Issue Position: Women's Rights

Issue Position

Reproductive Rights
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled on the reproductive rights of women in Roe v. Wade. A woman has the sovereign right to govern her own body and make choices regarding her personal reproductive health. A woman's right to make health decisions is not a policy matter. I will work for funding for and access to comprehensive women's health services. I will be loyal to Roe and oppose any legislation designed to deny women their bodily autonomy.
I will oppose efforts to restrict or deny access to FDA-approved birth control methods. Access to birth control allows women to plan their families and to develop economic independence. Access to birth control correlates with outcomes including higher education attainment, reduced poverty, reduced divorce rates, and fewer abortions.
I do not support the ruling in the Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case. Employers should not be able to arbitrarily determine what medical options are available to their employees. Women have the right to make the decision about what birth control option is best for their individual health needs. Many women rely on birth control medications for sustaining their health in treating conditions that they face.
I support and advocate age-appropriate, accurate health and sex education in our schools.
Pay Equity
I support federal legislation to end sex- and race-based wage discrimination and I will work to ensure that more effective remedies are available for victims of pay inequity. This economic justice issue. In 2013, on average, women earned 77 cents to every dollar men earned for the same work. African American women earned just 64 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. These disparities hurt American families and we have an obligation to fix it.
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
I am proud to have received the ERA Three-State Strategy Team's endorsement from the Progressive Democrats of America. In 1972, the Equal Rights Amendment passed Congress, and by 1977, 35 of the necessary 38 states had ratified the amendment. Since that time ERA has languished at the state level. I support Senate Joint Resolution 15 and House Joint Resolution 113 to remove the ratification deadline from the ERA.
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
I will work for the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Women who become pregnant should not be forced out of employment, either explicitly or through an employer's refusal to make reasonable accommodations to pregnancy-related limitations. The economic consequences of being forced out of work impact far too many families. We must work to promote the health and economic security of pregnant women and their families.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
I will support efforts to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to cover workers in companies that have fewer than 50 employees. We need to treat workers with more compassion and respect and expanding FMLA will do just that. Far too many workers in America are not currently covered under FMLA.

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