Well, color me happy! The EXPANSION of women’s rights in the 21st century – I do declare, these are happy, happy days.

Those kindly gentlemen and lovely ladies in the House of Representatives and Senate, went on ahead and passed the Violence Against Women Act last week extending and expanding domestic violence protections for women. Isn’t that just as sweet as honey in the bottom of my mint julep?

Just when y’all were startin’ to believe that Congress had gone cattywampus since they let the act expire in September 2011. Well, they must have had a good reason to be as slow as molasses in January to reauthorize it. What was all the fussin’ about?

I’m glad you asked, June-bug. It appears as though our distinguished representatives in the House were suspicious of new provisions that expand protections for gays and lesbians, Native American and immigrant women, and found them thusly objectionable. Was that all y’all ask?

Well, no darlin’, there’s more. The expanded bill also provides for the allocation of additional resources to colleges and universities to help bring awareness to dating violence and stalking and to reduce sexual assaults on campuses. Additionally, the bill re-authorizes the Trafficking Victims Protection Act which provides services to victims of human trafficking.

Let me pause for moment to take a sip of my sweet tea… a turn on the veranda…and contemplate my previous declarations.

Wait a minute. You can’t be serious. Why is everyone being so polite? You mean to tell me that a bill that strengthens and expands protections from sexual assault and physical battery, for more women, was not immediately and unanimously reauthorized in Congress? Who voted AGAINST protecting women from violence? How do these representatives still have jobs?

Incredibly, 138 House members, including 10 women, voted AGAINST the comprehensive bill before it passed in Congress and was signed by the President.

As tickled pink as I am that the bill finally passed, I find myself wondering how it’s even possible that a great democratic country like the United States can have so many elected officials with a propensity for misogynistic ideals? Does anyone care?

Just moments before signing the Violence Against Women Act into law, President Obama said, “We’ve made incredible progress since 1994, but we cannot let up. Not when domestic violence still kills three women a day. Not when 1 in 5 women will be a victim of rape in their lifetime. Not when 1 in 3 women is abused by a partner. I promise you, not just as your president, but as a son, and a husband, and a father, I’m going to keep at this.”

Happy days…happy days.