Statement by National Organization for Women President Toni Van Pelt: Washington, D.C. — Today the U.S. House of Representatives took a stand for LGBTQIA rights by voting to provide consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections across many areas, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally-funded programs and jury service. The National Organization for
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate took another step today to aid and abet Donald Trump’s radical anti-abortion agenda by voting to confirm Wendy Vitter to a lifetime position on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Trump doesn’t believe in the separation of powers
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: Washington, D.C. — The dangerous bill moving through Alabama’s legislature to ban abortion is a direct violation of Roe vs. Wade. This unconstitutional measure would send women in the state back to the dark days of policymakers having control over their bodies, health, and lives. NOW firmly believes that women have
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON — A new bill out of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations would restore vital funding and protections for reproductive health and rights across the world and would finally repeal the devastating global gag rule, which President Trump has repeatedly expanded. The FY20 State, Foreign Operations bill advanced
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON, D.C. – Donald Trump announced an expanded “conscience rule,” otherwise known as a religious refusal, that will further erode the government’s role in protecting women’s health, replacing the delivery of health care with partisan, extremist politics. The rule allows virtually any individual or entity involved in a
WASHINGTON, D.C. — It’s been reported that the U.S. is threatening to veto a United Nations (UN) resolution combatting the use of rape as a weapon of war because it calls for rape victims to have access to family planning and women’s health clinics. This is only the most recent—and sickest—example of the Trump Administration’s
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON, D.C.— Stephen Moore, Donald Trump’s announced choice for the Federal Reserve Board, called it a “travesty” that women “feel free” to play sports with men. In a series of columns published in National Review from 2001-2003, Moore wrote that women should not be permitted to referee or
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives took vital action today to help victims of sexual assault, domestic and dating violence and stalking by voting to reauthorize the 2019 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA / H.R. 1585). NOW leaders in the states are working with their Senators to
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON — Today, April 2, is Equal Pay Day—marking the number of extra days into 2019 the average woman has to work to earn as much as men did in 2018. Last year, Equal Pay Day was calculated to occur on April 10—meaning that in 2019, women have
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON — At this very moment, the U.S. House of Representatives has the opportunity to advance legislation — more than 20 years in the making — that will finally begin to close the pay gap between women and men. The National Organization for Women (NOW) strongly supports the
