Well, that's it, folks. Congress has shut down until after Christmas, with no deal struck on the Violence Against Women Act. This is the second time in 25 years that the Violence Against Women Act has lapsed. President Trump, who likes to call himself the "best president for women" seemed to have no problem letting the landmark bill expire, and still, there have been crickets from the GOP on the issue as a whole. Fortunately many more Democrats are speaking up amidst the shutdown to voice their outrage over the lapse. In recent days, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Joe Kennedy most prominently made statements.

Democratic Representative Joe Connolly called the lapse "a shameful end to Speaker Ryan's tenure."

Neither Sheila Jackson Lee's proposal nor Elise Stefanik's proposal to reauthorize the VAWA have been brought to committee or even to the House floor for a vote. Women and survivors are being ignored while President Trump and Democratic leadership continue to argue over a border wall. This cannot stand. Will you voice your outrage over the VAWA lapse and demand Congress finally make it a priority?

In the meantime, here are some next steps to take:

Victim's services and organizations dedicated to survivor's protection are at risk of shutting down. Donate to organizations at risk of shutting down because of their reliance on federal funding. Whether or not Congress does their job, we need to make sure these organizations can continue doing theirs.

Call your representatives. Demand the VAWA be renewed. Tell them why the VAWA matters to you, your community, your friends and your family. Ask them what they are doing every day to fix this. You can contact them using the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Reach out to local media. This story is in desperate need of more coverage. You can write a letter to the editor or a short op-ed explaining your purpose for advocating for the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act. When this issue is seen as a priority, it will spur more action.

Tweet. Write. Any way you can spread the word and demand accountability is positive. Tag your representatives in a post asking them where they stand on the VAWA. Ask them why a vote has not been brought to the floor. Bring this to the attention of celebrities and activists.

Survivor's rights matter. The longer this goes on, the more people are put at risk and left vulnerable. We cannot let that happen. So, will you voice your outrage over the VAWA lapse and demand Congress finally make it a priority? Join the fight, and make an effort every day to make sure the VAWA is renewed until we see action.