}Congress reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), but Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has introduced a bill that would take guns away from domestic abusers with temporary restraining orders against them. The bill would also prevent them from buying a gun while the temporary restraining order is in place.

Currently, domestic abusers are only prohibited from buying guns if there is a permanent restraining order out against them.

“Closing this gaping loophole will save lives when temporary restraining orders leave domestic abuse victims most vulnerable to violent partners with guns,” Blumenthal said. “The link between domestic violence and guns is a deadly one.”

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) could try to add Blumenthal’s bill to the next reauthorization of VAWA, if the bill isn’t passed before then. 

Details on these and other Senate hearings follow:

Senate Aging

– July 30, “Admitted or Not? The Impact of Medicare Observation Status on Seniors”

2:15 p.m., 216 Hart Senate Office Building

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

– July 30, “The Flood Insurance Claims Process in Communities After Sandy: Lessons Learned and Potential Improvements”

10 a.m., 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– July 31, “Financial Products for Students: Issues and Challenges”

10 a.m., 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Budget

– July 29, “The Costs of Inaction: The Economic and Budgetary Consequences of Climate Change”

10 a.m., 608 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation

– July 30, “Cramming on Wireless Phone Bills: A Review of Consumer Protection Practices and Gaps”

2:30 p.m., 253 Russell Senate Office Building

Senate Energy and Natural Resources

– July 29, “Breaking the Logjam at BLM: Examining Ways to More Efficiently Process Permits for Energy Production on Federal Lands”

2:30 p.m., 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Finance 

– July 29, “Tobacco: Taxes Owed, Avoided, and Evaded”

10 a.m., 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– July 30, “The African Growth and Opportunity Act at 14: The Road Ahead”

10 a.m., 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– July 31, “Nominations of Carolyn Watts Colvin to be Commissioner of Social Security Administration”

10 a.m., 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Foreign Relations

– July 29, “Iran: Status of the P-5+1”

10 a.m., 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building

-July 29, “Nominations”

2 p.m., 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Indian Affairs

– July 30, “When Catastrophe Strikes: Responses to Natural Disasters in Indian Country”

2:30 p.m., 628 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Judiciary

– July 29, “Nominations”

9:30 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– July 30, “VAWA Next Steps: Protecting Women from Gun Violence”

10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building