Although union officials are not as opposed to Bush II’s second labor secretary nominee as they were to Linda Chavez, Chao merits scrutiny from progressives. She served as chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission under Reagan, and Deputy Secretary of Transportation under Bush I. She was also the Peace Corps director who expanded the organization’s […]
The issue is Ashcroft’s lack of sensitivity and concern about the rights of women and minorities, as well as his ideological rigidity, all qualities that are antithetical to the ability to serve all Americans as our Attorney General. It’s not racism that’s the problem, it’s his record. Secretary of Defense, Donald RumsfeldDefense Secretary under Ford […]
England’s Ellen MacArthur seized a 5-mile lead over France’s Michel Desyoyeaux yesterday in the Vendee Globe “round-the-world” yachting race. One of only two female skippers in the competition, MacArthur sails the Kingfisher in this 25,000 mile race for 60-foot monohulls that is expected to finish in 2 weeks in France. Earlier this month, MacArthur rounded […]
Ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee Patrick Leahy (D-VT) heightened pressure on Senate Democrats yesterday when he officially announced that he will vote against the confirmation of John Ashcroft for U.S. Attorney General. Leahy is the highest-ranking Democrat to announce his opposition to Ashcroft, and was joined yesterday by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY). […]
Britain’s House of Lords yesterday rejected a bill to ban the sale of emergency contraception over-the-counter, supporting Britain’s new strategy to reduce Europe’s staggering teen pregnancy rate. Emergency contraception (EC), also known as the morning-after pill, blocks implantation of a fertilized egg, and is taken within 72 hours of intercourse to prevented unwanted pregnancy. Anti-abortion […]
Regina Cavagnoud of France captured her first major title yesterday when she won the women’s Super-G at the World Alpine Ski Championships. Cavagnoud completed the course in one minute, 23.44 seconds, just .05 seconds ahead of second-place skier Isolde Kostner of Italy. With three first-place wins in the last three World Cup Super-G races, Cavagnoud […]
At his Senate confirmation hearing January 19, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson said he would order a new review of the abortion pill mifepristone (also known as RU-486). Last September, the Food and Drug Administration had approved the drug for use in the termination of early pregnancy. “RU-486 is contentious and […]
The New York State Assembly is expected to pass a women’s health bill later today, but the Republican-led State Senate and Governor George Pataki will back the Senate’s version of the bill, passed last week, which includes a “conscience clause” that would strip the bill of an important measure. The Women’s Health and Wellness Act, […]
The Oklahoma Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling last week declaring that the state’s Children’s Code does not apply to a fetus, overruling a lower court judge’s decision to give a fetus the status of a child to protect it from a pregnant woman’s drug habit. The Supreme Court stated that a fetus is not […]
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has come out against President Bush’s initiative to direct more federal funds to “faith-based” social service programs that would rally “armies of compassion,” and his plan to establish a White House Office of Faith-Based Action that will remove roadblocks religiously affiliated groups face when receiving federal money. […]
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), in a speech yesterday, voiced her strong opposition to the elimination of US funds for international family planning organizations and to the possible political review of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion pill RU 486. Citing the Food and Drug Administration’s September 2000 approval of the drug, […]
On Thursday, James C. Hormel, Ambassador to Luxembourg and an openly gay man, said there is “no truth” to Attorney General designate John Ashcroft’s statement that “he had any objective basis or personal knowledge upon which to vote against my nomination.” During his Senate Confirmation hearing testimony, Ashcroft said that he based his decision not […]
The strong anti-abortion position of the Bush Administration has researchers worried that President Bush may block federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. This recently discovered class of research has showed promise for curing diabetes, AIDS and various types of degenerative brain disorders including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, Lou Gherig’s disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease. Anti-abortion forces such […]
After a campaign where he barely mentioned the word abortion, President George W. Bush has immediately come out against women’s reproductive health rights with both fists swinging. During his first week in office, (and on the 28th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision), Bush reinstated the global “gag rule” which prohibits U.S. funds from […]
Amnesty International reports that Taliban officials issued an order to its forces to kill all men between the ages of 13 and 70 living in the Yakawlang area. “These deeply disturbing reports once again underline the need for action by the international community to ensure protection of the civilian population in Afghanistan,” says Amnesty International. […]
During a 1985 interview for a top position in the Missouri State Cabinet, Sen. John Ashcroft, then Missouri Governor, allegedly asked interviewee Paul Offner, a health care policy expert who was applying to head Missouri’s Department of Social Services, about his sexuality, implying he would not get the job if he were gay. While such […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Women’s and Civil Rights groups held a news conference today condemning Sen. John Ashcroft’s (R-MO) long record against the rights of women, minorities and lesbian and gay men. At the conference, Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority said that the John Ashcroft presented to the Senate Judiciary Committee and the John […]
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) reintroduced the Equity in Prescription Contraceptive Coverage Actan effort he launched in 1997 that would require HMOs, employee health benefit plans and other insurers to cover all FDA approved contraceptive drugs and devices. In a press release, Sen. Reid said, “Despite the progress we have made as a nation in expanding […]
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY) yesterday announced their plan to introduce legislation reversing Bush’s policy, and have already garnered the support of several pro-family planning Republican legislators. Tens of thousands of women in developing nations will die each year as a result of George W. Bush’s first executive order reinstating the […]
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) used his power as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee to postpone the vote on John Ashcroft’s nomination as Attorney General for at least a week. The delay will allow Ashcroft to answer the over 300 questions submitted by Democratic Senators on the Judiciary Committee. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) […]
