Senate heads toward vote on anti-violence act

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Tuesday is expected to put aside its partisan divisions to approve a renewal of the Violence Against Women Act, a law credited with protecting millions of victims of domestic violence over its 20-year history.

Passage of the Senate bill on a strong bipartisan majority would shift the focus to the House, where Republican leaders say they are working to come up with their own version that could lead to a compromise with the Senate and perhaps restore the party's image among female voters who abandoned Republicans in the November election.