Tag Archives: Congress

Women in the Military deserve better


NARAL Pro-Choice America

It’s outrageous. Women in the military who become pregnant from rape cannot use their health insurance to cover abortioncare.Help us end this horrific policy.Send a message to your senators today.www.prochoiceamerica.org

Shameless. That’s the only word to describe the position that anti-choice members of Congress hold against women in our military who are raped.

Right now, some senators still deny women in the military who become pregnant from rape the right to use their health insurance for abortion care.

I need your help today to change that. Please ask your senators to vote for an amendment that will end this cruel policy. 

Every woman who is raped deserves the freedom to make the choice that is best for her.

But women in the military don’t have the same rights as we do – all because anti-choice politicians banned the military health-insurance program from covering abortion care, even in tragic circumstances.

That’s right – members of Congress went out of their way more than 30 years ago to pass a cruel and heartless law that took away military women’s coverage of abortion care in cases of rape or incest.

www.prochoiceamerica.org

Help us end this horrific policy. Your senators need to hear from you now. Send a message and stand with the military women who are fighting for us.

Today, women are serving on active duty in greater and greater numbers. Imagine what a woman fighting overseas must go through if she is raped and becomes pregnant. What if she can’t afford to pay for abortion services? Where would she turn?

We’ve been fighting to repeal this law for 30 years – and we’re not going to stop. Right now, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire is leading the effort to repeal the ban.

It’s going to be an uphill battle ending this policy, but we’re going for it. Please join me. Contact your senators today.

Thanks for standing with our servicewomen.

In solidarity,

Nancy_sig_pic_primary_jpg
Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Call Congress: Protect food stamps and family farms …Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org


Congress wants to cut food stamps — but keep subsidizing Big Agribusiness?

Demand a Farm Bill that fully funds critical nutrition assistance programs and protects Black family farms.

Since last week, you and over 33,000 ColorOfChange members urged the U.S. Congress to protect healthy food, hungry people, and struggling family farmers. The Congress is likely to vote this week to finalize the text of the 2012 Farm Bill. Amending the bill now is crucial to ensuring that our families — on the farm and off — will continue to be able to put enough food on the table even in the toughest of times.

The current version of the bill would give billions in wasteful subsidies to Big Agribusiness, while cutting critical food programs. Can you make a call urging your Representative to support an amended Farm Bill that fully funds SNAP and safeguards livelihoods for Black family farmers? A personal call is a really powerful way to make a statement, and it only takes a moment:

http://act.colorofchange.org/call/farmbill_calls_house/

The 2501 Program and SNAP provide necessary resources to improve equity for Black farmers as well as ensure access to healthy food and vegetables for our families. Congress should prioritize safeguarding human lives and livelihoods over pandering to huge agribusiness corporations that don’t need the help. Join us in urging Congress to fully fund those portions of the Farm Bill that our community relies on the most. And when you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same:

http://act.colorofchange.org/call/farmbill_calls_house/

Thanks and Peace,

— Rashad, Gabriel, Dani, Matt, Natasha, Kim, Aimée and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team     July 9th, 2012

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

http://www.colorofchange.org/donate

Happy 4th


The 4th of July … for many, is just another day; some use it to contemplate on what Independence Day means personally, some partake in public services while others are thinking about war and the intent for independence and the power that it gives.

I admit sometimes it feels like our independence is being compromised every time the Republicans fail to do the right thing for our fellow Americans each day they convene on the floor of Congress.

I grew up in military country; know people who have proudly served, died, live and some who came back damaged. Therefore, I think about how war affects our independence and the unimaginable unthinkable things our Soldiers see and go through, having had a brother who suffered through his own journey of strife; it can only be seen as a daily dose of hell. Unless you are a part of the Military, you can only imagine what the family’s experience, but we civilians definitely should be aware and be grateful for their sacrifices

So, as we all celebrate our own style of independence give a shout out to those you know, love and miss who serve and protect us.

Another fossil fuel industry attack …


Write Congress Today! Tell your member of Congress: Don’t block vital standards for our health and environment—vote no on the Gasoline Regulations Act.

Here We Go Again—Another Fossil Fuel Industry Attack on Science

 

The House of Representatives will soon vote on yet another fossil fuel industry-backed bill, attacking clean air and public health. It is critical that we stand up for strong standards based on independent science, not false economic claims from big polluters.
The Gasoline Regulations Act (H.R. 4771) is an all-out attack on our clean air and public health. The bill would force the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to give undo weight to the industry’s economic claims when setting what should be, first and foremost, science-based standards that protect our health and environment.
The legislation delays standards that would save lives and save money by reducing sulfur in gasoline.
The bill also attacks standards that would limit ozone and other harmful air pollutants from power plants and global warming emissions from oil refineries. Some members of Congress may even attempt to amend the bill to prevent the EPA from moving forward with their historic draft standard to limit global warming pollution from new power plants.
Fossil fuel lobbyists and their allies in Congress are attacking the EPA with false claims about the impact that these proposed standards might have on gas prices. But we know that this bill will have no effect on fuel prices, but would have a lasting, negative impact on public health.
Congress needs to hear from Americans like you who support the EPA’s efforts to protect our health from dirty energy and dirty fuels.
Tell your member of Congress: Don’t block vital standards for our health and environment—vote no on the Gasoline Regulations Act.
Take Action Today!
Sincerely, Chrissy Elles Chrissy Elles Outreach Associate UCS Climate & Energy Program

Will your Members of Congress stand with the women of Wal-Mart?


National Women's Law Center - Stop Discounting Women
Tell Your Members of Congress to Stand with the Women of Wal-Mart
Betty Dukes with Senator Franken, lead Senate sponsor of the bill
                Co-sponsor the Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act of 2012.
Take Action

One year ago today, we told you devastating news: the Supreme Court had ruled against Betty Dukes and the courageous women of Wal-Mart.
In a 5-4 decision, the Court ruled that the Wal-Mart women could not band together as a single class to challenge discrimination in pay and promotions.
But that’s not the end of the story.
For the last year, the National Women’s Law Center and advocates across the country have pushed Congress for a solution. Today, Congress offered one!
Tell your Members of Congress to stand by the women of Wal-Mart by co-sponsoring the Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act of 2012.
Getting co-sponsors on this bill will help it to gain momentum — and we need you to help us move forward!
So what would this bill do?
The Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act of 2012 would remove the obstacles the Supreme Court placed in the way of ordinary Americans seeking their day in court. It offers a clear path for women workers to come together as a group to challenge discrimination. And it would make sure that no employer is too big to be held accountable.
Individual workers — many of whom live paycheck to paycheck — should not be required to stand alone against some of the largest corporations in the world to end discrimination. This bill recognizes the reality of workers’ lives and offers an alternative.
Please tell your Members of Congress to co-sponsor the Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act of 2012. Act now for Betty Dukes, the women of Wal-Mart, and all women workers who suffer from discrimination in pay, in hiring, and in promotions.
Thank you for all that you do.
Sincerely,

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

P.S. For more information, check out NWLC’s new fact sheets on the Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act of 2012 and the extreme wage gap for retail workers.