Capitol Rotunda empty as Trump’s heart — AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta

❝ The partial shutdown of the U.S. government, which is affecting more than 800,000 federal workers and numerous government agencies, also has consequences for the Violence Against Women Act, which expired at midnight on Friday…

❝ VAWA funds and administers numerous programs assisting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Its expiration does not prevent all of these programs from being administered — according to The Washington Post, grants already awarded under the law will not be affected. But future payment requests from programs that receive VAWA funding will be delayed until the law is reauthorized.

…A bill introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, in July would have extended and expanded VAWA, introducing additional measures that prohibit the sale of firearms to people subject to protection orders and to persons convicted of stalking…so, of course, Republicans couldn’t vote YES without offending the NRA.