The future of the Violence Against Women Act

SAN ANTONIO – The Violence Against Women Act was set to expire as the calendar turned to October Monday, but the government just extended it - for only about two more months.

It's tied to a spending bill the President signed Friday, and all of it expires December 7.

With the clock ticking, we're finding out what that means for victims.

The act was first passed in 1994 to help victims of rape and domestic violence.

"It is an important resource for us," says Marta Pelaez from Family Violence Prevention Services.

The nonprofit uses the act's grant money for legal services.

"Some of the staff that goes to the courthouse to accompany the victims," Pelaez says. "So very important. Very, very important."

Rep. Vicente Gonzalez from South Texas does expect Congress to formally re-authorize the act by the end of the year.

"This is traditionally been an issue that has been bipartisan," Rep. Gonzalez says.

He hopes lawmakers take the time to make the act better.

"I think this is the time that we can have a national conversation," Rep. Gonzalez says.

This year, he's pushed for rural housing vouchers to help domestic violence victims who live outside of big cities.

"A lot of times they end up homeless," Rep. Gonzalez says. "A lot of times they end up not actually reporting violence in their household because they're in this situation."

He's also calling for more funding for counselors as well as courts that specifically focus on domestic violence.

Pelaez hopes for more rehabilitation services.

"If we paid attention, equal attention, important attention, to provide services and intervention to perpetrators, we would not have to be talking about victims in the numbers that we're talking about," she says.