The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill last week that reforms the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, which provides the current guidelines for how sexual harassment, discrimination and other related claims are handled on Capitol Hill. The new reform bill awaits a vote in the Senate.
Afghan Women Coders Make Anti-Drug Trafficking Video Game
A group of Afghan women who broke gender barriers by becoming the first female coders in the country have designed a game called “Fight against Opium,” underscoring Afghanistan’s struggle to combat opium trafficking.
Budget Bill Passes Without Protections for Dreamers
Early Friday morning, a contentious Congress passed a two-year budget bill that did not include protections for Dreamers, ending the litany of short-term spending bills that have threatened government shutdowns every few weeks since September, but that Democrats have also been using as leverage in the immigration debate.
Labor Department Audited after Reports it Misled Public on Proposed “Tip Stealing” Rule
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Labor (DOL) announced Monday that it will audit the Department’s rulemaking process for its proposed tip rule after a report from Bloomberg BNA that the Department intentionally hid its own economic analysis showing that the proposed rule would cost tipped workers billions of dollars in income.
Supreme Court Upholds Ruling Against Pennsylvania Congressional Map
On Monday, the Supreme Court refused to block the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s ruling invalidating the state’s heavily gerrymandered congressional map and requiring that Pennsylvania’s districts be redrawn before the 2018 election.
Congress Passes Bill to Protect Young Athletes from Sexual Abuse
Last week, the House and Senate passed the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act that makes it mandatory for sports organizations to report the sexual abuse of athletes to law enforcement or social services within 24 hours. The bill is now waiting to be signed into law by the President.
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Department of Labor Hid Data Revealing that Proposed Tip Rule Would Cost Workers Billions
The Department of Labor (DOL) intentionally hid internal analysis revealing that its proposal to allow tip pooling in restaurants and other businesses could cost minimum wage workers billions of dollars.
DeVos Sued for Discriminating Against Student Survivors of Sexual Assault
The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) together with co-counsel Democracy Forward, National Center for Youth Law, and Equal Rights Advocates, filed suit in the Northern District of California to challenge Education Secretary DeVos’ discriminatory 2017 Title IX policy on sexual misconduct in schools.
Congressional Leaders Request Review of Climate Surveys on Campus Sexual Violence
United States Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Susan Davis (D-CA) requested Monday that the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a comprehensive review of past and existing campus climate surveys used to collect data on the incidence of sexual violence on college campuses in order to provide recommendations to Congress for developing a standard, nationwide survey.
Senate to Vote on 20-Week Abortion Ban
On Monday night, the Senate is expected to vote to move forward with a 20-week abortion ban, misleadingly titled the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would ban and criminalize abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy in all 50 states.
Janet Benshoof, Reproductive Justice Leader, Dies at 70
A memorial service was held on Sunday for Janet Benshoof, a renowned human rights lawyer who spent much of her career defending the right to access abortion and contraceptives in the United States and around the world.
2018 Women’s March–Reflecting on Challenges and Victories
This past weekend, thousands of feminist activists once again took the streets of cities and towns across the country for the Women’s Marches to protest a number of the policies and positions of the Trump administration and Republican controlled Congress including the dismantling of Title IX, the rollback of birth control coverage, the failure to protect Dreamers, and more.
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Fairfax County Pushes Virginia to Ratify ERA
On Tuesday, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for a resolution in support of the Virginia legislature ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
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Government Shutdown Ends, Immigration Unrest Continues
“Promises aren’t going to protect our community, promises aren’t going to grant us a permanent solution” says Antonio Jaregui, a 20-year-old college student and Dreamer who was disappointed by the results of the government shutdown.
Judges Rule Two Congressional District Maps Unconstitutional
On Monday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the state’s Republican drawn congressional districts were unconstitutional and ordered they be redrawn in the next several weeks.
Trump Administration to Protect Health Workers Denying Treatment on Moral Grounds
On Thursday, the Trump administration announced the creation of a new division at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that seeks to defend healthcare workers who choose to discriminate against patients who have had or who require certain medical procedures, such as abortions, due to moral or religious objections.
Commemorating the 45th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
Today marks the 45th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling in which the Supreme Court stated that access to abortion is protected under the right to privacy, legalizing abortion across the United States. The right to privacy is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
2018 Women’s March Locations
ALABAMA — ALASKA — ARIZONA — ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — COLORADO — CONNECTICUT — DELAWARE — DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — HAWAII — IDAHO — ILLINOIS — INDIANA — IOWA — KANSAS — KENTUCKY — LOUISIANA — MAINE — MARYLAND — MASSACHUSETTS — MICHIGAN — MINNESOTA — MISSISSIPPI — MONTANA — MISSOURI […]
Afghan Girls Robotics Team Back in the US
On January 5, the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, who became famous after they were denied a visa to enter the U.S. for an international robotics competition in summer 2017, came back to the United States to attend, speak and exhibit their newest robot at the 4th annual Raw Science Film Festival.
Talks of Reparations for South Korean “Comfort Women” End
South Korea announced that it will not be pursuing renegotiations with the Japanese government over reparations for South Koreans victimized by the Imperial Japanese Army sex slave trade during World War II.