Politics
Congress Advances "Girls Count"; Senate Committee Examines Rape Kit Backlog; Examining Fraud in Nutrition Programs; Women Veterans' Bills
"Girls Count" Legislation: The bill finds lack of birth registration for girls can exacerbate women's and girls' vulnerability to trafficking, child marriage, lack of access to health and education services, reduced unemployment. House Appropriations urges DoJ to combat cyber-stalking and is concerned with ongoing sexual assault kit backlogs. House Veterans Affairs approved the Ruth Moore Act, and a bill to provide counseling services for women veterans. "GAO found that USDA had not specifically directed states to tell participants that selling WIC formula was a participant violation." more »
Congressional Bills Introduced: Sex Differences in Drug Research, Women Vets Medical Care, Sex Offense Victims
House and Senate Bills Introduced; V: H.R. 2101—Rep. Jim Cooper (D-CA)/Energy and Commerce (4/29/15)—A bill to provide for expedited review of drugs and biological products to provide safer or more effective treatment for males or females, to enhance the consideration of sex differences in basic and clinical research. A bill to clarify the ability to request consumer reports in certain cases to establish and enforce child support payments and awards. more »
Book Review — Belva Lockwood: The Woman Who Would Be President
Jo Freeman Reviews: Although best known for running for President in 1884 and 1888, Lockwood was one of the pioneers who broke the barriers to women practicing law. She was the second woman admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia and the first admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court. Active for suffrage, peace, temperance and other causes, she was constantly pushing the boundaries of the possible. more »
Attempts to Curtail Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Look At the 2015 Record In States
"By the end of the first quarter of the 2015, legislators had introduced 791 provisions related to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Nearly 42% of these provisions (332 provisions) seek to restrict access to abortion services; abortion restrictions have been introduced in 43 states. By April 1, 53 abortion restrictions had been approved by a legislative chamber, and nine had been enacted. Many of the new abortion restrictions enacted this year would either limit the use of medication abortion (Arkansas and Idaho) or ban abortion at 20 weeks postfertilization (West Virginia), a disturbing combination of attempts to curtail access in both the early and later months of pregnancy, potentially leaving women with fewer options and a greatly reduced time frame to get the care they need." more »