Tag Archives: Supreme Court of the United States

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In August … we got Updates on Voting Rights Act


Dear Friend,

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It’s been a busy summer here at the White House, with no shortage of exciting and important announcements. In light of this, I’m writing to let you know we will be having more regular updates to this list. During the month of August we find ourselves reflecting and commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington in 1963.  During that summer the country reflected on the economic and racial equality of others and today we continue to act on that legacy.

This past week the President met with civil rights leaders to discuss securing the Vote for All Americans. Please take some time to read this weekend and share with family and friends.

Best,

Heather Foster Office of Public Engagement

“Securing

the Vote

for

All Americans”

Monday, President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder, and Secretary of Labor Tom Perez met with civil rights leaders, and state and local elected officials at the White House to discuss how to safeguard every eligible American’s right to vote in light of the recent Supreme Court decision on Shelby County vs. Holder.

President Barack Obama meets with Civil Rights Leaders in the Roosevelt Room

President Barack Obama meets with Civil Rights Leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, July 29, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

The Supreme Court’s decision invalidating one of the Voting Rights Act’s core provisions, upsets decades of well-established practices that help make sure voting is fair, especially in places where voting discrimination has been historically prevalent.

President Obama acknowledged that for nearly 50 years, the Voting Rights Act has helped secure the right to vote for millions of Americans, and expressed deep disappointment about the recent decision.  He asked the leaders in the room for their ideas on how to strengthen voting rights, and also encouraged them to continue educating their communities on the Voting Rights Act, and how to exercise voting rights.

We’ve seen much progress towards guaranteeing every American the right to vote.  But, as the Supreme Court recognized, voting discrimination still exists.  And while the decision is a setback, it doesn’t represent the end of either our efforts to end voting discrimination, or our basic right to vote.

Since the decision, President Obama has called on Congress to pass legislation to ensure every American has equal access to the polls.  The Voting Rights Act has been reauthorized repeatedly by wide bipartisan margins in Congress, and signed into law by Republican presidents.  In addition, every single American should have an interest in ensuring that every eligible American is able to exercise his or her right to vote.  So we remain hopeful that we will find a legislative solution to ensure a fair and equal voting process.

Monday’s meeting was another step forward to protect the vote, and we will continue to do everything in our power to secure this most basic right for all Americans.

Monday’s participants included:

Get Updates

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Nina Pillard … Urge Your Senators to Confirm Nina Pillard


AAUWWhen it comes to judicial nominations, it often feels like we’re in a time warp – and not in a good way.

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the second-most important federal court in the country, has not been fully staffed in over a few years. This court hears some of the most complicated cases, from vital national security challenges to reviews of federal regulatory agencies, and the court is hearing them without a full slate of judges. Nominees to fill the vacant seats – including three well-qualified female jurists – have been obstructed at nearly every turn.

 What’s worse is that one of those female nominees is being attacked with accusations that quite frankly sound like something out of the 1950s or 1960s. Georgetown Law Professor Cornelia “Nina” Pillard is a “scary feminist,” a “radical feminist,” they’re saying. 

Pillard’s detractors are wrong. Their comments are offensive, and U.S. senators should know better than to fall for hyped-up, false attacks on a nominee’s gender. Urge your senators to support Pillard’s nomination when it comes up for a vote this week .

Pillard has a distinguished career of working with lawyers on both sides of the aisle. She has argued nine cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and is best known for her argument that convinced a nearly unanimous Supreme Court to open the Virginia Military Institute to women. She worked alongside Bush administration attorneys to successfully defend the Family and Medical Leave Act in the courts. She has consistently opposed government policies that treat men and women differently based on outmoded stereotypes that harm both sexes.

When the Senate adjusted its rules for considering judicial and executive nominations last month, it paved a path forward for the up-or-down confirmation vote that had previously been denied to Pillard. The Senate is expected to reconsider Pillard’s nomination this week, which gives your senators a chance to confirm this outstanding jurist who is uniquely qualified because of her work on AAUW priority issues.

Please, urge your senators to vote for Nina Pillard’s nomination to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The seats on the D.C. Circuit Court have been empty for far too long, and Nina Pillard is exactly the right kind of person to seat on the bench.

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your doctor – and your boss?


 

Democrats

 

STAND With WOMEN

One of the biggest benefits of Obamacare is that being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition. In fact, insurance companies are now required to cover preventive services, including birth control, at no additional cost.
But that might be about to change.

More than 40 for-profit companies, most of which are owned by men, are suing to deny their employees’ access to birth control without a copay. Republicans opposed to the Affordable Care Act are arguing that women’s bosses should have a say in their personal health decisions. This is an extreme move that could undermine a core tenet of Obamacare and compromise women’s health.

In 2012, millions of Americans had the opportunity to vote for a Republican presidential candidate who supported those companies’ position. (You might remember how that one turned out.) But today’s news shows that this fight is far from over — and that we can’t let up.
Add your name to make sure a woman’s health care decision stays between her and her doctor — not her boss.

The Supreme Court just announced that they’re going to hear this case. And if the Court rules in favor of the companies, then it could be up to employers to decide whether or not the women who work for them will have free access to birth control.

We’ve made great progress in fixing our broken health care system by guaranteeing women access to preventive care, and we can’t go back.
Speak out in favor of a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions:
http://my.democrats.org/Stand-with-Women

Thanks,

Lily
Lily Adams
Deputy Communications Director
Democratic National Committee
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SCOTUS …. still at work


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This week at the Court

By on Oct 6, 2013 at 12:03 am

Monday is the first day of the 2013 Term. We expect orders – primarily cert.  denials from the September 30 Conference – at 9:30 a.m.

The Justices will hear two oral arguments each day, Monday through Wednesday.

The hearing list for the October sitting is here.

On Friday the Justices will meet for their October 11 Conference.

Our list of “Petitions to watch” for that Conference will be available soon.

Argument preview: Campaign finance — again

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By on Oct 5, 2013 at 12:11 am

At 10 a.m. Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hold one hour of oral argument on the latest constitutional dispute over campaign finance — this time, the constitutionality of federal ceilings on donations to political candidates or parties.  In the case of McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, arguing for Alabama Republican donor Shaun McCutcheon and the Republican National Committee will be Erin E. Murphy of the Washington law firm of Bancroft PLLC, with twenty minutes of time.  Arguing for Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — in the case as an amicus — will be Bobby R. Burchfield of the Washington law firm of McDermott Will & Emery, with ten minutes.  Representing the FEC, with thirty minutes, will be U.S. Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli, Jr.

It has been nearly four years since the Supreme Court set off a constitutional revolution in the financing of federal elections, in Citizens United v. FEC, and the controversy it stirred up still has not lost its fury.  The Court, however, is ready to consider extending that revolution by, perhaps, casting aside a constitutional formula it has used repeatedly in this field for more than four decades to curb campaign donations.

The formula, put simply, is that those who contribute money to candidates or political committees get less protection for their activity than those who spend money directly to try to influence election outcomes.   The Court is being asked to give donors the same full protection that spenders get under the First Amendment.  In short, the Justices have a chance to reexamine the core of the landmark 1976 ruling in Buckley v. Valeo.

Continue reading »

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Be healthy, eat local


Did you know that most fruits and vegetables have lost up to 45% of their nutrients by the time you buy them at the store? 45%!

Join us in pledging to buy local produce!

There are a couple reasons for this problem. First, produce loses its nutritional value quickly – just three days after being picked, most fruits and vegetables have already lost a third of their nutrients. And second, most produce has to travel several hundred miles before it reaches the store – an average piece of produce takes seven days to get from the farm to the produce aisle.

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to this problem. By buying local produce, you can maximize the nutritional value in the fruits and vegetables you buy. Plus, since the produce doesn’t have to travel as far, you’re cutting the carbon emissions associated with transporting your food across the country.

Wondering where you can find local produce near you? Take the pledge to buy more local produce and we’ll help you find a local farmer’s market in your area.

Switch to local produce today! It’s good for your health and the planet’s.

–          The Earth Day Network Team