WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen are scrambling to finish work on legislation before the end of the year, including the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

Initially, VAWA passed decades ago and revolutionized women's protections. It expanded tools to combat violence against women with laws like authorizing over $1.5 billion towards the investigations and prosecutions of violent crimes against women. But now the clock ticks as VAWA needs a congressional reauthorization before its February deadline.

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It is a bill that could give more victims, more protection — a bill that several California Democratic lawmakers are focusing a lot of energy to reauthorize.

But the House’ Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act bill recently failed to pass the Senate blocked by Republican Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa.

Ernst introduced her own bill, just a week after Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced the House’ bill. Both lawmakers had been working on a bipartisan reauthorization bill before negotiations fell apart earlier this month.

This bill centers around a big issue for 2020, which has been heard time and time again on the debate stage. A bill that former Vice President Joe Biden has taken much pride in, for spearheading and passing the original version in 1994.

“No man has the right to raise a hand to a woman in anger other than in self-defense and that rarely ever occurs. And so we have to just change the culture. Period,” said Biden.

The former VP followed that up with an unfortunate choice in words.

“And keep punching at it and punching at it and — no, I really mean it, it’s is a gigantic issue,” said Biden.

In Congress, tensions are high while Democrats and Republicans battle it out for what provisions they want in the new version.

Democrats are calling for amendments for things like better housing options, more federal money dedicated to abuse prevention, and protections for transgender victims.

Perhaps the most contentious point is an expansion of the current ban on firearm purchases tied to the bill, which includes current and former spouses who are convicted of abuse or are under a restraining order to include dating partners.

The NRA has already spoken out against this, along with several Republicans.

Ernst said the House bill would never have passed the Senate, but that she is open and willing to work with Feinstein to secure a version of the reauthorization that can pass before the end of the year.