It’s time for Congress to pass legislation that will restore accountability and fairness to our voting system. The Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 2867/S. 1659) will defend fundamental voting rights by restoring transparency, protect the rights of vulnerable communities and regulate voting law changes in areas with multiple reports of voting rights violations.
In the next few days, the Senate will continue consideration of the annual FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) will be offering her bill – the Military Justice Improvement Act (MJIA) – as amendment #4310 with 33 bipartisan cosponsors. According to the Pentagon, 62% of female sexual assault victims who reported their assaults experienced retaliation – a rate unchanged over the last two years.
Mothers’ Equal Pay Day this year is observed on May 16 – that’s the amount of time working into a second year for mothers’ pay to reach parity with fathers’ pay. Women with child rearing responsibilities are paid less compared to all women (79 cents); on average, they receive only 73 cents compared to the dads’ one dollar.
Even though documentary film maker and Academy Award winner Michael Moore said after he finished his last film, Capitalism, A Love Story (2009), that he was through with making movies – he apparently didn’t mean it. And it is a good thing for us. Where to Invade Next, is the tongue-in-cheek title of this funny and ironic documentary which makes the case for empowering women and bringing back to the U.S. our original ideas which have helped Europeans flourish. The film opens nationwide on February 12.
NOTE: Again, a crazed, lone gunman is responsible for a mass shooting. The tragedy occurred on Oct. 1 at Umpquah Community College in Roseburg, Ore. when a student, Chris Harper-Mercer, opened fire, shooting and killing nine people and injuring nine others. Harper-Mercer, who is reported to have suffered from mental health issues, owned 14 guns. This tragedy was the 294th mass shooting – where four or more people are killed or injured by gunfire – thus far in 2015. A significant proportion of those shot or injured in mass shootings are victims of a domestic violence/family violence incident. The toll for women murdered by men usually with a gun in 2013 was more than 1,600, according to new study by the Violence Policy Center.
Donate $35+ to receive the 60th Anniversary cap as a thank-you.