Protecting America's Women

Protecting America’s Women
The Republican Congress has been marked by many attacks on rights critical to the health and security of American women. Since they gained the majority, House Republicans have voted to:

• End the Medicare guarantee and increase costs on seniors. Women would be disproportionally affected by their plan as women make up more than half of Medicare beneficiaries.
• Eliminate Title X - a program that provides life-saving health services, including HIV testing, cancer screening, blood-pressure testing, and contraceptive services for more than 5 million women.
• Weaken the Violence Against Women Act, which has strengthened communities and provided critical, life-saving support to victims of violence for nearly 20 years.

House Democrats have stood strong against the disgraceful and disrespectful assault on women’s health and have continued to promote strong policies to ensure that women’s rights are protected. We introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act and called for an end to pay discrimination in the workplace. The bill builds upon the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, passed by Democratic majorities in the House and Senate and signed into law by President Obama in 2009. We will continue to work to ensure equality and opportunity for all women, from securing good jobs, equal pay for equal work, to improving access to affordable quality health care and education.

Congresswoman Pelosi joins with seniors to oppose the Republican budget plan that would end Medicare as we know it.

Celebrating Women’s Equality Day
On Women’s Equality Day, we commemorate the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment and honor the suffragettes and pioneers who blazed the trail for all American women. These pioneers challenged the status quo so women today can pull the lever for progress, and they forced open the doors of equality and justice so all could walk through them.

Though there is much to celebrate in the fight for women's rights, our struggle is far from over. Women still earn 77 cents for every dollar men make, violating the fundamental value of equal pay for equal work. Women hold just 17 percent of the seats in the U.S. Senate and under 17 percent in the House of Representatives - a sign that our goal of equality in representation requires our continued focus and energy.

We must continue to speak out and act on behalf of women across the country and around the world, working until the dream of true equality and civil rights becomes a reality for all women.

Please feel free to forward this information to your family and friends. To learn more about these efforts, to express your views, or to sign up for email updates, please visit my website. I am also on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NancyPelosi.