March 20, 2021
Dear Friends,
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we can take inspiration from many extraordinary women in our history including countless trailblazers and visionaries who continue to shape our nation and world for the better. As we draw on the example of these pioneers, news events including the brutal murders that appeared to target Asian-American women in Atlanta this week are a terrible reminder of the long road ahead for America to achieve true equality for women, both under our laws and across our economy and society.
This week, the House took action to advance our nation on that path of justice and equal treatment. On Wednesday, I stood with my colleagues to pass a bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization. This legislation builds on the 1994 Violence Against Women Act that has stood as a pillar upholding our essential mission to protect our fellow Americans against the scourge of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Passing this legislation is not just symbolic. Since the passage of VAWA more than a quarter century ago, the rate of domestic violence in America has fallen by half. Sadly, more protections are needed as one in three women still experience domestic violence. Reauthorizing this landmark bill is needed more than ever as the COVID crisis has forced many women to quarantine in unsafe domestic situations.
Our new long-term reauthorization improves on existing law by:
- Making vital new investments in violence prevention;
- Strengthening essential protections for the most vulnerable Americans, including immigrant, LGBTQ and Native American women and with specific support for communities of color;
- Scaling up services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking;
- Making improvements in the criminal justice response to gender-based violence and improving the health care system’s response to domestic violence;
- Helping stop abusers and stalkers from obtaining firearms; and
- Expanding protections for victims’ and survivors’ financial security, including housing protections and anti-discrimination protections in the workplace.
The House also passed—in bipartisan fashion—a resolution extending the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) this week. First drafted by renowned suffragist Alice Paul and introduced to Congress more than a century ago, this passage of this resolution will remove the arbitrary deadline opponents use to try to block ratification, and it makes clear that this provision has satisfied all prerequisites to be ratified as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Among other protections, the ERA:
- Creates additional avenues of legal recourse for all people who face discrimination under the laws on the basis of sex, and ensures that the Supreme Court applies the same standard of review for sex discrimination cases as it applies to cases of discrimination based on race and national origin.
- Gives Congress more power to enact laws that ensure better legal protection against sexual assault, domestic violence, and paycheck fairness.
- Confirms the rightful place of sex equality in all aspects of American life.
Passing the Equal Rights Amendment and the Violence Against Women Act are fundamental steps toward achieving true equality in America. But even with their passage in the House of Representatives, we know the fight for women’s rights in our nation is far from over.
I was proud to stand alongside my colleagues to advance these long overdue bills and I will continue fighting to make sure women everywhere have equal rights and protections under our rule of law.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations on any and all COVID-19 related topics. With that in mind here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- On Tuesday, March 23rd, at 6:00PM, my office will be hosting a virtual tax season forum as an opportunity for tax payers to receive important information for this year’s tax filing season, learn about significant tax credits and deductions, like the Recovery Rebate Credit and the Child Tax Credit, and hear about valuable tax filing tools and resources that are available to taxpayers amidst the ongoing pandemic.
- The event will include updates and presentations from representatives from the IRS, IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service and the Greater Capital Region CA$H Coalition. Following these presentations, we will open up the event to pre-submitted questions from constituents.
- Participants will be able to join by web or by phone.
- Check my social media accounts in the coming days for more information!
