Forty years ago and for the first time in the Fourteenth Amendment’s 103-year history, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that its Equal Protection Clause protected women’s rights.

To honor this landmark decision in Reed v. Reed and take stock of where constitutional protections for women stand today, the National Women’s Law Center will co-host a panel featuring special guest speaker Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Thursday, November 17, 2011 from 1:00 p.m. Eastern to 2:30 p.m. Eastern, entitled “Reed v. Reed at 40: Equal Protection and Women’s Rights.”

The esteemed panel will be moderated by NPR’s legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg and will include:Jacqueline Berrien, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:
— Marcia Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center
— Earl Maltz, Professor at Rutgers University Law School, Camden
— Nina Pillard, Professor at Georgetown Law University
— Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was the principal author of the brief on behalf of the plaintiff in Reed v. Reed, will give concluding remarks.

Join the National Women’s Law Center and our co-sponsors — American University Washington College of Law, George Washington University Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, Howard University School of Law, the University of the District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law, and the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia — for this special event.

Register to watch the live webcast of our panel “Reed v. Reed at 40: Equal Protection and Women’s Rights” on Thursday, November 17, 2011 from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Eastern. WWW.NWLC.ORG

We hope you’ll join us for this exciting event.

Sincerely,

Emily J. Martin
Vice President and General Counsel
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Want to participate in the event on social media? Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook and watch live updates. You can also follow the conversation at #reedvreed.

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Senator Murray, the Clock is Ticking: Protect Key Programs in the Super-Committee

11/09/2011 Nativegrl77

We need your help. Washington Senator Patty Murray is one of just 12 members of the very powerful congressional super-committee charged with deciding how to cut the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion over ten years. Time is short — the committee faces a deadline of November 23 — and the stakes are high.

Various proposals before the super-committee would reduce Social Security benefits and cut Medicare and Medicaid by as much as $685 billion. Each of these vital programs provides income security and health care to millions of Americans — mostly women.

Senator Murray needs to hear from you now! Over the next couple of weeks, the handful of members on the super-committee will decide the fate of these and other vital programs.

Please call 1-866-251-4044 today to tell Senator Murray:

– Oppose cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. That includes no Social Security COLA cut, no increase in the Medicare retirement age, and no slash in Medicaid funds.
– Protect other safety net programs for low-income Americans.
– Any deal must be balanced. NO additional spending cuts should be considered unless they are matched with equal amounts of new tax revenues. It’s time to make millionaires and corporations contribute to deficit reduction by paying their fair share of taxes.
Women in Washington state can’t afford to lose Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits. The average Social Security benefit for older women in Washington is just $12,400 per year. Even with Medicare, women often face higher out-of-pocket health care costs that strain lower incomes. And nearly 307,200 low-income women with disabilities, pregnant women, and parents in Washington relied on Medicaid for health care coverage, and nearly 60,600 elders relied on Medicaid for help with long-term care and other health expenses.

In Washington state and across the country, programs for women and their families have already been cut. But so far, tax breaks for millionaires and corporations haven’t been touched. We can’t balance the budget on the backs of women and their families. Please make a call today to demand that those with the greatest ability to pay contribute their fair share.

Please call 1-866-251-4044 today to tell Senator Murray: Protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

The super-committee is meeting now, mostly in secret, to develop its plan. But time is ticking away. Help us protect critical programs for women and families by taking action TODAY!

Sincerely,

Joan Entmacher
Vice President, Family Economic Security
National Women’s Law Center

Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law Center

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Congress: the Republican led House out until 11/10 while Americans suffer – the Senate considers S.J.Res.6 FCC rule & HR647 H.R.647, the 3% Withholding Repeal Act with the Veterans’ Jobs amendment

11/09/2011 Nativegrl77

the Senate Convened 9:30amET November 9, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 10:00am with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.
At 10:00am, the Republican Leader, or his designee, will be recognized to make a motion to proceed to S.J.Res.27, (Cross Border Air Pollution/EPA) with up to 2 hours of debate, equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.
At 12:00pm, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.J.Res.6 (Net Neutrality/FCC) with up to five minutes of debate, equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees.
At approximately 12:05pm, there will be up to 2 roll call votes in the following order:

Motion to proceed to S.J.Res.6, Net Neutrality/FCC (majority threshold)

(2 minutes of debate)
Motion to proceed to S.J.Res.27, Cross Border Air Protection/EPA (majority threshold)
At approximately 2:30pm, there will be up to 4 roll call votes in the following order:

McCain second degree amendment #928 (the text of S.1720) (60-vote threshold)
Tester amendment #927 (the VOW to Hire Heroes Act)(60-vote threshold)
Passage of H.R.674, the 3% Withholding Repeal Act, as amended, if amended
Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.2354, the Energy and Water Appropriations bill (the expected vehicle for Energy & Water, Financial Services and Foreign Operations Appropriations bills).
Senators should be aware we may get consent to begin the second series of votes earlier.

The Senate is now considering the McConnell motion to proceed to S.J.Res.6, a joint resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission with respect to regulating the Internet and broadband industry practices with up to 4 hours of debate equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders, or their designees.

By unanimous consent, the roll call vote on the motion to proceed to S.J.Res.6 will be at approximately 12:05pm tomorrow, Thursday, November 10, 2011.

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed H.R.2447, a bill to grant the congressional gold medal to the Montford Point Marines.

Adopted S.Res.318, a resolution to authorize the printing of a revised edition of the Senate Rules and Manual.

Adopted S.Res.319, a resolution Honoring the life and legacy of Joe Frazier.

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The next meeting is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on November 10, 2011.

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Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate considers HR674,the 3% Withholding Repeal Act

11/08/2011 Nativegrl77

the Senate Convened at 10:00amET November 8, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business for one hour with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R.674, the 3% Withholding Repeal Act, post-cloture.
At 12:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination of Evan Jonathan Wallach, of NY, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit with 15 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees. Upon the use or yielding back of time (approximately 12:15pm), the Senate will conduct a roll call vote on confirmation of the Wallach nomination.
When the Senate resumes Legislative Session following the vote on the Wallach nomination, the Senate will recess until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.
By unanimous consent, all time during adjournment, morning business, Executive Session and recess will count post-cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.674.

At approximately 12:15pm, the Senate will conduct a roll call vote on confirmation of Evan Jonathan Wallach, of New York, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit.

12:15pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Evan Wallach, of New York, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit. Confirmed: 99-0

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The next meeting is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on November 10, 2011.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

3 years ago

11/07/2011 Nativegrl77

Three years ago, Barack Obama was elected President of the United States.

And right around this time, he stepped onstage in Chicago to address the American people for the first time as President-elect.

A lot has happened since that night in Grant Park.

But to win in 2012, we’ll need a grassroots campaign that’s even stronger than the last, and we can’t afford to wait to get started.

Here’s what the President said three years ago tonight:

“Even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime. … The road ahead will be long; our climb will be steep; we may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there. … but there’s so much more to do.”

Everyone should be proud of what we’ve accomplished since then, but as the President said, there’s so much more to do. What happens on November 6th, 2012, is up to us.

Watch the video here:

http://my.barackobama.com/Three-Years-Ago

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager