Tag Archives: Jill Biden

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Paid Sick Time Ballot Initiative​s Win Big in Tuesday’s Election


A Better Balance the work and family legal center.
Paid Sick Time Ballot Initiatives Win Big in Tuesday’s Election
On Tuesday, paid sick time was on the ballot in 4 elections, and we won all of them! Massachusetts is now the 3rd state to guarantee paid sick time statewide, which is wonderful news for the nearly 1 million workers in the state who currently lack paid sick time. Two cities in NJ, Montclair and Trenton, passed paid sick time laws, bringing the total number of cities in NJ with such laws to 8 (all passed in the last year!). And in California, voters in Oakland passed an expansive paid sick time ballot measure. We’re especially thrilled with the huge margins of support for each ballot initiative: approximately 60% of the vote in Massachusetts, 85% in Montclair, 75% in Trenton, and 81% in Oakland.
A Better Balance has provided legal research, bill drafting, and other technical support to all of these campaigns and can’t wait to build on the incredible momentum from these wins. But we couldn’t do it without such incredible supporters and campaign partners! For background and to learn more about these 4 paid sick time ballot initiatives, check out our recent blog post.
The Pregnancy Penalty: How Motherhood Drives Inequality & Poverty in New York City
In Case You Missed It
October was also an exciting and busy month for ABB’s efforts on behalf of pregnant workers.   The New York Times’ Rachel Swarns featured our client, Angelica Valencia, in “The Working Life Column,” which garnered over 800 reader comments and an offer from Angelica’s employer to reinstate her.  Our latest report—The Pregnancy Penalty: How Motherhood Drives Inequality and Poverty in New York City—was featured, along with ABB Co-President Dina Bakst and ABB Community Advocate Award recipient, Armanda Legros, on the Melissa Harris-Perry Show on MSNBC.  And our new website resource for pregnant and parenting workers was highlighted in the New York Times and Washington Post.  We’re thrilled to see the media focusing on this issue and expect the coverage to continue next month as the Supreme Court hears arguments in the case of Peggy Young v. UPS. Stay tuned!
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Taking Control of America’s Energy Future


In his weekly address, President Obama discusses progress in American energy and highlights that we are now producing more oil at home than we buy from other countries for the first time in nearly two decades. We reached this milestone in part not only because we’re producing more energy, but because we’re wasting less energy, and as a result, we are also reducing our carbon emissions while growing the economy.

Click here to watch this week’s Weekly Address.

Watch: President Obama's Weekly Address

Honoring our Military: On Veterans Day, the President honored those who have served, or are currently serving, our country. The President hosted a breakfast that morning for veterans and their families before heading off to Arlington Cemetery with the Vice President, the First Lady, and Dr. Biden. The President participated in a wreath-laying ceremony and spoke to the crowd about the devotion and commitment of those who don our nation’s uniform.

In the life of our nation, across every generation, there are those who stand apart. They step up, they raise their hands, they take that oath. They put on the uniform and they put their lives on the line. They do this so that the rest of us might live in a country and a world that is safer, freer, and more just.

The President also reminded Americans that we need to support troops after they have come home. “This is how we’ll be judged.  Not just by how well we care for our troops in battle, but how we treat them when they come home,” the President said. Check out the President’s remarks here.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden wrote an op-ed about Joining Forces that appeared in military news websites, highlighting their commitment to employment, wellness, and education for veterans, service members, and their families.

Continuing his work with members of the military later that week, the President welcomed senior civilian defense and military leaders to an annual meeting and dinner, where those present discussed a wide range of issues.

Affordable Care Act: President Obama made a statement in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on Thursday, announcing new steps to help those Americans that are receiving insurance cancellation notices. The President stated that insurers can offer customers who have been notified about canceled plans the option to renew their 2013 plan in 2014.

“It took 100 years for us to even get to the point where we could start talking about and implementing a law to make sure everybody has got health insurance,” the President said. “And my pledge to the American people is, is that we’re going to solve the problems that are there, we’re going to get it right, and the Affordable Care Act is going to work for the American people.”

Manufacturing in Ohio: The President spoke at a steel factory in Cleveland, Ohio on Thursday, highlighting the plant’s comeback after nearly 1,200 steelworkers were furloughed when the auto industry was on the brink of collapse. Today, ArcelorMittal, is the largest supplier of steel in the auto industry and is a global leader in producing advanced high-strength steel for fuel efficient cars. “The story of this plant is the story of America over the last five years,” President Obama said. “We haven’t just been recovering from a crisis. What we’ve been trying to do is rebuild a new foundation for growth and prosperity to protect ourselves from future crises.”

Tribal Nations Conference: On Thursday, the White House hosted the fifth White House Tribal Nationals Conference, which welcomed leaders from all 566 federally recognized tribes. The President spoke to conference attendees, highlighting the need for strengthening justice and tribal sovereignty, expanding opportunities for Native Americans, and protecting tribal lands. Read the President’s full remarks here.

Protecting kids with asthma and allergies: President Obama signed into law the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act on Wednesday, which encourages schools to plan for severe asthma attacks and allergic reactions. Approximately 9.5 percent of American children suffer from asthma, and between 4 and 6 percent of children have food allergies. By updating and upgrading school’s response capacity for asthma and food allergies, this law will help relieve the anxiety of millions of parents.

First Lady Talks Education: First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan visited Bell Multicultural High School in Washington, D.C. to discuss the importance of youth empowerment and education. The First Lady shared her personal academic experiences to a group of sophomores, telling them that she pushed herself to have a strong academic and extracurricular record. “And when I encountered doubters…when people told me that I wasn’t going to cut it… I didn’t let that stop me,” she said.

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President Obama’s Handwritte​n Tribute to the Gettysburg Address


President Obama’s Handwritten Tribute to the Gettysburg Address

150 years after President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, President Obama penned a handwritten tribute to President Lincoln’s historic remarks.

Click here to read the essay — then pass it on.

Click here to see the full hand-written tribute

What would President Truman say about this Congress?

Deputy Senior Advisor David Simas shares how a group of extreme Republicans in Congress have opposed the President’s legislative agenda at every turn and what they could get done if they simply schedule a vote on pressing national issues.

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Americans Are Getting Covered Thanks to the Affordable Care Act

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Americans all over the country are enrolling in affordable health coverage. Many were unable to get insurance before and many others are signing up for new plans that offer better coverage than what they had before, often at lower costs.

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Community College to Career Tour on the Road Again

Yesterday, Dr. Jill Biden and Labor Secretary Tom Perez made a visit to Cleveland Community College in North Carolina and Broward College in Florida as part of their “Community College to Career” tour designed to highlight innovative workforce training partnerships.

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Stay Connected …


Shining a Light on our Researchers, Doctors, Nurses, and Caregivers

Friends,

 

This has been an important week in a number of key policy areas that impact women, including immigration reform and healthcare.

 

Earlier this week, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama and Chair of the White House Council on Women & Girls, joined the President Obama, Vice President Biden and Senior Administration officials for a meeting with business leaders on immigration reform.

 

In addition to this meeting, White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, Lynn Rosenthal authored a piece on the importance of immigration reform in protecting victims of domestic violence.

 

On Tuesday, Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden hosted the 2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Reception. They were joined by survivors, caregivers, families, doctors, researchers, and advocates who have all been touched by breast cancer.

 

And earlier this week, Katherine Archuleta was sworn in as the first Latina Director of the Office of Personnel Management. Please read below to learn more about Katherine and the responsibilities of her new position.

 

In case you missed it, First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated Diwali at the White House. She joined students for a Bollywood Dance Clinic in the State Dining Room of the White House. Be sure to read below for more on their great visit.

 

Thank you for all that you do!

 

The White House Council on Women & Girls

The Time is Now: President Obama Meets with Business Leaders on Immigration Reform

Reflecting on a meeting with business leaders on immigration reform, Valerie Jarrett posted a blog about her experience:

 

Today, I joined the President, Vice President and senior Administration officials for a meeting at the White House with a group of top U.S. business leaders to discuss the importance of commonsense immigration reform to bolster U.S. economic growth, and improve the climate for business, and job creation. These leaders shared with the President their desire to see our broken immigration system fixed, both because it is the right thing to do, and because it will be good for the U.S. economy.

 

Read the full post from Valerie Jarrett here.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with business leaders to discuss immigration reform to bolster U.S. economic growth

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with business leaders to discuss immigration reform to bolster U.S. economic growth, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Nov. 5, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Survivors Can’t Afford to Wait

Domestic Violence Awareness Month may have ended, but our work to end abuse continues. Today, in this country, women and children continue to suffer from unspeakable violence because they are afraid to seek help without legal status. When immigrant survivors of abuse without legal status are, according to one study, half as likely to call the police to seek the help they need, we must act.

 

Since it was first signed into law in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act or VAWA has recognized the need for special protections for immigrant survivors of abuse, including self-petitions and categories of visas for victims of violent crimes and human trafficking. But while VAWA includes key provisions to help immigrant survivors, it is not enough.

 

Now, Congress has the opportunity to take an important step towards protecting victims, and supporting law enforcement to create safer communities for all Americans. Commonsense immigration reform would significantly benefit immigrant women all over the country. The Senate has already passed an immigration reform bill by a wide, bipartisan majority. And Democratic leaders have introduced a bill in the House that’s similar to the bipartisan Senate bill. So it’s up to Republicans in the House to decide whether to move forward with immigration reform. Unlike many other issues in Washington, immigration reform is one that both parties can agree on. Congress must finish the job on commonsense immigration reform.

 

Read more here.

Shining a Light on our Researchers, Doctors, Nurses, and Caregivers

Earlier this week, the Vice President and Dr. Biden hosted their 2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Reception. They were joined by survivors, caregivers, families, doctors, researchers, and advocates who have all been touched by breast cancer.

As Dr. Biden wrote:

 

Each year, this reception is one of the most inspiring events that we hold at our home, and this year was no different. As I embraced both old and new friends, I was reminded of the bravery of the survivors and their loved ones. I saw the hope in their eyes, their unwavering spirit, and their determination to continue pushing forward.

This year, we asked all of the survivors to invite someone who was important to them during their course of treatment. Joe and I know that the fight against breast cancer is not only limited to what the patient endures, but also extends to the family members, the caregivers, the doctors, and researchers who work day in and day out to save lives and support those that they love.

Read more here.

Dr. Jill Biden gives remarks at a breast cancer awareness month reception with Vice President Joe Biden, in the living room at the Naval Observatory R

Dr. Jill Biden gives remarks at a breast cancer awareness month reception with Vice President Joe Biden, in the living room at the Naval Observatory Residence in Washington, D.C., Nov. 5, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

President Obama to Dallas Health Care Volunteers: “Nothing Is Going to Stop Us from Getting This Done.”

The President joined canvassers and navigators who are part of the community’s most active group of volunteers working to enroll their neighbors in quality, affordable coverage through the Marketplace. He personally thanked them for their work, calling out the fact that ultimately, “all the politics, all the chatter sometimes leaves out the fact that the system we had — the status quo — just wasn’t working for too many people.”

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at an Affordable Care Act event at Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, Texas, Nov. 6, 2013. (Official White House Photo

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at an Affordable Care Act event at Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, Texas, Nov. 6, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

At a time when 24 states — Texas included — have neglected to take advantage of the Medicaid expansion available to working families in their states under the Affordable Care Act, the President acknowledged that 133,000 Texans in Dallas alone would immediately have coverage if Texas decided to expand the program.

You can read the President’s full remarks here.

The Truth About Artificial Trans Fats

For decades Americans have been trying to reduce their consumption of artificial trans fats. Parents check the food labels when grocery shopping for their families and consumers are making better choices when eating out. Companies like McDonalds and Subway stepped up and made it easier by removing all artificial trans fats from their products. And Wal-Mart has pledged to no longer have artificial trans fat on their store shelves by 2015.

But there is still more to be done by government, industry and consumers to make sure that we have the tools we need to keep unsafe foods off our tables.

Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHO), are an artificial substance that is formed by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil during processing to make it more solid. PHOs are the leading source of artificial trans fat; they cause plaque buildup in the arteries, are a contributing factor to heart attacks, and for too many, an early death. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that a further reduction of artificial trans fat in the food supply can prevent up to 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year and as many as 20,000 heart attacks each year.

Thursday, in keeping with their mission to keep the American food supply safe, the FDA released for public comment its preliminary determination, consistent with science, thatPHOs are no longer “generally recognized as safe.” FDA is seeking public comment on this finding as well as input on the amount of time that would potentially be needed for food manufacturers to reformulate products that currently contain artificial trans fat should this determination be finalized.

The good news is that many food manufacturers have already taken this on—it is becoming easier to find foods without trans fats. FDA’s action could make it easier still. Today’s action is an important step in a direction that America has already begun to move in, which will keep us healthier while enjoying the foods we love.

Read more here.

Welcoming Katherine Archuleta, the First Latina Director of the Office of Personnel Management

Monday, Katherine Archuleta was sworn-in as the 10th Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and will serve as the Federal government’s personnel chief. She will be the first Latina to hold this position. Katherine shares President Obama’s vision for diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce, which the President said helps “create more effective policymaking and better decision-making [for me], because it brings different perspectives to the table.”

OPM is uniquely positioned to have a significant influence on the face of the federal government, welcoming people from all backgrounds and utilizing their talents to have a positive impact on our communities. When we draw on the wisdom of a workforce that reflects the population we serve, we are better able to understand and meet the needs of our customers-the American people.

Read more here.

First Lady Michelle Obama Celebrates Diwali at the White House

On Tuesday, First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed guests to the White House for a Diwali celebration. The celebration started with the First Lady surprising local students at a Bollywood dance clinic and trying out some moves herself.

Then the First Lady spoke in the East Room:

“We’ve celebrated this holiday here at the White House every year since Barack took office. And there’s a reason why we’ve done that,” she said.

When we say that we want to make the White House the “people’s house,” we mean all people. We mean that we want to honor and embrace all of the many cultures and faith traditions that make us who we are as Americans. And Diwali is very much one of those traditions.

Read more here.

First Lady Michelle Obama joins students for a Bollywood Dance Clinic in the State Dining Room of the White House, Nov. 5, 2013. (Official White House

First Lady Michelle Obama joins students for a Bollywood Dance Clinic in the State Dining Room of the White House, Nov. 5, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

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Standing Up for Women and Girls at Home and Abroad


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Friends,

Here in the United States and across the globe, President Obama and his Administration have been working to empower women and girls.

On Wednesday, President Obama visited Knox College in Illinois to kick off a series of speeches about his vision for rebuilding an economy that puts the middle class – and those fighting to join it – front and center.

That same day , five past winners and current finalists of the annual Google Science Fair met with Todd Park, U.S. Chief Technology Officer, at the White House to discuss career paths for women in science, technology, engineering and math.

Dr. Jill Biden is traveling in India this week and focusing on issues affecting women and children. On Tuesday, Dr. Biden participated in a roundtable discussion with officials from the government of Maharashtra, USAID, UNICEF, Indian civil society and the private sector to learn about their efforts to improve nutrition across the country. Please read on for more about Dr. Biden’s important visit.

That same day, First Lady Michelle Obama addressed 1,800 people at the National Council of La Raza’s Annual Conference in New Orleans, including many mothers and grandmothers, to talk about the importance of healthy lifestyles for families – including nutrition, exercise, and regular check-ups and screenings.

In case you missed it, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Caroline Kennedy to be the next Ambassador to Japan and Carrie Hessler Radelet to be the new Director of the Peace Corps. The Senate confirmed Gina McCarthy as the next Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the President commended her as a “proven leader.”

Please read below for more, and thank you for all that you do!

White House Council on Women & Girls

President Obama Lays out a Better Bargain for the Middle Class

In his remarks on Wednesday, President Obama highlighted the progress our country has made together in the five years since the start of the recession saying,

“Thanks to the grit and resilience and determination of the American people – of folks like you – we’ve been able to clear away the rubble from the financial crisis. We started to lay a new foundation for stronger, more durable economic growth. As a country, we’ve recovered faster and gone further than most other advanced nations in the world. With new American revolutions in energy and technology and manufacturing and health care, we’re actually poised to reverse the forces that battered the middle class for so long, and start building an economy where everyone who works hard can get ahead.”

Learn more about President Obama’s plan here.

President Obama 7.24 Knox College

President Barack Obama delivers a speech on the economy at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., July 24, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

All-Star Female Students Come to the White House to Discuss Women in STEM

On Wednesday, at a meeting in the West Wing of the White House, U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park, Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer Jen Pahlka, and other senior Obama Administration officials specializing in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), met with five inspiring young women to discuss academic and career pathways in STEM fields. The students were past winners and current finalists of the annual Google Science Fair—an online science competition open to high-school-aged students that solicits “ideas that will change the world.”

Read more about the impressive accomplishments of nominees and finalists Brittany Wenger, Valerie Ding, Naomi Shah, Lizzie Zhao and Lauren Hodge.

Dr. Biden’s Trip to India

This week, Dr. Biden has been traveling in India visiting with non-profits and members of the private sector to discuss issues affecting women and children, including life-threatening malnutrition. On Tuesday, Dr. Biden attended a roundtable discussion with Government of Maharashtra Officials, USAID, UNICEF, Indian civil society and private sector representatives to learn about their efforts to improve nutrition across the country and to make available other proven health interventions to prevent child deaths, such as immunizations, clean water, and treatment of pneumonia and diarrhea.

After the roundtable discussion Dr. Biden continued on to The Dilaasa Crisis Intervention Department for Women in Bandra, an area in Mumbai. The center is the first hospital-based crisis center in India for female survivors of domestic violence and came out of a partnership between the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, a public entity, and the Center for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes, a private trust. This relationship illustrates how dedicated both the people and the government are to creating a safe space for the victims of gender based violence and to ensuring that this nightmare ends for so many women.

Read more about Dr. Biden’s visit to India here.

Dr. Biden Meets with Community Leaders NGOs

Dr. Biden meets with community leaders, US and India agency officials, and NGOS to discuss joint efforts to end childhood malnutrition. (Photo Credit: Carrie Levay)

Michelle Obama Empowers Latino Community at Nation Council of La Raza Conference

Speaking to over 1,800 attendees at the Annual Conference of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) on Tuesday, First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated the NCLR’s accomplishments in reducing obesity through its Comer Bien (Eat Well) program. She emphasized, however, that there is still much more work to be done since nearly 40 percent of Hispanic children in the U.S. are overweight or obese and Hispanic kids ages nine to 13 are only half as likely to participate in organized physical activity outside school.

The First Lady urged the audience to use their purchasing decisions to make change. She said, “Today, the Latino community’s buying power is more than one trillion dollars…and it’s expected to increase to $1.5 trillion by 2015. So make no mistake about it, with the choices that you make, you all could completely transform the marketplace… So when companies step up and provide healthy choices…we all need to step up and actually take advantage of those choices.”

Read the First Lady’s full remarks here and learn more about the First Lady’s efforts to fight childhood obesity with her Let’s Move initiative.

In Case You Missed It: Confirmations & Nominations

On Tuesday, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Caroline Kennedy as Ambassador to Japan. Caroline Kennedy is President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and Chair of the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University. She is the editor of several New York Times best-selling books on topics including constitutional law, American history, politics, and poetry. She received a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Last week, the U.S. Senate confirmed Gina McCarthy as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. As President Obama noted: “With years of experience at the state and local level, Gina is a proven leader who knows how to build bipartisan support for commonsense environmental solutions that protect the health and safety of our kids while promoting economic growth.”

The President also announced his intent to nominate Carolyn “Carrie” Hessler Radelet as Director of the Peace Corps saying, “As Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, Carrie has been instrumental in recruiting and training thousands of Peace Corps volunteers who work to promote social and economic development around the world. I’m delighted to nominate her as Director, so this program can continue to benefit from her vision and commitment.” Currently Ms. Hessler Radelet is Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, a position she has held since 2010. Read her biography here.

President Obama Moniz McCarthy Burwell East Room Nomination 3.4.13

President Barack Obama announces the nominations of, from left, Ernest Moniz as Energy Secretary, Gina McCarthy as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, and Sylvia Mathews Burwell as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in the East Room of the White House, March 4, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)