Politics
From Selma to Shelby County: Working Together to Restore the Protections of the Voting Rights Act
Wendy Weiser testifies: Unless Congress acts, future discriminatory voting changes will also move forward without review. In the run-up to the 2012 elections, state legislatures passed scores of new laws that would have made it harder for eligible Americans to vote. While most of the restrictive new voting laws were blocked, mitigated, or repealed before the elections, efforts to cut back on voting access continue. In the most recent legislative session (as of April 29, 2013), 28 restrictive voting bills were introduced in states that were covered wholly or in part by Section 5, and two of those bills already passed. more »
States Make 'Historic and Disturbing Cuts' to Unemployment Benefits
For now, emergency federal benefits have mitigated the state cuts. During the depths of the recession, Congress approved federally funded aid for unemployed people who exhausted their state benefits. But as a state’s jobless rate goes down, the federal government gives its unemployed residents fewer weeks of benefits. In states with the lowest rates, the federal government provides just 14 weeks of additional coverage. more »
Five Ways Congress is Trying to Curb Rape in the Military
Under the military's criminal procedures, commanders have clemency powers, which means they can dismiss military court convictions "for any reason or no reason." The policy came under fire when Air Force Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin overturned a jury's ruling that Lt. Col. James Wilkerson, was guilty of aggravated sexual assault ... Under [Secy of Defense Chuck] Hagel's proposal, commanders could still reduce someone's sentence but would have to submit a reason in writing. [Democratic] Sens. Claire McCaskill and Barbara Boxer have called for similar changes. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., introduced a House bill that goes further, removing a commander's authority to overturn or reduce a judge's sentence. more »
Bills Introduced: Abortion, Child Abduction & Protection, Workplace Discrimination, Breast Cancer Patients, Sexual Assault in the Military
For instance, a bill to eliminate discrimination and promote women's health and economic security by ensuring reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. A bill to raise awareness of, and to educate breast cancer patients anticipating surgery, especially patients who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups, regarding the availability and coverage of breast reconstruction, prostheses, and other options. A bill to provide for the assignment of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners-Adult/Adolescent to brigades and equivalent units of the armed forces. more »