Tag Archives: House of Representatives

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White House Women’s Update: Happy Women’s History Month


Friends-

We hope this message finds you well. Happy Women’s History Month! Today marks the beginning of a month dedicated to honoring the women who have made our country great and the moments that have defined this nation.

Thursday was a great day for women across the country with the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) passing in the House of Representatives, following the Senate’s passage of the same bill. Also this week, the Department of Labor announced the rescission of “Compensation Standards” and “Voluntary Guidelines.”

Today marks the beginning of a month dedicated to honoring the women who have made our country great and the moments that have defined this nation. You can find the President’s Women’s History Month Proclamation here.

Best wishes,

The White House Council on Women & Girls

President Obama Holds a Press Conference to Address the Sequester

President Obama held a press conference this morning after meeting with Congressional leaders to talk about his plans to move the country forward in light of the severe budget cuts that will start to take effect today.

These cuts, which are known as the sequester, will hurt our economy and cost us jobs, the President said. And as Americans all across the country work hard to keep our economic recovery going, arbitrary cuts to services and investments that businesses and workers depend on makes that far more difficult. As the President said:

“None of this is necessary. It’s happening because of a choice that Republicans in Congress have made. They’ve allowed these cuts to happen because they refuse to budge on closing a single wasteful loophole to help reduce the deficit. As recently as yesterday, they decided to protect special interest tax breaks for the well-off and well-connected, and they think that that’s apparently more important than protecting our military or middle-class families from the pain of these cuts.”

Read the President’s complete remarks here.

Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Passed by Congress

On Thursday there was exciting news for women across the country with the reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act passing in the House of Representatives. This bill, which the Senate has already passed, supports the reduction of domestic violence and the improved treatment of rape victims, extending these protections to members of the Native American and LGBT communities.

The President and Vice-President both released statements praising the bill’s importance for the country. Here is the President’s complete statement:

“I was pleased to see the House of Representatives come together and vote to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. Over more than two decades, this law has saved countless lives and transformed the way we treat victims of abuse. Today’s vote will go even further by continuing to reduce domestic violence, improving how we treat victims of rape, and extending protections to Native American women and members of the LGBT community. The bill also reauthorizes the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, providing critical support for both international and domestic victims of trafficking and helping ensure traffickers are brought to justice. I want to thank leaders from both parties – especially Leader Pelosi, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Senator Leahy – for everything they’ve done to make this happen. Renewing this bill is an important step towards making sure no one in America is forced to live in fear, and I look forward to signing it into law as soon as it hits my desk.”

VAWA: Valerie Jarrett Tweet

US Labor Department Rescinds Restrictions On Investigating Pay Discrimination

This week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced exciting news for women and all Americans. The Department is resending two documents, commonly known as the “Compensation Standards” and “Voluntary Guidelines,” that have dictated how pay discrimination can be investigated. This change will enable to Department of Labor to identify and remedy more forms of pay discrimination.

“Today, we are lifting arbitrary barriers that have prevented our investigators from finding and combating illegal pay discrimination,” said Patricia A. Shiu, a member of the President’s National Equal Pay Task Force.

The Department of Labor also plans to release new guidance for employers that will explain the procedures, analysis and protocols that will now be used in conducting compensation discrimination investigations.

“A strong American middle class hinges on ensuring equal pay,” said acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris. “As President Obama has made clear, everyone – including the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters among us – must be paid fairly and without discrimination. These new standards will strengthen our ability to ensure that women and men are fully protected under our nation’s laws.”

The new approach will enable investigators to better examine practices and available evidence to uncover discrimination.

Read the complete News Release here.

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the Middle Class


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Middle Class Taxes.
Click on the Photo above for the video
 
Middle class Americans discuss what a tax increase would mean to them. Unless the House of Representatives takes action before January 1, 2013, taxes will go up on 114 million middle-class families. Republicans in the House of Representatives, however, are refusing to extend middle-class tax cuts without also giving massive tax cuts to the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. In fact, House Republicans have proposed their own tax plan that would actually raise taxes on 25 million families making less than $250,000, while giving families making more than $1 million an average tax cut of $160,000 next
Black History

CONGRESS: the Republican led House H.R.4240 for 5minutes – the Senate in Pro Forma Sessions


Schedule for Pro Forma Sessions only, with no business conducted   …

(note that beginning on Tuesday, August 7th, the pro forma sessions will be held in Hart 216 while repairs are being made to the Senate Chamber)

–          Friday, August 3rd at 10:15am

–          Tuesday, August 7th at 11:00am

–          Friday, August 10th at 11:00am

–          Tuesday, August 14th at 2:30pm

–          Friday, August 17th at 11:30am

–          Tuesday, August 21st at 10:00am

–          Friday, August 24th at 10:00am

–          Tuesday, August 28th at 2:30pm

–          Friday, August 31st at 11:30am

–          Tuesday, September 4th at 11:30am and

–          Friday, September 7th at 12:00pm

If the Senate receives a message from the House that it has adopted S.Con.Res.59, providing for a conditional adjournment or recess of the Senate and an adjournment of the House of Representatives, the pro forma sessions above will not occur and   …

the Senate will adjourn until 2:00pm on Monday, September 10, 2012.

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Watch Our New Video: Will You Get the Life-Savin​g Care You Need?

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Do you think our nation’s leaders would allow a hospital to refuse to perform an emergency abortion on a woman — even if it means she would die? Unfortunately, if some leaders have their way, the answer would be yes. The House of Representatives actually passed a bill that would allow hospitals to turn away women needing emergency abortion care. This bill is just one example of the recent onslaught of attacks at both the federal and state level that aim to deny women’s access to reproductive health care.

Getting the emergency care a woman needs should not depend on the hospital to which she is taken.

From this bill and others on the spring agenda of the U.S. House of Representatives, to state bills that would mandate transvaginal ultrasounds for women seeking abortion care or that would shut down provider clinics, anti-choice lawmakers continue to take aim at women’s health care at every level. We can’t stand by and wait to see what their next attack brings — watch our new video and tell your leaders to stop the attacks on women’s reproductive health care by saying: My Health is NOT Up for Debate™!

Thank you for continuing to stand up for women’s health.

Sincerely,

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

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Congress: on Break until 9/29 while Millions of Americans struggle -Ask your Republican member of Congress when will they do the Peoples Business and Work WITH the President of the UNITED STATES


After doing about 4 Minutes worth of work for the People, the Speaker announced that the Republican led House of Representatives do now adjourn pursuant to a previous special order.

 

 

The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on September 29, 2011.

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  • The Senate will convene for a pro forma session only on Thursday, September
    29, 2011 at 1:45pm.
  • Following the pro forma session, the Senate will adjourn until 2:00pm on Monday, October 3, 2011.
  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until
    3:30pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the
    motion to proceed to S.1619, the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act
    with the time until 4:30pm equally divided and controlled between the two
    Leaders or their designees.
  • At 4:30pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the
    following nominations:

    • Cal #113 Henry F. Floyd, of South Carolina, to be US Circuit Judge for the
      Fourth Circuit
    • Cal #171 Nannette Jolivette Brown, of Louisiana, to be US District Judge for
      the Eastern District of Louisiana
    • Cal #172 Nancy Torresen, of Maine, to be US District Judge for the District
      of Maine
    • Cal #173 William Francis Kuntz, II, of New York, to be US District Judge for
      the Eastern District of New York
    • Cal #184 Marina Garcia Marmolejo, of Texas, to be US District Judge for the
      Southern District of Texas
    • Cal #357 Jennifer Guerin Zipps, of Arizona, to be US District Judge for the
      District of Arizona
  • With one hour of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators
    Leahy and Grassley or their designees.  Calendar numbers 171, 172, 173, 184 and
    357 will be confirmed by unanimous consent.
  • At 5:30pm, there will be 2 roll call votes in relation to the following:
    • Confirmation of Calendar #113, Henry F. Floyd, of South Carolina, to be US
      Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit, and
    • Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar #183, S.1619,
      the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act.