Immigration Reform Bill Advances In Senate
Last night, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a sweeping immigration reform bill in a bipartisan vote of 13 to 5. The bill, drafted by the so-called “Gang of Eight,” includes a path to citizenship for the 11 million people currently in the United States who do not have legal status. It also includes measures to strengthen boarder...
Afghan Women Arrested for ‘Moral Crimes’ Increases 50%
A new report by the Human Rights Watch shows that in the past 18 months the number of women in Afghanistanincarcerated for ‘moral crimes’ has increased from 400 to 600, a 50% growth. Many of the women imprisoned for moral crimes were arrested running away from forced or abusive marriages and families, even though there is...
Army Commander Suspended for Adultery Amid Wave of Sexual Assaults
On Tuesday, Brigadier General Bryan T Roberts was suspended from his position as commander of the Fort Jackson, South Carolina training camp which trains approximately 60% of incoming female recruits pending an investigation into allegations of adultery. Roberts was suspended following allegations of “adultery and a physical altercation.” Colonel Christian Kubik, an Army spokesperson for the Training...
Teenager Charged with Felony and Expelled for Same-Sex Relationship
An 18 year old high school senior in Florida was charged with a felony and expelled from her school for a consensual same-sex relationship with a 15 year old classmate. Kaitlin Hunt was arrested in February and charged with “lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 16″ after the parents of her partner...
Lawmakers Introduce CPC Truth in Advertising Bill
On Friday, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced legislation that would allow the government to investigate crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) that falsely advertise abortion services. The “Stop Deceptive Advertising For Women’s Services Act,” introduced in both the House and the Senate, would allow the Federal Trade Commission to investigate reports of CPCs advertising...
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks AR 12 Week Ban
A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction against a twelve week abortion ban in Arkansas while the constitutionality of the bill is in question. U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright of Little Rock granted the request of two doctors involved in the case to block the enforcement of the bill. In her decision she said,...
Afghan Violence Against Women Law Blocked in Parliament
On Saturday, the Speaker of the Lower House of Afghan Parliament delayed a vote on the Elimination of Violence against Women law after two hours of vociferous debate between conservative religious and more liberal members of Parliament. The Speaker did not specify when the measure would be placed on the floor for a vote again....
Walmart, American Retailers Refuse to Join Bangladesh Accord
Walmart, along with 13 other major North American companies, refused to sign a legally binding agreement to improve working conditions for overseas factory workers that manufacture their clothes after a garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh killing an estimated 1300 workers, the New York Times reports. The agreement requires retailers pay $500,000 to improve worker safety measures over...
Nationwide Abortion Ban Introduced
Representative Trent Franks (R-AZ) has introduced a bill that will ban abortion after the 20th week of a pregnancy in the United States. The bill, also called the D.C. Pain Capable Unborn Protection Act, originally would have banned abortion at 20 weeks gestation only in the District of Columbia. However, Franks decided to expand the bill nationwide...
Another Military Sexual Assault Prevention Officer Arrested
On Wednesday night the manager of the Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention program for Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was arrested for stalking. Army Lieutenant Colonel Darin Haas was arrested around 6:30 pm Wednesday night when his ex-wife called the authorities after receiving threatening text messages that violated her order of protection against Haas. Later that night...
Doctors Ask Judge to Block 12 Week Ban During Legal Challenge
Two doctors have requested that a federal judge temporarily block enforcement of Arkansas’ 12 week abortion ban while the ban is facing legal challenges. The “Human Heartbeat Protection Act,” or Act 301, bans abortion once a human heartbeat is detected using a standard abdominal ultrasound, usually at 12 weeks gestation. The bill was passed into...
NC House Advances Anti-Abortion Bill Amid Protests
The North Carolina state House passed an anti-abortion measure seeking to restrict state insurance coverage for abortion last night amid protests from pro-choice activists. The bill, HB 730 [PDF], allows any health care provider to refuse to participate in an abortion because of moral objections and allows hospitals to refuse to perform abortion services, even if...
