Tag Archives: Violence Against Women Act

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

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.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

This Week’s Top 3 On ThinkProgr​ess


Dear Friend,

We know the impending budget cuts have almost completely dominated the news cycle this week, but here are three other important stories from ThinkProgress that you may have missed:

1. Scalia: Voting Rights Act Is ‘Perpetuation Of Racial Entitlement’

2. Congress Finally Reauthorizes Violence Against Women Act

3. 8 Inspiring Things That Happened Since Trayvon Martin Was Tragically Killed One Year Ago

Best,

Igor Volsky Deputy Editor, ThinkProgress

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

thinkprogress … VAWA


Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Justice Scalia is worse than you already thought.

Washington doesn’t have to be broken.

Yes, the vast majority of our long-term debt is because of Bush-era policies.

GOP congressman says the debt is just as “immoral” as slavery.

Obama administration calls for marriage equality in upcoming Proposition 8 Supreme Court case.

Shocking but true: top GOP senator wants to give the NRA veto power over judges.

Another day, another extreme anti-abortion law enacted by the GOP.

FACT: low tax states have lower economic growth.

Violence Against Women Act Finally Passes

A year and a half after the landmark law expired, House Republicans finally relented and allowed the updated and expanded reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to pass. The bill had already passed the Senate with overwhelming, bipartisan majorities not once, but twice.

We say House Republicans allowed it to pass because they’ve done nearly everything in their power to block it from doing so, including:

  • refusing to even take up the Senate bill last year
  • passing a watered-down, partisan version that had no chance of passing the Senate
  • attempting to block a vote on the Senate bill as recently as this week
  • trying to remove protections for LGBT people and Native Americans from the Senate bill earlier today
  • voting against the Senate bill en masse today

Last time VAWA was reauthorized, in 2005, just two House Republicans voted against the measure. Sadly, 138 House Republicans voted against VAWA today. Even more shamefully, 27 House Republicans voted against both the Senate bill and the watered-down version Republicans themselves had proposed.

Take a look at these 27 Republicans. Notice a pattern?

BOTTOM LINE: Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act is a huge victory for women and their families — a victory that came in spite of the GOP’s best efforts to prevent it.

Climate change and the Arab Spring.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

H.J. Res. 118 & S.388


cbocloud

from: the Congressional Budget Office

H.J. Res. 118, a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of Family Assistance of the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health

On September 17, 2012, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for House Joint Resolution 118. In response to Congressional questions we are providing the following additional explanation of the basis of that cost estimate.

S. 388, the American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013

As introduced in the Senate on February 26, 2013

S. 388 would eliminate the automatic spending reductions scheduled to occur under current law for 2013 and would partially eliminate the reductions scheduled for 2014. The bill also would eliminate direct payments to certain agricultural producers, provide funding for agricultural disaster assistance, and exempt from sequestration all mandatory funding provided for the Department of Agriculture.

Black History

CONGRESS: Republicans … the Sequester, VAWA, PayCheck fairness and Immigration : Democrats


demsVrepub

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Thursday, February 28, 2013.

Senator McConnell obtained consent that the Inhofe-Toomey bill at the desk be considered as the bill that qualifies for introduction under the previous order. He then moved to proceed to S.16, Sequester replacement, and filed cloture on the motion.

The Senate then reached an agreement that results in 2 stacked roll call votes in relation to the sequester replacement bills at a time to be determined tomorrow. We expect the votes to occur after 2pm, but as always, another message will be sent once a time has been set.

The votes would be in relation to the following items:

–          Motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to Calendar #19, S.16, a bill to proceed for sequester replacement.

–          Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to proceed to Calendar 18, S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013

The details of the agreement are as follows.

On Thursday, February 28th, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to Calendar #19, S.16. If cloture is not invoked, the motion to proceed would be withdrawn and the Senate would then proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to proceed to Calendar #18, S.388. Further, if cloture is invoked on the McConnell motion to proceed, the motion to proceed would be agreed to and the Senate would resume consideration of the Reid motion to proceed to S.388 and vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion. If cloture is invoked on the Reid motion, the motion to proceed would be agreed to. If the motion to proceed to S.16 was previously agreed to, the Senate would then resume consideration of the bill and upon disposition of S.16, the Senate resume consideration of S.388 if the motion to proceed was previously agreed to.

Senate
Floor Schedule for Thursday, February 28, 2013   10amET

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business for one hour with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act.
  • At a time to be determined on Thursday, the Senate will conduct 2 roll call votes on the following items in the following order:
    • Motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to S.16, to provide for a sequester replacement, and
    • Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to proceed to S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act.
  • Senators will be notified when those votes are scheduled.

This morning Senator Ayotte asked unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the motion to proceed to her alternative sequester bill, which is at the desk.

Senator Reid countered by asking that the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the Inhofe bill (S.16), the Ayotte-McCain-Graham bill, which is at the desk; and the Mikulski-Murray-Reid bill (S.388),all relating to sequester replacement; and that each vote be subject to majority vote thresholds.

Senator McConnell declined Senator Reid’s offer to have majority votes on the three bills. Senator Reid objected to the Ayotte request.

The Senate has reached an agreement that results in a series of 2 roll call votes at 2:30pm today. Under the agreement, it is in order for the Republican Leader to move to proceed to S.16. The time until 2:30 is equally divided between the two Leaders or their designees.

The 2:30pm roll call votes will be on the following motions:

– Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.16, sequester replacement.

– Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.388, American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013, and

Senator Hatch asked unanimous consent that following the two cloture votes today, it be in order for him to make a motion to commit S.388, American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013, to the Finance Committee, the text of which is at the desk, and the Senate proceed to vote immediately on the motion without intervening action or debate.

The Hatch language would strip tax provisions from the bill.

Senator Baucus objected.

2:32 The Senate began a roll call vote on McConnell motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.16, a bill for sequester replacement;

Not Invoked: 38-62

2:57pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.388, American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013;

Not Invoked: 51-49 (Senator Reid entered motion to reconsider failed vote)

Cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to S.16, a bill to provide for sequestration replacement (Inhofe bill), was not invoked by a roll call vote of 38-62.

Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.388, American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013 (Mikulski-Murray-Reid bill), was not invoked by a roll call vote of 51-49.

Senator Reid changed his vote to no and then entered a motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked on his motion.

The Senate is now in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. There will be no further roll call votes during today’s session of the Senate.

Senators should expect the next vote to occur around 5:30pm on Monday in relation to a judicial nomination.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

1) Motion to invoke cloture on the McConnell motion to proceed to S.16, to provide for a sequester replacement; Not Invoked: 38-62

2) Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to proceed to S.388, the American Family Economic Protection Act; Not Invoked: 51-49

No LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

At 5:00pm on Monday, March 4 the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Calendar #15 and #16.

There will be 30 minutes for debate equally divided in the usual form prior to votes on confirmation of the nominations.

At approximately 5:30pm, the Senate will vote on confirmation of the following nominations:

– Executive Calendar #15, the nomination of Pamela Ki Mai Chen, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York; and

– Executive Calendar #16, the nomination of Katherine Polk Failla, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

We expect to voice vote the Chen nomination and conduct a roll call vote on the Failla nomination.

On Tuesday, March 5th, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of Calendar #20, S.Res.64, a resolution authorizing expenditures by committees of the Senate for the period March 1, 2013, through September 30, 2013.

The only amendment in order to the resolution is a Paul amendment striking provisions relative to the National Security Working Group. There will be up to 30 minutes of debate equally divided in the usual form on the Paul amendment. Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to vote on the Paul amendment. Upon disposition of the Paul amendment, the Senate will proceed to vote on adoption of the resolution, as amended, if amended.

*************************************************

The House votes on VAWA

286 – 136

but should Americans trust Republicans

Watch Live House Floor Proceedings