Senate Republicans are irritated at Democrats’ push to exploit the Violence Against Women Act for political gain but signaled today they aren’t planning an effort to block or delay it.

As Senate Democratic women and Vice President Joseph Biden amped up their push to reauthorize the bill at separate events today, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told reporters that Republicans don’t intend to filibuster it, with the assumption that Democratic leaders will at least allow a Republican alternative to be offered for a vote.

“We’re not going to extend this debate,” Grassley said. “There won’t be a cloture vote necessary, and they’ll surely let us have a vote on our substitute.”

The bill has 61 co-sponsors, presumably making a filibuster attempt fruitless, let alone the opportunity it would give Democrats to rail against GOP obstruction on a popular bill.

Grassley, the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, said the bill, sponsored by Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), expands the law too far and costs too much. Grassley pointed to new authorities for American Indian tribes and protections for battered illegal immigrants, gays and lesbians.