Issue Position: Social Justice

Issue Position

Marginalized Communities
Despite four hundred years of history, it is still the case that in the United States, career outcomes, our justice system, and even basic human rights are not applied equally to all races, genders, orientations and communities. I have been proud of the small role I have played in the ongoing fight for equality alongside Civil Rights giants like my friend and colleague Congressman John Lewis, and others.

The urgency to guarantee the safety and equality of LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, and other marginalized communities doesn't stop at interactions with police, workplace protections, or being able to marry who you love. It extends to the way oppressed communities are more adversely affected by environmental disasters, worldwide pandemics, and how our leaders legislate tax laws.

I recently cosponsored and voted to pass H.R. 7120, the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, that would, among other things, restrict "qualified immunity" that prevents police officers from being sued for misconduct, end no-knock warrant use for drug cases and make lynching a federal hate crime.

One bill will not undo 400 years of systematic oppression, but I remain ready to learn from the experiences of those that have long been oppressed, and to act accordingly.

Women's Rights
The fight for gender equality in our nation is a struggle still waged today. As New Yorkers, home to Seneca Falls and the first women's rights convention, I view the advancement of gender equality as a sacred duty. This struggle affects all of us socially and economically.

I have long fought for equal pay by cosponsoring legislation like the Lily Ledbetter Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act, and more. There is no silver bullet to close the gender pay gap, but these bills have gotten us closer to equality in the workplace.

Almost 50 years after Roe v. Wade, it is confounding that anti-choice activists continue to argue that a woman cannot make the right choices when it comes to her own health care. I have received the endorsement of Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice groups for my championing of reproductive rights, and I will continue to fight to keep the government out of medical decisions that should be between a woman, her doctor and her family.

Knowing that domestic violence remains an issue in 2020, we must all work to ensure Americans don't live in pain or fear. I was a proud supporter of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization and I have worked to include provisions in any gun violence prevention bills that domestic abusers do not have access to deadly firearms. Our local organizations must also receive the resources they need to support victims of domestic violence during abnormal situations like the current pandemic.

We cannot get serious about creating jobs while hamstringing half of our workforce. That means filling the void of laws that mandate paid sick and parental leave, ensuring reasonable accommodations for pregnant women, guaranteeing adequate maternal and infant health care, and making child care more affordable.

Women's rights are human rights and our nation still has a long way to go to ensure equitable policies across gender lines.

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