Biden and Senate Republicans Hold a Meeting to Discuss COVID Relief Plan

President Biden has proposed a $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, and a group of Republican Senators have countered with a narrower $618 billion proposal.

Both plans call for $160 billion to be put toward a national vaccination program, expansion of testing and equipment, and reimbursement of hospital medical providers. While the Republican plan matches the public health component of Biden’s, it falls short in nearly every other category. 

Biden’s plan allocates $465 billion in direct payments to Americans, whereas the GOP plan allocates less than half at $220 billion. His plan also includes $40 billion in child care funding, in comparison to $20 billion in the Republican plan. 

His plan also includes $35 billion in rental assistance, $120 billion in child tax credits, and $350 billion to state and local governments. The GOP plan allocates $0 to all of these. 

Currently, if Congress does not act, enhanced unemployment insurance will expire in mid-March. Biden’s plan seeks to increase emergency unemployment benefits from $300 to $400 per week and extends them through September, and the GOP plan leaves the payments at $300 per week and extends them only through June.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan entity, unemployment will not return to its pre-pandemic rate this decade.

“Congress has a responsibility to quickly deliver immediate comprehensive relief to the American people hurting from covid-19,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “The cost of inaction is high and growing, and the time for decisive action is now. With this budget resolution, the Democratic Congress is paving the way for the landmark Biden-Harris coronavirus package that will crush the virus and deliver real relief to families and communities.”

Sources: Washington Post 2/1/21; Reuters 2/1/21; CNN 2/2/21

Kansas Senate Voted to Put Anti-Abortion Question on the Ballot

On Thursday, the Kansas State Senate voted to pass a measure that will put an anti-abortion amendment on the ballot in 2022, asking voters to decide if the state constitution should say that there is no right to abortion, leaving the power to regulate abortion to the legislature.

If passed, Kansas would join the four states that have added similar anti-abortion amendments to their constitutions since 2014. If challenged, laws like these could make their way through the court system and eventually to the Supreme Court, which could offer the conservative majority a chance to overturn Roe v. Wade

Elizabeth Nash, lead policy analyst at the reproductive rights research group Guttmacher Institute, explained that states that pass these types of anti-abrotion measures in their constitutions go on to create strict restrictions around abortion care.

“The big picture is that this is part of the effort to undermine abortion rights nationally,” Nash said. “If abortion rights are diminished at the federal level, that opens up the door for bans at the state level. These kinds of ballot initiatives have the potential to be increasingly damaging for abortion rights and access to these services.”

Julie A. Burkhart, founder and chief executive of Trust Women, which has abortion clinics in Wichita and Oklahoma, expressed that it was misleading for legislaters to say that the ballot measure was not a ban on abortion, because “it absolutely is.”

“It will allow to the legislature to put burdensome, punitive laws into place that would further penalize people who are trying to access abortion care,” she said.

Sources: Washington Post 1/28/21; KTUL 1/29/21; ABC News 1/28/21

100+ Organizations Call for Expansion of Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice

Today, the Blueprint for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice published a full-page ad in the Washington Post highlighting top priorities for the Biden-Harris administration to expand and protect access to sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. The Blueprint represents over 100 progressive organizations.

The ad enumerates four tangible policy actions that progressive groups and activists expect the administration to enact swiftly. First, the administration must revoke the global gag rule and provide clarity on the law to restore and extend health care across the globe, including abortion care. Last week, Biden announced a plan to rescind the global gag rule in the coming days.

Second, the administration must rescind the domestic gag rule on Title X, the federal program dedicated to making birth control affordable, as well as the refusal-of-care rule, rules that restrict the ACA birth control benefit, and other rules that limit access to sexual and reproductive health care. 

Next, the Biden-Harris administration must lift restrictions placed on medication abortion that expose patience to needless risk during the pandemic. These restrictions are medically unnecessary and dangerous. 

Finally, the administration must demonstrate its commitment to reproductive health care for all by issuing a budget proposal to end the racist, classist Hyde, Helms, and Weldon amendments that keep low-income people from accessing abortion.

The ad reads, “as we work together to rebuild from the devastation of the pandemic, the economic crisis, and centuries of systemic racism, reproductive health, rights, and justice cannot be an afterthought.

“For women, Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, LGBTQ+ people, young people, and people with low incomes, personal freedom and access to health care is the foundation for a better future. It’s how we build families, careers, and communities.”

Sources: Blueprint for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice; Feminist Newswire 1/22/21

Biden Lifts Trump’s Ban on Transgender Military Service

Today, in an expected action, President Biden signed an executive order reversing the ban that Trump had signed that had prohibited transgender people from serving openly in the military.

The White House said Biden’s directive sets the policy that all Americans who are qualified to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States should be able to serve.”

“President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service, and that America’s strength is found in its diversity,” the White House said.

Biden’s order “immediately prohibits involuntary separations, discharges, and denials of reenlistment or continuation of service on the basis of gender identity or under circumstances relating to gender identity,” and directs that military records be corrected for anyone who had been affected by Trump’s ban.

According to a 2014 report from the Williams Institute, an estimated 15,000 transgender adults are serving in the U.S. military. Also, a 2020 study by the Palm Center found that “barring transgender people from serving harms the military by threatening recruitment, retention, morale, and unit cohesion.”

Biden’s policy will also ensure that transgender service members have access to health care, including gender-affirming care.

Sources: NBC News 1/25/21; CNN 1/25/21

Virginia Senate Passes Bill to Expand Abortion Access

On Friday, the Virginia state Senate passed a bill to remove the prohibition from the state code that bans private insurance plans on the state’s health insurance exchange from covering abortions, except in narrow circumstances. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond).

This bill does not mandate that insurance carriers cover abortion care, only removes the block that kept them from doing so. Because of the Hyde Amendment, federal subsidies that help cover the cost of insurance plans on the exchange cannot cover abortion care excpe tin the case of rape, incest, or a threat to the patient’s life. 

The existing ban on abortion coverage was created in 2011, after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed. The ACA barred abortion care from being requred as part of an essential benefits package. This allowed states to pass strict restrictions for plans in their state exchanges.

“It is government overreach into private health insurance plans,” said Del. Sally Hudson (D-Charlottesville), who is the sponsor of the House version of this bill. “Because what the ban does is prohibit any private health insurer that does business on our state exchange from offering a plan including abortion coverage that any private patient could purchase.”

This bill is a critical step in expanding access to care. While abortion is currently covered by many employer plans, the plans in the Virginia marketplace exchange are typically used by low-income people who struggle to afford health care, particularly women, transgender people, and non-binary people of color.

“Today, Virginia moved one step closer to ending an unnecessary law that restricts Virginians’ reproductive health care options,” McClellan said in a statement. “Virginians deserve to be able to choose whatever health plan meets their needs, but that option is not available to Virginians covered by the exchange.”

The passage of this bill in the Senate comes only days after the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a milestone wherein many advocates are emphasizing the need to move beyond “rights”, towards an expansion of abortion access. 

Sources: Virginia Legislative Information System 1/13/21; The Daily Progress 1/24/21; WAVY Virginia Politics 1/22/21

Senators and Members of Congress Reintroduce Joint Resolution to Remove Timeline on the Equal Rights Amendment

Today, Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY), along with 195 cosponsors, reintroduced the House Joint Resolution to remove the arbitrary deadline for ratification from the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)’s preamble. Its companion joint resolution was introduced in the Senate today by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). 

Representative Jackie Speier, Co-Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, said: “Since our country’s founding, women have been left out of the Constitution – intentionally. We were second-class citizens deprived of basic rights to vote, enter most jobs, or own property. To this day, we are paid less for our work, violated with impunity, and disproportionately suffer the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enough is enough. With President Biden and Vice President Harris at the helm, this will finally be the year we ratify the ERA to the Constitution.”

“As we begin a new Congress, I can think of no better legislation to lead with than one that removes impediments to find ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment—an amendment that firmly embeds in law equality between men and women. We first moved the ERA through Congress back in 1972, but we stalled out on certification by the states until last year when Virginia ratified the ERA. After years of work alongside Senator Cardin, I urge my colleagues to join us in ensuring equality for all,” said Senator Murkowski.

“The health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on many underlying problems we, as a nation, have yet to resolve, including rampant gender discrimination. To build back better under the Biden-Harris Administration, we must go beyond band-aid solutions and temporary fixes.,” said Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, longtime fighter for the ERA. “Women and all marginalized genders need equality under the law. This can only be secured by adding the Equal Rights Amendment to our Constitution. It is long past time to finally cement gender equality in our nation’s most important text, once and for all.”

“The 100-year fight for granting gender equality in the U.S. Constitution must not be shredded by an out-of-date and irrelevant timeline. Thankfully Rep. Jackie Speier is moving early in this Congressional session to remove this fig leaf and to help pave the pathway for the Equal Rights Amendment to be enshrined finally in the Constitution in 2021,” said Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority and a 50-year veteran in the struggle for the ERA.

Source: Congresswoman Speier Press Release 1/21/21

Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman Started Her High School’s Chapter of Girls Learn International, a Project of Feminist Majority Foundation

At yesterday’s Inauguration of President Joe Biden, a momentous day, all eyes were on young poet Amanda Gorman. At 22, she is the youngest poet to speak at a presidential inauguration, and her words moved the in-person and virtual audience.

Those who know Gorman say that she has always been committed to educating her peers on human rights and working for social justice and equality. When she was in high school at New Roads School in Santa Monica, she started her school’s chapter of Girls Learn International, which is a project of Feminist Majority Foundation aimed at empowering young women to advocate for human rights issues. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in sociology last year.

Her inaugural poem focuses on messages of unity, justice, and a brighter future.

“We the successors of a country and a time

Where a skinny Black girl

descended from slaves and raised by a single mother

can dream of becoming president

only to find herself reciting for one

And yes we are far from polished

far from pristine

but that doesn’t mean we are

striving to form a union that is perfect

We are striving to forge a union with purpose”

Sources: Ms. Magazine 1/20/21; The Lily 1/21/21; CNBC Television 1/20/21

President Biden Issued 17 Executive Orders and Directives on His First Day in Office

Yesterday, within a few hours of his inauguration, President Joe Biden signed 17 directives and executive orders, many of which were aimed at undoing the harm left behind by the Trump administration.

At the top of his priority list was racial justice and LGBTQ+ equality actions. Importantly, Biden will end the Trump administration’s 1776 Commission, which announced a report this week that told a false narrative of the role of slavery in the US. The President also reversed Trump’s executive order that limited federal agencies and institutions from holding diversity and inclusion training. 

Biden expressed that a “robust, interagency” effort to eliminate systemic racism from federal agencies is a top priority, and designated head of his Domestic Policy Council Susan E. Rice as the leader of this mission. This order mandates agencies to review and report on equity within their institutions within 200 days, including creating plans to remove barriers and increase opportunity to marginalized people. Included in this order is the mission to ensure that people of all backgrounds have equal access to federal government services, benefits, and resources and initiates a data working group and a study of new methods to evaluate these federal efforts.

In another order, Biden reinforced TItle VII in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, mandating the federal government not to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation, which reverses an action by the Trump administration. 

The Trump administration worked for years to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that protects immigrants brought to the US as children, “Dreamers”, from deportation. In yesterday’s executive order, Biden bolstered the program and called on Congress to create legislation to provide permanent status and a path to citizenship for those immigrants.

Biden also demonstrated a commitment to reversing Trump’s policies that harmed the environment. Biden revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, a move that not only protects the environment but also shows commitment to the Indigenous communities and activists who have advocated for this action for years. 

The slew of executive orders that Biden signed yesterday represent a commitment to marginalized communities, especially people of color, immigrants, Indigenous people, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Sources: New York Times 1/20/21; Feminist Newswire 1/19/21; New York Times 1/20/21

BREAKING: Biden Announces Formation of White House Gender Policy Council

Today, President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris announced the creation of the White House Gender Policy Council, which will be co-chaired by Jennifer Klein and Julissa Reynoso. 

The goal of the Council is to facilitate government policy that positively impacts women and girls on a range of issues including health care, economic security, racial justice, gender-based violence, and foreign policy. The Council will work with and across other White House policy councils to create positive change.

The Council will be led by Jennifer Klein and Julissa Reynoso. Klein is currently the Chief Strategy and Policy Officer at TIME’S UP, and has worked on gender equality for almost three decades. She was a Co-Chair of the Women and Families Policy Committee and a member of Women for Biden during the Biden-Harris Campaign, and was also Senior Advisor on Women’s Issues on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. 

Reynoso, in addition to her role as co-chair of this Council, will also serve as the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden. Previously, Reynoso served as U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay, and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere in the U.S. Department of State. She also was on the Board of Directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law and the Truman National Security Project.

“Too many women are struggling to make ends meet and support their families, and too many are lying awake at night worried about their children’s economic future. This was true before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the current global public health crisis has made these burdens infinitely heavier for women all over this country. The work of this council is going to be critical to ensuring we build our nation back better by getting closer to equality for women and to the full inclusion of women in our economy and our society,” said President-elect Joe Biden. 

“All Americans deserve a fair shot to get ahead, including women whose voices have not always been heard. Our administration will pursue a comprehensive plan to open up opportunity and uphold the rights of women in our nation and around the world. I look forward to working with these deeply knowledgeable and experienced public servants to address the challenges facing women and girls, and build a nation that is more equal and just,” said Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. 

Ellie Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority Foundation, said, “we are delighted about Biden’s announcement of the White House Gender Policy Council that will directly report to the president and will have a mandate to work on both foreign and domestic policy. And, we congratulate Jennifer Klein and Julissa Reynoso to be leading this very important council that will center the impact of policies on women and girls and people across the gender spectrum, especially the most marginalized among us. This is a critical milestone in ensuring feminist policies moving forward!”

Sources: Biden-Harris Transition 1/19/21; IWPR 1/19/21; TIME’S UP 1/19/21

President-Elect Joe Biden Promises Progressive Policies on Day One

Since Joe Biden announced his bid for the Presidency almost two years ago, he has spoken about his plans for his early days in office, many of them being plans to reverse regressive Trump policies.

As tomorrow is Biden’s first day as President, he has announced a specific list of promises that he will enact tomorrow, along with a longer list for his first 100 days.

At the top of his list is responding to the COVID-19 crisis, which includes: issuing a mask mandate on federal property and inter-state travel; extending nationwide restriction on home evictions and foreclosures; continuing to pause student loan payments; pushing for passage of a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package announced last week; and rejoining the World Health Organization. These COVID-19 policies are critical, as the US now has over 23 million cases and almost 400,000 deaths, with millions of people being economically impacted by the crisis.

Biden’s Day One plans also include immigration reform, including ending the “Muslim ban” on travel, a racist, xenophobic Trump policy that has restricted travel and immigration from certain countries since 2017, including Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen, and more recently, Eritrea, Nigeria, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, and Tanzania. He also promises to send a bill to Congress to modernize our immigration system and provide a roadmap to citizenship for nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants

Over the last four years of his presidency, Trump has caused immense harm to environmental justice, and Biden plans to reverse that harm on his first day in office and continue to work towards more progressive climate action in his first 100 days. Tomorrow, Biden will rejoin the Paris climate agreement, sign an executive order to create a plan to achieve a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions by 2050, and sign an executive order to conserve 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030.

Finally, on his first day in office, Biden will repeal the transgender military ban enacted by President Trump in 2017, as well as restore Obama-era guidance for transgender students in schools, with the priority of protecting trans students’ access to bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports in accordance with their gender identity.

Beyond tomorrow, we can expect President Biden to prioritize economic recovery, climate justice, gun control, violence against women, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Sources: CBS News 1/19/21; New York Times 1/18/21; CDC 1/17/21; CBS News 1/18/21; Joe Biden Climate Plan

Supreme Court Reinstates Anti-Abortion Measure

On Tuesday, The Supreme Court revived the federal mandate requiring medication abortion patients to pick up their mifepristone pill in person from a medical office or hospital, even when their consultation with their doctor is remote.

The suit was originally brought against the FDA by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Council of University Chairs of Obstetrics and Gynecology (CUCOG), and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective.

The order was unsigned, with three justices dissenting– Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Elena Kagan, and Justice Stephen Breyer. Chief Justice John Roberts emphasized the limited nature of this opinion, providing deference to the “experts” in political positions to assess public health. He emphasized that this ruling does not answer a question about whether or not the requirement imposes an undue burden on the right to abortion, but rather about the court’s role in evaluating the impact of COVID-19.

In her dissent, Justice Sotomayor expressed that abortion is treated unlike any other medical treatment and that this mandate puts people at risk.

“This country’s laws have long singled out abortions for more onerous treatment than other medical procedures that carry similar or greater risks,” Justice Sotomayor wrote. “Like many of those laws, maintaining the F.D.A.’s in-person requirements” for picking up the drug “during the pandemic not only treats abortion exceptionally, it imposes an unnecessary, irrational and unjustifiable undue burden on women seeking to exercise their right to choose.”

She continues, “of the over 20,000 FDA-approved drugs, mifepristone is the only one that the FDA requires to be picked up in person for patients to take at home.”

According to Judge Theodore D. Chuang of the Federal District Court in Maryland, the requirement to make an unnecessary trip to a medical office during a pandemic creates an undue burden on the constitutional right to abortion.

This particularly impacts poor people, many of whom are people of color, who may have limited access to transportation, may not be able to take time off work to make an extra trip to a clinic, where hours have been reduced because of the pandemic, and who are most likely to be impacted by coronavirus themselves.

Julia Kaye, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement that “the court’s ruling rejects science, compassion and decades of legal precedent in service of the Trump administration’s anti-abortion agenda,” she said in a statement. “It is mind-boggling that the Trump administration’s top priority on its way out the door is to needlessly endanger even more people during this dark pandemic winter — and chilling that the Supreme Court allowed it.”

This ruling is the first about abortion that the Court has seen since Amy Coney Barret was joined the court and reinforced its conservative, anti-abortion majority. 

Sources: New York Times 1/12/21; Supreme Court of the United States 1/12/21; CDC 7/24/20

Biden Nominates Ambassador Samantha Power as USAID Administrator

Early this morning, President-elect Biden announced Ambassador Samantha Power as his nominee for the United States Agency for International Development Administrator, while simultaneously elevating the position to become a member of the National Security Council.

Ambassador Power served in the Obama-Biden Administration Cabinet from 2013-2017 as the 28th US Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Her new position will involve working with US partners to lift up marginalized communities, especially in the face of COVID-19.

President-elect Joe Biden said, “Samantha Power is a world-renowned voice of conscience and moral clarity — challenging and rallying the international community to stand up for the dignity and humanity of all people. I know firsthand the unparalleled knowledge and tireless commitment to principled American engagement she brings to the table, and her expertise and perspective will be essential as our country reasserts its role as a leader on the world stage. As USAID Administrator, Ambassador Power will be a powerful force for lifting up the vulnerable, ushering in a new era of human progress and development, and advancing American interests globally.”

Prior to her career in international development, Power was a journalist who reported from many countries on multiple continents– Bosnia, East Timor, Kosovo, Rwanda, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. She served as the founding executive director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and is currently a professor at Harvard. 

If confirmed by the Senate, Power’s responsibilities will include strengthening an agency that President Trump has weakened over the last four years by slashing the budget and nominating political appointees with little career experience in international development. 

Sources: Biden-Harris Transition Press Release 1/13/21; NBC News 1/13/21; NPR 1/13/21

New House Rules Mandate Gender-Neutral Language

Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern announced the rules package for the 117th Congress, which includes increased accountability for the public, strong ethics reforms, and a focus on inclusion.

The new rules establish a permanent Office of Diversity and Inclusion, as well as “honor all gender identities by changing pronouns and familial relationships in the House rules to be gender neutral”. This means eliminating terms like father, mother, son, and daughter. Up until now, a binary rule was applied, meaning that “words importing one gender include the other as well”.

“As House Speaker, I am pleased to join Chairman Jim McGovern in introducing this visionary rules package, which reflects the views and values of the full range of our historically diverse House Democratic Majority,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  

“Thanks to the leadership of Chairman McGovern and our Members, Democrats have crafted a package of unprecedented, bold reforms, which will make the House more accountable, transparent and effective in our work to meet the needs of the American people.  These future-focused proposals reflect our priorities as a Caucus and as a Country – including crushing the coronavirus, addressing economic disparity, combating the climate crisis, advancing inclusion, and promoting integrity in government.”

As the 117th Congress breaks records with the number of LGBTQ+ members, the new rules package aims to affirm diversity in gender and sexuality.

Sources: House Committee on Rules 1/1/21; The Hill 1/4/21

Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff Win Georgia Senate Elections

On Tuesday, Georgia held its runoff elections for the Senate, and on Wednesday AP News officially called both races, with both democratic candidates, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, winning in close margins

These wins are historic, with Warnock being the first Black senator from Georgia and Ossoff being the first Jewish senator from the state. Ossoff himself credits “record-shattering youth turnout, a lot of whom are voting for the first time”, according to his social media.

The state also saw massive turnout among Black Georgians. Black people make up about 30 percent of the overall electorate in the state, and they represent a majority of Georgia’s Democratic voters.  

Both victories represent major breakthroughs for Black communities in southern politics, as his election is the “culmination of years of voter registration drives conducted by former state House Democratic leader Stacey Abrams, and many other Black activists,” who have worked to elimate the historic disenfranchisement of Black Americans. 

Early in the day yesterday Warnock delivered an emotional speech, vowing to work for all Georgians, whether they voted for him or not. 

“The other day, because this is America, the 82-year-old hands that used to pick somebody else’s cotton picked her youngest son to be a United States senator,” he said. “Tonight, we proved that with hope, hard work, and the people by our side, anything is possible.”

In Ossoff’s victory speech, he made a similar vow: “This campaign has been about health and jobs and justice for the people of this state– for all the people of this state. Whether you were for me, or against me, I’ll be for you in the U.S. Senate. I will serve all the people of the state.”

Sources: AP News 1/6/21; New York Times 1/7/21; New York Times 1/6/21; TikTok 1/5/21

Argentina’s Congress Voted to Legalize Abortion in Groundbreaking Move

On December 30, Argentina’s Senate voted to legalize abortions for the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. This vote comes after years of pro-choice activism in the conservative country. 

Until now, abortion was only permitted in cases of rape or when the mother’s health was at risk. Abortion patients could be punished by up to 15 years in jail.

Despite restrictions in Argentina and the surrounding region, approximately 5.4 million abortions took place in Latin America and the Caribbean between 2015 to 2019, according to Guttmacher Institute. Guttmacher’s data shows a clear connection between abortion restrictions and unintended pregnancy rates– in countries where abortion is illegal, unintended pregnancy rates are high.

The vote was contentious, with 38 senators voting in favor of the bill, 29 voting against, and one abstaining.

Argentina, like many countries in Latin America, is heavily influenced by the Catholic Church, which was vocal in its opposition to the bill, calling on senators to reject it. President Alberto Fernández, a center-left figure, maintained his support for the bill.

Mariela Belski, executive director of Amnesty International Argentina and an ambassador for the global women’s rights movement She Decides, said: “Today, Argentina has made an emblematic step forward in defending the rights of women, girls and people with reproductive capacity.”

Belski said that the vote sends “a strong message of hope to our entire continent — that we can change course against the criminalization of abortion and against clandestine abortions, which pose serious risks to the health and lives of millions of people. Both the law passed by the Argentine Congress today and the enormous effort of the women’s movement to achieve this are an inspiration to the Americas, and to the world.”

Sources: CNN 12/30/20; BBC 12/30/20

Top 10 Feminist Moments of 2020

2020 was an unprecedented and difficult year, but that didn’t stop feminists from achieving some great things over the last 12 months.

Kamala Harris became the first female Vice President of the U.S.

In November, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris became Vice President-elect of the United States. Harris broke multiple barriers by becoming the first woman, and woman of color, to hold the position.

“So, I’m thinking about her and about the generations of women — Black Women. Asian, White, Latina, and Native American women throughout our nation’s history who have paved the way for this moment tonight,” said Harris in her victory speech. “Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality, liberty, and justice for all, including the Black women, who are too often overlooked, but so often prove that they are the backbone of our democracy.”

SCOTUS ruled in favor of protections for abortion access and LGBTQ employees

In June, the Supreme Court ruled that the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ employees from discrimination based on sex. The three employees involved in the case contended that they were fired based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. Justice Gorsuch wrote that if there are two employees who are attracted to men–one male, one female–and the male employee is fired for no other reason than being attracted to men, that it is clearly discrimination based on sex.

SCOTUS also delivered a ruling in favor of abortion clinics by striking down a Louisiana law that would have left only one doctor in the state to perform abortions. The law required abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic. The court had previously stuck down a similar Texas law in 2016, deeming the law an unconstitutional burden on those seeking abortion care.

Millions of people demanded change during the Black Lives Matter protests

In over 1,360 counties in the US, millions protested police violence in the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black people at the hands of police. These protests have created change in the movement to defund the police and move money towards social programs like housing, health care, and education.


“It looks, for all the world, like these protests are achieving what very few do: setting in motion a period of significant, sustained, and widespread social, political change,” Professor McAdam, social movements professor at Stanford University, said. “We appear to be experiencing a social change tipping point — that is as rare in society as it is potentially consequential.”

Transgender and nonbinary legislators elected across the country

Six new transgender and nonbinary state legislators were elected this year, bringing the total number of transgender elected officials nationwide from 28 to 32.

Trans legislators won historic races in both red and blue states including Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, New Hampshire and Vermont.

“It’s inspiring for the trans community. Ten years ago, no one would have thought that transgender people could win elected office, let alone in Oklahoma or Kansas. And now, we’re seeing boundaries broken all the time,” proclaimed Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

First openly gay Black men elected to Congress

Mondaire Jones and Ritchie Torres became the first openly gay Black men elected to the U.S. House of Representatives this year. Both are from the state of New York. Jones will represent the 17th District, while Torres will represent the 15th District.

“I’m excited about serving with Ritchie,” Jones stated. “He’s a tremendous candidate and a good friend. This is a chance for us to be the role model we looked for growing up — for queer youth and especially queer youth of color.”

“Growing up poor, Black and gay, I never imagined someone like me could run for Congress, let alone win,” he concluded.

New Jersey codified Roe v. Wade into state law

In October, Governor Murphy signed the Reproductive Freedom Act, which ensures all people in the state have the right to make their own decisions about pregnancy-related care, including abortion.

The Act also ensures that people of all incomes have equitable access to birth control and abortion care, requiring private insurance to cover birth control and mandating no out-of-pocket costs for abortions.

“As access to health care and the right to choose are under attack at the federal level, we will support, defend, and protect reproductive rights here in New Jersey,” said Governor Murphy. “The Reproductive Freedom Act will remove barriers to reproductive health, as well as expand access to contraception while reaffirming choice. Together, we stand unwavering in our commitment to work towards reproductive freedom for all New Jerseyans.”

Colorado defeated Proposition 115 to ban late abortions

On November 3, 59.1% of Colorado voters voted against a proposition that would have restricted abortions after 22 weeks. The law did not include exceptions for incest or rape, would have imposed expensive fines on abortion providers, and would have suspended the license of medical professionals who provide abortions.

In a year that had challenge after challenge against abortion rights, Colorado’s decisive vote to protect abortion rights was critically important.

President-elect Biden appointed a diverse group to cabinet positions

In the last few weeks, President-elect Biden has appointed a record number of women and people of color to serve in his cabinet, including Neera Tanden, Cecilia Rouse, Symone Sanders, Susan Rice, Marcia Fudge, Xavier Becerra, and many others. 

In a historic move, Biden appointed Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM) to serve as the Secretary of the Interior, making her the first Native American Cabinet secretary and first Native person to head the Interior Department. Appointing an Indigenous person to be responsible for our nation’s lands was an exciting and moving pick.

“A voice like mine has never been a Cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior,” Haaland tweeted Thursday night. “ … I’ll be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all of our protected land.”

Scotland became the first country to make period products free for all citizens

Last month, the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed a bill that makes menstrual products free for all who need them.

The bill requires local governments to make the products available free of charge, in schools, colleges, and certain public places.

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland tweeted, “Proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation, making Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all who need them. An important policy for women and girls.”

While there is no similar federal legislation in the U.S., several states have policies that remove the tax on menstrual products and that require schools to provide tampons and pads to students free of charge.

Kim Ng became the first female general manager in Major League Baseball

After a 30-year career in Major League Baseball, Kim Ng was named the first female general manager of a national American baseball team, the Miami Marlins.

Ng began her career as an intern with the Chicago White Sox, moving up through the ranks of an organization dominated by men and working with teams like the Yankees and the Dodgers. Ms. Ng served as senior vice president of baseball operations for the MLB previously.

“This challenge is one I don’t take lightly,” she said in a statement. “When I got into this business, it seemed unlikely a woman would lead a major league team, but I am dogged in the pursuit of my goals.”

White House Cuts Millions of Dollars in Funding to California Because of Pro-Choice Law

During an event on Wednesday at the White House celebrating the administration’s anti-abortion efforts, the Trump Administration announced a new measure to restrict abortion access: withholding $200 million in Medicaid funding from California after the state passed a law requiring health insurance companies to cover abortion care. 

Alex Azar, Health and Human Services Secretary, announced that his department would move to cut an additional $200 million per fiscal quarter if the state does not reverse its law.

California Governor Gavin Newsom tweeted Wednesday, “Nothing like the “pro-life” party eliminating healthcare during a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. California will survive without this $$ for now — but their frail, pathetic patriarchal system they are so desperate to protect won’t.

It is possible that when President-elect Biden’s pick for HHS, Xavier Becerra, moves into his role next month, the mandate can be reversed. Becerra is known to be enthusiastically pro-choice.

Sources: CBS San Francisco 12/16/20; CNN 12/17/20; Twitter 12/16/20

Pro-Trump Rally Causes Violence in Washington, D.C.

Four people were stabbed in Washington, D.C. this weekend when pro-Trump protesters fought with counterprotesters. Social media videos show that protesters were wearing the colors and insignia of the Proud Boys, a far-right white supremacist organization.

Black Lives Matter signs were torn down from two historic Black churches in D.C., and then destroyed by pro-Trump protesters. D.C. police are investigating the events as potential hate crimes.

In one video on Twitter, Proud Boys held a Black Lives Matter banner above their heads as they marched and cheered as they set it on fire and yelled “f— antifa”.

“Last night demonstrators who were part of the MAGA gatherings tore down our Black Lives Matter sign and literally burned it in the street,” the Rev. Ianther M. Mills, the church’s senior pastor, said in a statement. “It pained me especially to see our name, Asbury, in flames. For me it was reminiscent of cross burnings.”

Janeese Lewis George, member-elect of the D.C. Council, tweeted about the video of the pro-Trump protesters setting the Black Lives Matter banner on fire. 

“Tonight, violent white supremacists stole and burned a Black Lives Matter banner from Asbury United Methodist, the oldest Black Methodist church in DC,” she tweeted. “But yet no militarized police force used against them. There are two justice systems in this country, separate and unequal.”

According to permits for the Saturday events, the march was organized in part by Million MAGA March and Women for America First, two right-wing, pro-Trump organizations.

Sources: NBC News 12/12/20; NBC News 12/13/20; Washington Post 12/13/20; Twitter 12/12/20; Twitter 12/12/20; NBC Washington 12/12/20

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 Center for American Progress. If confirmed, Tanden, an Indian American, would be the first woman of color to lead the agency.

Cecilia Rouse, Princeton University labor economist, was nominated as chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, along with economists Heather Boushey and Jared Bernstein. Rouse, a Black woman, would be the first woman of color to lead the council. 

The transition team announced the nomination of Kate Bedingfield as White House communications director. Bedingfield served as the deputy campaign manager and communications director on the campaign trail.

Jen Psaki was nominated as White House press secretary. She served previously as White House communications director under President Obama, and her deputy will be Karine Jean-Pierre, who was the first Black chief of staff for a vice-presidential nominee on the Biden-Harris campaign.

Former senior advisor for strategic planning Ashley Etienne will serve as Harris’ communications director, and Symone Sanders, senior advisor to Biden during his campaign, will serve as spokeswoman and senior advisor to Harris. Elizabeth Alexander, formerly Biden’s press secretary when he was vice president, will serve as incoming first lady Jill Biden’s communications director.

The Biden-Harris team’s appointees demonstrate a clear commitment to bringing more diverse voices to the decision-making table than ever before.

Sources: CNN 11/30/20; Washington Post 11/29/20; 19th News 11/29/20; Washington Blade 11/30/20

Record Numbers of Young People and Women Voting This Year

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s general election is unlike any other. Over 100 million Americans already voted in the weeks leading up to Election Day, both in person and by mail. Of those who have already voted, we see both a large gender gap emerging, as well as a historic number of young people voting.

It seems that women led the way in early voting, especially in swing states. In Pennsylvania, women accounted for 57 percent of early voting and absentee ballots. In Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin, women were 56 percent of early voters, and in Florida and Texas, they accounted for 55 percent.

According to last week’s poll from Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, 63% of 18 to 29-year-olds said they would “definitely” vote in the election, the highest proportion in the last 20 years, and 16 percent higher than in 2016. More than 6 million people under the age of 30 have already voted as of last Thursday, as compared to 2 million in 2016.  

The significance of these numbers is particularly prevalent in Texas, a state historically known for its low rates of voter participation. In 2018, Texas under 30 voted at a much higher rate than ever before, and this year, turnout among young Texans may set records once again. As of last week, over 800,000 voters under 30 had already voted in the state. Two-thirds of them did not vote in 2016. 

In Florida, more than 500,000 young voters cast their ballot ahead of Election Day—hundreds of thousands more than had done so in 2016. Despite significant legal hurdles, voter suppression, and a dangerous global pandemic, young people are voting at unprecedented rates.

Sources: NPR 10/29/20, 19th News 11/1/20; Harvard University 10/26/20; Texas Observer 11/2/20, Feminist Newswire 10/20/20, Time 8/20/20

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