Today is International Women’s Day, an opportunity to celebrate the progress that’s been achieved and push towards even greater equality for women around the world. Unfortunately, the current leader of the free world—President Trump—is bad news for women everywhere. This is clear through his refusal to nominate many women for judicial roles, his efforts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and his continual degradation of women through both comments and policies. It’s bad enough that there are even Trump “sexism trackers.”
But perhaps the most dangerous attack Trump has launched against women is restrictions on reproductive rights. He’s dismantled the birth control benefit in the ACA, and his immigration officials have tried to stop detained women from getting abortions. The Center for American Progress also has a new column out on the Global Gage Rule, which Trump has reinstated and expanded, and which impacts “almost $9 billion in funding for vital programs that serve the world’s most vulnerable populations.”
But women aren’t going quietly into the night. They’re fighting back and leading the resistance. A record number of women are running for office—and they’re already winning. Check out this new interactive from Politico about the women running for elected office.
ACTION OF THE DAY
Stop Selling Assault Weapons. Yesterday, the Florida legislature passed a gun reform bill that is a good first step, but still falls short of what is needed to prevent gun violence. And with Congress still stalling on action, it seems that the corporate world is leading the reforms by cutting ties with the NRA and making gun sales safer. But one company is still selling assault weapons, like the AR-15: Bass Pro Shops. Sign our petition today to demand they stop!
WHAT’S TRENDING
Gun Violence Prevention. Yesterday, Senate Democrats hosted a hearing with gun violence survivors, family members of victims, and law enforcement. The hearing, which lasted nearly two hours, was incredibly emotional at times. At one point, Lori Haas, whose daughter survived the Virginia Tech shooting, asked lawmakers, “Can you imagine students returning to the scene of their attempted murder over and over again?” But the hearing also include concrete policy ideas to prevent future gun violence, including universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, and closing the “boyfriend loophole.” On International Women’s Day, take a moment to read the Center for American Progress’s report, Women Under the Gun. Then, call your elected officials and demand action to stop all forms of gun violence in this country.
Violent Official at DHS. A new report from the Washington Post has uncovered that a senior official, Lawrence Curran, at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who handles a “high volume” of classified information was “arrested and charged with felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault in Arlington, Va., after a July 2016 episode that left his wife with two broken ribs and substantial bruising around her neck and chest.” Curran only served 45 days in jail, and he retained his job. The case brings back questions surrounding security clearances for federal government officials, following the Porter incident at the White House.
UNDER THE RADAR
LGBTQ Discrimination. In the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there is a crucial section that prohibits discrimination for LGBTQ individuals. But the rule interpreting that section is under attack and the Trump administration may try to eliminate these protections altogether. LGBTQ individuals across the country are vulnerable to discrimination, and CAP’s analysis of the Administration’s own data show that discrimination includes denials of care and misgendering of transgender people simply because of their gender identity. Find out more at 3pm ET, when we’ll be hosting a live Periscope on our Twitter account!