Issue Position: Women's Rights

Issue Position

Supporting women should be a national priority. Our nation will never be able to achieve what it is truly capable of until women have full equality. It's time for all of us to follow in the footsteps of those women who sacrificed so much for our country and do whatever is in our power to make sure that our daughters have every opportunity they deserve.

Our nation needs to work towards implementing family-friendly policies not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because it is crucial for our economy. That is why I support expanding access to child care and maternity leave for all Americans. Last Congress, I introduced the Military Opportunities for Mothers Act, which passed the House in May of 2014 as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation extends maternity leave for women serving in the military from 6 weeks to 12 weeks and aligns access to maternity leave for female Service Members with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guidelines available to federal employees.

As a member of the Armed Services Committee and a Veteran, I applaud the Pentagon's decision to allow women to compete for combat positions. If someone can meet the requirements of the job, then they should be given the opportunity to serve regardless of their gender, race or socio-economic background. I know the inclusion of women in combat roles will make our military stronger and America safer.

Fifty years ago women made only 59 cents for every dollar a man made in the workforce. Today, women make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. While this is an improvement, our work will not be done until equal work earns equal pay. That is why I promote and cosponsor legislation such as the Paycheck Fairness Act, which allows women to fight pay discrimination. I also hosted a panel discussion with women from all sectors of employment to raise awareness on the wage gap.

I was proud to support reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. The improved Violence Against Women Act has provisions that protect groups such as Native Americans, Immigrants and LGBT Americans that often have great difficulty finding protection from domestic violence.

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