Ms. Magazine Politics Race

As Kamala Harris Becomes Vice President, Feminists Urge Gov. Newsom to #AppointABlackWoman in Her Place

“Our representative democracy is supposed to represent us,” urges a joint letter—part of a recent push from a coalition of notable feminists to convince California Gov. Gavin Newsom to replace Vice President-Elect Harris’s Senate seat with another Black woman. Presently, the number of Black women in the Senate totals just one—Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. And […]

Health On the Hill Politics

Biden’s Choices for CDC Director and HHS Secretary Promote Diversity & Equity

President-elect Joe Biden has announced two more appointments for his future White House team – Rochelle Walenksy as the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Xavier Becerra as the next secretary of the Health and Human Services Department (HHS). Both appointees have backgrounds in protecting healthcare access and equity. […]

On the Hill Politics

Biden Appoints Record Number of Women to Top Roles

President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team has announced his picks for his communications and economic teams. Most of his announced picks are women, several of whom are women of color, following his campaign promise to build a diverse administration.  Biden nominated Neera Tanden as director of the Office of Management and Budget. Tanden currently leads the […]

Global On the Hill Politics

Biden Expected to Announce Linda Thomas-Greenfield as Ambassador to the UN

President-elect Joe Biden is expected to announce Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a longtime Black diplomat, as ambassador to the United Nations in a move to affirm his commitment to a diverse Cabinet. Greenfield has worked as a foreign service officer since the Reagan administration. She served as ambassador to Liberia, and as the Assistant Secretary of State […]

Abortion Global Politics

Biden Plans to Repeal Mexico City Policy, a Win for Abortion Rights

President-elect Joe Biden has committed to rescinding the Mexico City Policy, also known as the “global gag rule”, a policy that “currently bars the U.S. federal government from supporting important global health efforts — including for malaria and HIV/AIDS — in developing countries simply because the organizations providing that aid also offer information on abortion […]

Afghanistan Global Politics

Despite Warnings, Trump Pushes for Afghanistan Withdrawal

Soon after President Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper in a tweet, he appointed his apparent loyalists and strong opponents of US presence in Afghanistan; Retired Army Col. Douglas Macgregor has been appointed as the senior advisor to the new acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, who has been against US troops’ presence in Afghanistan. Macgregor […]

Election Politics Race

Kamala Harris Becomes First Female VP-Elect in U.S. History

On Saturday, after days of uncertainty, the 2020 election was called for Vice President Joe Biden, making his running mate Senator Kamala Harris the first female, first Black and first South Asian woman to become Vice President-Elect in U.S. history. “So, I’m thinking about her and about the generations of women — Black Women. Asian, […]

Abortion Abortion Providers Activism Health Politics

Colorado Voters Defeat Proposition 115, Maintaining Support for Abortion Access

As of this morning, 59.1 percent of Colorado voters voted “no” on Proposition 115, a proposition that would restrict abortions after a fetus reaches 22 weeks gestational age except when “immediately required to save the life of a pregnant woman”. This proposition did not include exceptions for rape or incest, would impose $5,000 fines on […]

Abortion Courts Health Politics

State Abortion Policies in a World Without Roe

On Monday evening, Judge Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed and sworn into the Supreme Court of the United States. This confirmation will have potentially severe impacts on healthcare, immigration, and abortion rights. If Roe v. Wade were overturned, abortion rights would be in the hands of individual states. Some states have already enacted bans that […]

Courts On the Hill Politics

Senate Holds Confirmation Hearings for SCOTUS Nominee Amy Coney Barrett

Yesterday, confirmation hearings began in the Senate for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. Many of the speeches and declarations made were regarding the 2020 elections, particularly Trump’s backing of a lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act and the rushing of this hearing during a pandemic that has impacted many on Capitol Hill. […]

Courts Health Politics

Senate in Recess Because of Coronavirus Cases

As of Monday, the Senate is in recess for two weeks due to many members of Trump’s staff, as well as three senators, testing positive for coronavirus. This is the first time since May that Mitch McConnell has adjourned the Senate because of coronavirus, and will potentially impact both the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney […]

Courts Health Politics Reproductive Rights

Trump Nominates Conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett to Fill RBG’s Seat

President Trump announced that he will nominate Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Barrett is a staunch conservative with opposite views of Justice Ginsburg’s. Judge Barrett is a member of the religious group People of Praise, which “preaches women’s subordination to men and […]

Courts Immigration Politics

Federal Court Blocks Trump Order Prohibiting Census from Counting Undocumented Immigrants

Yesterday, a three-judge panel in New York ruled unanimously that President Trump’s executive order to exclude undocumented immigrants from the census count was unlawful.  The President’s July memo stated that undocumented immigrants should not count for purposes of deciding the reapportionment of the House. The court’s decision mandates that his order violates the 14th Amendment […]