Yesterday, President Obama signed a bill that both strengthened and reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act.

The new law will provide resources for thousands of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking -- and better equip law enforcement officials to stop violence before it starts. After a great deal of effort and backing from folks like you, it passed with bipartisan support in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

It builds on a law that Vice President Biden first wrote 18 years ago -- which has helped to decrease the rates of domestic violence across the country. It includes provisions aimed at reducing dating violence among teams and strengthening protections for lesbian gay, bisexual, and transgender victims. It also seeks to bring justice to Native American communities -- where rates of domestic violence are among the highest in the country.

President Obama and the Vice President both spoke before the president signed the bill. Watch what they had to say:

PS -- Today at 3:45 p.m. ET, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett will take your questions on Twitter about the Violence Against Women Act. Join the conversation.

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