Migration Category: news-10001-15000-national

Schools in East Aurora, Illinois, will implement a policy that supports transgender and gender nonconforming students after the school board voted unanimously in favor of it Monday. The policy states that transgender and gender nonconforming students have the right to be addressed by the name and gender pronoun with which they identify. According to the policy, a court-ordered name or gender change is not required. Students also have the right to use the restroom and locker room that corresponds to their gender identity. This decision comes soon after a Catholic school in Indianapolis, Indiana, publicly stated that it would not recognize a transgender student’s preferred gender, saying that it conflicted with their Catholic beliefs. Students protested the decision in support of the transgender student. The school board of Toronto, Canada, introduced a policy similar to that of East Aurora last week. Their proposal extends the policies to staff as well as students, and includes guidelines for students’ privacy.

The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) has launched a new campaign called “Draw the Line,” asking Americans to sign a “Bill of Reproductive Rights.” The CRR aims to “deliver a thundering statement” to the U.S. Congress and the President that it is their responsibility to secure reproductive rights as fundamental human rights. The Bill of Reproductive Rights reads: “We the people of the United States hereby assert the following as fundamental human rights that no government may deny, and that our governments at every level must guarantee and safeguard for all.

“Draw the Line” addresses continual attacks from politicians on reproductive rights. The CRR has attracted a number of A-list celebrities to promote the Bill, including Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, Amy Poehler, Lisa Kudrow, Sarah Silverman, Billy Crudup, and Caroline Kennedy. The launch of this campaign marks the 20th anniversary of the CRR, and highlights the upcoming 40th anniversary of the historic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision on February 5, 2013. To get involved, individuals can pledge their support by signing the Bill of Reproductive Rights, sharing the campaign on social media, and finally supporting the fight by donating online.

Almost a month after three members of the Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot were found guilty of “hooliganism” and sentenced to two years in prison, Prime Minister Dmitri A. Medvedev said Wednesday that they should be released. Although Medvedev said he finds them ‘nauseating,’ he also said further imprisonment would be “unproductive.” Musicians, activists and human rights groups worldwide have been standing in solidarity with the Pussy Riot members both online and in the streets. In light of the proximity of Medvedev’s comments and the band members’ appeal date, October 1, the international community rallying around the slogan “Free Pussy Riot” may finally win. In a case that has shed international light on the Russian government’s intolerance of dissent, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, and Marina Alyokhina, 24, have been in jail since March, when they were arrested after performing (video) a “punk prayer” on the altar of Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral in dissent of Vladimir Putin. The members entered the church wearing bright colors and balaclavas, singing “Mother of God, Blessed Virgin, drive out Putin!” The band members said their intent was to challenge the Church’s political support for Putin and to show their dissatisfaction with Putin’s 12-year political dominance. Today news also broke that the European Parliament has nominated Tolokonnikova, Samutsevich, and Alyokhina for the “freedom of thought” award, or the Sakharov Prize, for special contribution to the protection of human rights. The prestigious award is named after Soviet human rights activist Andrei Sakharov, and comes with a 50,000 euro award. The winner of the prize will be announced in December. Its first recipients were Nelson Mandela and Soviet dissident Anatoly Marchenko in 1988.

Today the Democratic National Convention Committee announced an additional slate of speakers with a focus on women leaders. The committee noted that these speakers will join Michele Obama, Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren, and California Attorney General Kamala Harris in taking the stage at the DNC. The newly announced speakers include: – Seven-term Congresswoman and now Senate Candidate Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. – Former Former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Tammy Duckworth, who is also running to represent the 8th Congressional District of Illinois. – Sandra Fluke, Georgetown University Law student who spoke before Congress on health insurance coverage for contraceptives – Denise Juneau, state superintendent of public instruction, Montana – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America – Caroline Kennedy, author, attorney, and daughter of former President John F. Kennedy – Women’s equality advocate Lilly Ledbetter. The Lily Ledbetter Act — the first piece of legislation President Obama signed — ensures that workers discriminated on the basis of gender have a fair chance to sue their employer. – Eva Longoria, Obama Campaign Co-Chair and actress – U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, together with the women of the U.S. Senate – Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund In addition to these women, previously announced DNC speakers include: San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, former President Bill Clinton, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, and former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.

Tea party favorite Rep. Sandy Adams was defeated by 10-term Congressman Jon Mica in yesterday’s Florida primary. A 19-year incumbent and chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Mica led freshman Adams 61% to 39% with 96% of precincts reporting. Mica and Adams faced each other in a primary election after a Republican-drafted redistricting plan put the two in the same district. Adams was well-known for authoring the House version of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, labeled by many as the “fake VAWA” due to its elimination of protections for LGBT, Native American, immigrant, and student victims of violence. Adams is the 11th House member to fall in a primary this year. Sarah Palin, who endorsed Adams, was given her second primary pick loss in two weeks.

On Monday the Colorado Personhood Coalition submitted 112,121 signatures to the secretary of state, surpassing the 86,105 signatures required to get its anti-abortion initiative on the ballot in November. The signatures must be verified by state officials by September 5th. This will be the third consecutive time Colorado will have a personhood initiative on the ballot in the general election. In 2008, it got 27 percent of the vote, and in 2010 it got 30 percent of the vote. According to the Daily Beast, Planned Parenthood said on Monday on the local Colorado news: “For the third time in the past consecutive general elections, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains today vowed to defeat the so-called personhood initiative. ‘Personhood’ amendments ban all abortion, specifically for victims of rape and incest. Personal, private medical decisions would be taken out of a woman’s hands, and controlled by politicians and the government — These decisions are best left to a woman, her family, and her faith.” Abortion-rights supporters argue that personhood amendments would not only strip women of their constitutional right to safe and legal abortion, but would also outlaw forms of birth control and threaten in-vitro fertilization. No state has passed a personhood measure thus far. According to NARAL Pro-Choice America (PDF), 14 state legislatures introduced 26 personhood measures in 2011. Last week Personhood USA, a national personhood organization, filed a petition with the US Supreme Court to appeal the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to block a personhood ballot initiative in April. The Oklahoma court said the amendment is “clearly unconstitutional.”

On Tuesday, first-time political candidate Ted Cruz defeated Lt. Governor David Dewhurst in the Senate Republican runoff by more than 150,000 votes. Although he started his campaign relatively unknown nationally, his campaign eventually received endorsements from Tea Party favorites like Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, and Rand Paul. Cruz is expected to win in November. This is the third Tea Party Republican to defeat an endorsed Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in a primary this year. Ted Cruz’s victory has since received a great deal of media attention due to his extreme views on the death penalty, gay marriage, immigration, and Islam. Achy Obejas of WBEZ 91.1 called Cruz, who is Cuban-American, “the new conservative Latino cowboy in town,” saying that “he’s so extreme, he makes [Marco] Rubio look downright bipartisan.” After hearing about Cruz’s victory, Democratic Senator Patty Murray explained, “I think the bigger issue there is that Mitch McConnell is now going to have a potentially much more Tea Party-oriented caucus and we have all seen the damage that has done to our ability to govern, to find compromise, to move this country forward in a positive direction.” Cruz received a significantly large amount of money, about $7.7 million, from outside groups. This Texas Senate race received more outside funding than any other Senate race so far this year. The Club for Growth Political Action Committee alone supported Cruz to the tune of $5.5 million. Some 17 outside organizations were involved in the campaign. The candidates also spent about $32 million of their own money; Dewhurst alone spent over $24 million.

The court case against a new Pennsylvania voter ID law began last week. Elderly women, members of minority populations, college students, Pennsylvanians with disabilities, and transgender individuals have testified in the case against the new law, claiming it would disenfranchise them. This law would require anyone voting in Pennsylvania to show specific government issued photo IDs. Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State estimates that 758,000 registered voters lack the proper ID. Bea Bookler, a 94 year-old Pennsylvanian who has voted in every election since the 1940s, testified in court that she, and many women like her, will be disenfranchised by this law. Over time, she has lost her social security card, birth certificate, and marriage license, and is also unable to make the long trip to her nearest PennDOT office. When asked why she bothers to go to the polls to vote if her mobility is so limited, she insisted, “I would never not vote. How proud I am to live in a country is a real democracy. And anything that prevents people from voting is taking away our democracy. Democracy is only real if we all participate.” Earlier this year, Republican Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Mike Turazi claimed that the new law would “allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania” in the November election. Opponents of the law have cried foul. The state does not have any evidence to suggest that voter fraud has occurred or will occur in Pennsylvania elections. The US Department of Justice is looking into the law due to evidence suggesting the law discriminates against minority groups. Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson will issue a ruling in August. His ruling will most likely be appealed to the state’s Supreme Court.

Yesterday, the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee voted 3-1 to pass a bill onto the Republican-dominated state Senate that would put unnecessary restrictions on abortion providers. The bill would require abortion facilities to be licensed as freestanding outpatient surgical facilities and force doctors to screen for women who may have been coerced into having the procedure. In addition, the legislation dictates how women must handle fetal remains that result from any terminated pregnancy, even miscarriages. This TRAP law, or Targeted Regulations of Abortion Providers, is one of many that have passed through state legislatures since 2011. Supporters of the bill claim to have the safety of Michigan women at heart, while opponents insist that the bill is poorly written and an obvious attack on women’s reproductive rights. “Until we completely eliminate abortions in Michigan and completely defund Planned Parenthood, we have work to do,” said Michigan representative Mike Shirkey, according to the Huffington Post. Over the past few months, Michigan lawmakers have attempted to put this bill and similar laws on the books that would restrict a woman’s right to choose. Activists, including Vagina Monologues author Eve Ensler, have been vocally protesting these laws. The Michigan Senate will reconvene on August 15 to discuss this bill.

Planned Parenthood sued the state of Arizona on Monday in an effort to overturn a new law that blocks it from receiving government funds. The law was signed by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer in May, and is designed to prevent the allocation of public funds to clinics that also provide abortion in the state. The law will effectively cut funding for all health services provided by Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers, impacting the nearly 4,000 women receiving Medicaid-funded health care in the state. Arizona does not currently provide tax dollars for abortion and these funds were all allocated for other health services. Planned Parenthood is saying the law will put thousands of women’s lives at risk. In addition to providing abortion services to women, Planned Parenthood provides a range of health services, such as STI testing, cancer screenings, vaccinations, birth control, and sexual health education often at a reduced cost for low-income women. In a statement released in May, President of Planned Parenthood Arizona Bryan Howard said, “It is unfortunate that lawmakers continue to put ideology and politics before the welfare of Arizonans. Women and men who come to Planned Parenthood aren’t making a political statement, they are coming to get the health care they need.” In the past two years, 13 states have attempted to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood. The organization has filed lawsuits in six of them, and won injunctions in five, including Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, on the basis that it is being punished for providing constitutionally protected services and that these laws are blocking women’s access to preventive healthcare. Last week the Center for Reproductive Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union also filed a lawsuit against Arizona in an attempt to block a restrictive new anti-abortion law signed by Brewer that bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Amnesty International is staging a “Shadow Summit” this Sunday, May 20, in Chicago to emphasize to NATO Summit leaders that Afghan women’s and girls’ needs must be front and center in all planning. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky together with Afghan Women’s Leaders will speak at the Shadow Summit to bring women’s issues to the forefront of the NATO Summit. Speaking at the “Shadow Summit” will also be Afifa Azim, director and co-founder of the Afghan Women’s Network, Mahbouba Seraj, Executive Board Member of the Afghan Women’s Network; Manizha Naderi, Executive Director, Women for Afghan Women; and Gayle Lemmon of the Council on Foreign Relations and author, Dressmaker of Khair Khana. Amnesty International will release an open letter to Presidents Obama and Karzai signed by U.S., Afghan, and British women leaders concerned that women’s rights, freedoms, and advancement during and after the transition process. According to Amnesty International “the letter calls for an eight-point plan to ensure that the progress Afghan women have made over the last decade to secure basic rights will not end with the troops’ departure in 2014.” Suzanne Nossel, executive director, Amnesty International USA, said “After the billions of dollars and thousands of lives given to the cause of a secure and peaceful Afghanistan, turning back the clock on women’s rights would be tragic.” Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, which has led a U.S. Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls for the past 15 years, commented, “Adequate funding from NATO countries is essential for security and Afghan women’s and girls’ educational, health care, and economic programs. Afghan women’s leaders must be represented in all the planning and decision-making.”

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has launched an official inquiry into Girls Scouts USA. At the end of March, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne wrote a letter expressing his concerns about the Girl Scouts relationship to groups that promote birth control and contraceptives, such as Sierra Club and Doctors Without Borders, and whether they are promoting birth control and contraceptives in their programming. Although the Girl Scouts have confirmed that they have never taken a stance on birth control, contraceptives or abortion, if the Catholic Bishops believe that their programing shows otherwise, Girl Scout chapters may no longer be allowed to hold their meetings in Catholic churches. According to the Washington Post, St. Timothy’s Catholic Church in Chantilly, Virginia, banned 12 troops of 115 Girl Scouts from holding their meetings at the church. Some Girl Scouts have also reportedly had doors slammed in their faces over speculation that they endorse contraceptives and abortion. Robert McCarty, the Executive Director of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, published a website to help debunk the rumors about Girls Scouts. He says that the Girl Scouts have reviewed and changed some of their materials hoping to quiet the rumors and tensions with the Catholic Church. The review of the Girl Scouts programs will be held by the Bishops’ committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth.

The White House hosted a panel on Tuesday highlighting women trailblazers in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The panel was held to encourage young women to enter these fields. The panel included Jocelyn Goldfein, director of engineering at Facebook, Dr. Cady Coleman, a NASA astronaut and retired colonel in the US Air Force, Bianca Bailey, President of the Howard University chapter of Engineers without Borders, and Dr. Jean Hernandez, President of Edmonds Community College. The panel was moderated by Administrator Lisa Jackson of the Environmental Protection Agency. The White House also announced collaborations with private-sector partners to encourage STEM opportunities for girls. Among these partnerships is one with the Girl Scouts, which has been conducting research on girls in STEM. CEO of Girls Scouts of the USA, Anna Maria Chavez, said, “America has a huge opportunity for economic growth when looking at girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math. It is in this country’s best interest to make girls feel supported and capable when it comes to involvement in STEM fields–and anything else they set their minds to and have traditionally been steered away from.”

Today marks the first of three days that the Supreme Court will hear arguments concerning whether the mandated minimum coverage provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which requires that a person purchase minimum health coverage or face a modest monetary penalty beginning in 2014, is constitutional under the Commerce clause of the US Constitution. Both supporters and opponents of the ACA are gathered outside of the Supreme Court. Before the Justices hear the case, they must first determine whether they are permitted to hear the case under the 1867 Anti-Injunction Act, which states that “no suit for the purpose of restraining the assessment or collection of any tax shall be maintained in any court by any person.” In other words, the Act requires that a tax first be paid before it can be challenged in court. The first taxes associated with the ACA would not be due until April 2015. Currently under the ACA, daughters and sons under 26 years of age can receive insurance through their parents’ coverage, the donut hole for seniors is closing, and certain preventive procedures, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, and pap smears, no longer require a co-payment or other direct costs. President Obama signed the final version of the Affordable Care Act in March. The final law will eventually add coverage for 32 million people, increasing access to family planning and preventive care.

Today marks the second anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. According to government data released in September, since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act allowed those under age 26 to remain on their parents’ health insurance plans, almost 1 million people ages 19-25 have gained access to health insurance. Since the provision went into effect in 2010, the number of young adults who are uninsured decreased from 34 percent to 30 percent, according to the Washington Post. The government estimates that between 25 and 50 percent young people under 26 are now covered under their parents’ insurance policies. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) stated, “With women’s health front and center in the political debate, we celebrate a law that puts women in charge of their own health decisions and, for the first time, gives women access to free, lifesaving preventive care services, like mammograms. Starting this summer, coverage will include other critical services, such as contraception. And when the Affordable Care Act takes full effect, no longer will being a woman be a pre-existing medical condition.” Currently under the ACA, daughters and sons under 26 years of age can receive insurance through their parents’ coverage. The donut hole for seniors is closing and certain preventive procedures, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, and pap smears, no longer require a co-payment or other direct costs. Under the ACA, private insurance plans beginning on or after August 1, 2012 will also cover an annual well-woman visit and a variety of specific health screenings and counseling, such as for domestic and interpersonal violence, gestational diabetes, cervical cancer (an HPV DNA screening), HIV and STIs, as well as all FDA-approved contraceptives, breastfeeding support, lactation services, and supplies. President Obama signed the final version of the Affordable Care Act in March 2010. The final law will eventually add coverage for 32 million people, increasing access to family planning and preventive care.

Following much controversy regarding the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s partnership with Planned Parenthood, five executives from the Komen Foundation have resigned. Dara Richardson-Heron, CEO of the Greater New York City Komen affiliate, Katrina McGhee, Komen’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Nancy Macgregor, Vice President of Global Networks, Joanna Newcomb, Director of Affiliate Strategy and Planning, and Karen Handel, Komen’s Vice President for Public Policy have all indicated plans to leave the Foundation. To date, over 1,000 people have also signed an online petition calling for Komen CEO Nancy Brinker to step down from her position, according to the New York Times. Leslie Aun, a spokeswoman for the Komen Foundation, stated, “We know people have been upset by recent events, but most really we do recognize the importance of our work.” In January, the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure announced that, in accordance with its new policies, it would no longer award grants to Planned Parenthood affiliates to conduct breast cancer screenings, education, and treatment. The Komen Foundation then reversed its policy in early February, following a great public outcry from the women’s rights community.

On Tuesday, Utah Governor Gary Herbert (R) signed a bill requiring that women undergo a 72 hour waiting period before having an abortion. Once the law goes into effect on May 7, Utah will have the longest waiting period in the country. Currently, Utah law requires a 24 hour waiting period. Marina Lowe, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, noted that the law does not make an exception in instances where the pregnancy is nonviable. She stated, “It’s just sort of cruel to tell a woman that” she must carry a nonviable fetus for 72 hours. “It also raises the question of: What is the state’s interest in requiring a woman to wait 72 hours if there’s no chance of the pregnancy resulting in a baby?” In South Dakota, a similar law passed, requiring a 72 hour waiting period; however, Chief Judge Karen Schreier of the U.S. District Court for South Dakota issued a preliminary block because she believes that it poses an “undue burden on women.” She stated that low-income women seeking abortions might not be able to go home and return 72 hours later to obtain an abortion.

On Monday, Arizona state Senate President Steve Pierce (R) announced that he is removing a bill from the Senate committee agenda that would give employers the right to refuse coverage for contraception under their insurance. Senator Pierce indicated that he removed the bill from the agenda due to public opposition and statements from Governor Jan Brewer (R) that she “certainly would probably agree with the majority of people that would be a little bit uncomfortable for a woman to have to go to her employer and tell him or her their private health issues.” House Bill 2625 would have allowed employers to cite moral or religious reasons to exempt employees from birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The bill includes an exception for employees who can prove that they need contraception for a use other than pregnancy prevention, such as to treat endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome. If passed, the bill would have required employees to pay out of pocket for contraception. They would have been eligible for reimbursement only after submitting medical records to their employer to prove medical necessity. The bill also would have removed a provision in current state law that prohibits religious employers from discriminating against an employee who chooses to use contraceptives and pay for them out of pocket. The bill passed the Arizona House with a 39-18 vote.

Yesterday the New Hampshire Republican-controlled House voted 211 to 116 against a bill that would have repealed the marriage equality law in the state. Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, stated, “This is a wonderful victory for New Hampshire, which again took a stand for families. The House was right to reject efforts to turn back the clock on freedom and fairness in New Hampshire. Thank you to all the lawmakers who recognized our common humanity and to Gov. John Lynch for his support of the freedom to marry. Congratulations to Standing Up for New Hampshire Families and to all those who worked so hard for this terrific win today.” Currently same-sex couples are allowed to marry in New Hampshire, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Iowa, Washington state, and the District of Columbia.

A press conference was held today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Congress’s passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). A panel discussion, sponsored by the National council of Women’s Organizations (NCWO), the Sewall-Belmont House and Museum, and the Alice Paul Institute, followed the press conference and featured Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Representatives, Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Feminist Majority President Eleanor Smeal, Terry O’Neill, President of the National Organization for Women (NOW), Susan Scanlan, Chair of the NCWO, Roberta Francis, Chair of the ERA Task Force, and Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever, Executive Director of the National Council of Negro Women. The Equal Rights Amendment passed in 35 of the 38 states necessary for its ratification. It failed in the remaining three states by less than five votes in each of the states and was opposed by only a handful of male legislators. When the ERA was voted on in 1982, there was only one woman in the Florida Senate and virtually no African American representation in state Senates nationwide. At the time, there were no African Americans serving in the state legislatures in Florida or North Carolina. Ratification of the ERA is imperative to ensure that men and women are guaranteed equal rights by the US Constitution. The Equal Rights Amendment would “guarantee equal footing for women in the legal systems of all 50 states, particularly in areas where women have historically been treated as second-class citizens, including public education, divorce, domestic violence, child custody, and sexual assault law.” It would also ensure women are not discriminated against in the armed services, education, or employment and that government programs, for instance social security, have an equal impact on men and women.