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3/14/2013 - Senate Democrats Announce Budget Proposal
In response to a budget proposed by House Republicans, Senate Democrats announced their own budget proposal for 2014.
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, released a proposal that combines spending cuts with increased tax revenue, an aspect missing from Representative Paul Ryan's proposal. The Murray budget seeks to close tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans without raising tax rates for the middle and lower class. In addition, the Murray budget would protect Medicaid and Medicare while expanding coverage in accordance with the Affordable Care Act.
In a statement released by the Senate budget Committee, members said "The Senate Budget is grounded in the understanding that our country's long-term fiscal and economic goals will only be met with policies that support a strong and growing middle class. And it keeps the promises we have made to our seniors, our families, and our communities. The American people are sick and tired of watching their government lurch from crisis to crisis. The Senate Budget offers a serious and credible path away from this gridlock and dysfunction and toward a long-term plan to create jobs, lay down a strong foundation for broad-based economic growth, replace sequestration, and tackle our deficit and debt responsibly and credibly."
The Ryan budget would repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which prohibits insurance companies from classifying being a woman as a pre-existing medical condition and eliminated co-pays for birth control. The Ryan budget would also turn Medicare into a voucher system that would leave seniors, particularly women, struggling to get coverage. In addition, the proposed budget would restructure the way Social Security Living Adjustments are determined, threatening the stability of seniors nationwide. Paul Ryan also seeks to undo sequester cuts to the Pentagon by instead transferring the cuts to already severely impacted domestic programs.
President Obama is set to release his own budget proposal next month.
3/14/2013 - Steubenville Trial Begins
Yesterday, both sides made opening statements in the case of two high school football players accused of raping a 16 year old classmate in Steubenville, Ohio. The judge will continue to hear arguments and witness testimonies today in a non-jury trial. Prosecutor Marianne Hemmeter has argued that the victim was too intoxicated to consent, while the defense argues she was still in control of her actions.
The two football players are accused of raping a 16 year old classmate in August after she became intoxicated at a house party. Witnesses tweeted and posted video of the attack on social media sites, and the case went viral. If convicted, the two football players could face being held in juvenile detention until they turn 21 and would be required to register as sex offenders upon their release.
3/13/2013 - Ryan Budget Attacks Affordable Care Act, Medicare, And Domestic Programs
Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI), Chair of the House Budget Committee, released a 2013 budget yesterday that attacks multiple advances made since President Obama first took office in 2009.
The Ryan budget would repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which prohibits insurance companies from classifying being a woman as a pre-existing medical condition and eliminated co-pays for birth control. The Ryan budget would also turn Medicare into a voucher system that would leave seniors, particularly women, struggling to get coverage. In addition, the proposed budget would restructure the way Social Security Living Adjustments are determined, threatening the stability of seniors nationwide. Paul Ryan also seeks to undo sequester cuts to the Pentagon by instead transferring the cuts to already severely impacted domestic programs.
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi issued a statement in response to the Ryan budget. She said, "this proposal is an exercise in contradictions. Republicans repeal the Affordable Care Act while counting on the law's savings to balance their budget. They claim to protect Medicare while devising a plan to end it for future generations. They promise opportunity for all Americans while hurting working families and protecting special interests. Put simply, the Republican budget pledges to balance our books without taking a balanced approach to deficit reduction."
The White House also released a statement in opposition to the Ryan budget. The statement said, "while the House Republican budget aims to reduce the deficit, the math just doesn't add up. Deficit reduction that asks nothing from the wealthiest Americans has serious consequences for the middle class. By choosing to give the wealthiest Americans a new tax cut, this budget as written will either fail to achieve any meaningful deficit reduction, raise taxes on middle class families by more than $2,000 - or both. By choosing not to ask for a single dime of deficit reduction from closing tax loopholes for the wealthy and well-connected, this budget identifies deep cuts to investments like education and research - investments critical to creating jobs and growing the middle class. And to save money, this budget would turn Medicare into a voucher program - undercutting the guaranteed benefits that seniors have earned and forcing them to pay thousands more out of their own pockets. We've tried this top-down approach before. The President still believes it is the wrong course for America."
3/13/2013 - Senate Hearing on Sexual Assault in the Military Begins Today
Today Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, convened a hearing to investigate sexual assault in the military. The hearing includes testimony from individuals who have been victims of rape and sexual assault while serving, and is the first Senate hearing to examine sexual assault in the military in almost a decade.
This hearing comes on the heels of yet another tragic example of the military's failure to protect victims and hold perpetrators of sexual assault accountable. Earlier this month, a Lieutenant General at Aviano Air Base, Craig Franklin, overturned the aggravated sexual assault conviction of Lieutenant Colonel James Wilkerson, who had been sentenced to a year in military prison and a dismissal from the Air Force by a jury of his peers.
The overriding theme of both the Senate hearing and a press conference held yesterday by Congresswoman Jackie Speier has been the issue of command interference in sexual assault investigations and prosecutions. Currently, the military justice system allows commanders unilateral discretion over all cases--including the ability to shut an investigation down at any stage in the process without explanation. Congresswoman Speier announced that she will introduce a new bill, the "Military Judicial Reform Act," that would strip military commanders of the unilateral power to overturn convictions or lessen sentences handed down by judges and juries at courts martial.
3/12/2013 - VA Public Hearing on TRAP Laws
Over 50 individuals gathered yesterday in Alexandria, Virginia to speak on strict TRAP regulation signed by Governor McDonnell.
In a meeting room that was filled to standing room only, pro-choice activists argued to reject harsh regulations that could force abortion providers in Virginia to meet the building codes of new hospitals or face closure.
Among Virginia residents, state Senator Barbara Favola addressed the room "The costs associated with meeting the building requirements of the proposed TRAP regulations will be so prohibitive --clinics will be forced to close. Women in many parts of the State will be denied access to basic primary and preventive care. Women will also be denied access to safe and affordable abortions, forcing many to seek back alley procedures that could physically harm them for a lifetime. If we care about improved health outcomes for women and children and if we care about lowering abortion rates, then women need access to the entire range of reproductive health services offered by these centers."
3/12/2013 - AZ Ban on Mexican American Studies Ruled Constitutional
On Friday a federal judge ruled that a 2010 law banning Mexican American studies in Tuscon, Arizona, is constitutional.
Federal Judge Wallace Tashima of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appealsdetermined that the plaintiffs failed to prove that the law was too broad or violated student first amendment rights. Only one part of the law was struck down - a clause that prohibited courses "designed primarily for peoples of a particular ethnic group."
Judge Tashima warned that the law did border on discrimination by saying, "This single-minded focus on terminating the MAS (Mexican-American Studies) program, along with Horne's decision not to issue findings against other ethnic studies programs, is at least suggestive of discriminatory intent." But he continued, "Although some aspects of the record may be viewed to spark suspicion that the Latino population has been improperly targeted, on the whole, the evidence indicates that Defendants targeted the MAS program, not Latino students, teachers or community members who participated in the program."
Richard Martinez, the plaintiff's lawyer, has already announced that he plans to appeal the decision. Martinez told the Huffington Post "This case is not over. It's not only important to Arizona, but to the country as a whole that this statute be addressed."
Passed in May 2010, the law bans classes that "promote the overthrow of the United States government," "promote resentment toward a race or class of people," "are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group," or "advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals."
3/11/2013 - Suspect in New Delhi Rape and Murder Case Dies in Jail
One of the six suspects in the brutal gang rape and murder of a 23 year-old New Delhi student was found dead early this morning. The suspect, Ram Singh, who was accused of driving the bus in which the attacks occurred, was discovered dead in his cell at Tihar Jail around 5:30AM.
The jail claims that Singh committed suicide. Sunil Gupta, the spokesman for Tihar Jail, said , "He hanged himself [from] the ceiling with his own clothes." Singh's family, however, insist that the suspect showed no signs of suicidal behavior and are alleging that there must have been foul play.
On December 16th, the physiotherapy student was tortured and raped by a group of six men who were armed with a metal bar on a private bus in New Delhi. The woman was raped for nearly an hour before a metal rod was pushed inside her, critically damaging her internal organs. The victim was flown to Singapore for medical treatment where she died of her injuries in late December.
The incident has sparked protests across India, where a woman is estimated to be raped every twenty minutes, with Delhi being labeled the "rape capital" of the country, according to the Associated Press. Huge protests and demonstrations have voiced anger regarding the treatment of women in India and calling for tougher laws on violence against women.
3/11/2013 - SD Law Extending Waiting Periods for Abortion Signed
Last Friday, South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard (R) signed into law a measure that will extend the time women seeking an abortion must wait before having the procedure. The bill passed the state House in early February and passed the state Senate last week. The law excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from being included in the already-mandated 72 hour waiting period. This will greatly extend the time a woman would have to wait for her procedure and push her further into her pregnancy.
In 2011, South Dakota enacted a law that requires that women undergo a 72 hour waiting period and mandatory counseling from a crisis pregnancy center (CPC) before obtaining an abortion. Despite legal challenges and an injunction, the waiting period provision was not overturned. South Dakota currently has the longest waiting period in the country. The requirement that women seeking counseling from a crisis pregnancy center before having an abortion is still being contested in court.
3/11/2013 - New SD Law Allows Staff to Carry Guns in Schools
South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard signed a bill into law on Friday that will allow staff to carry guns in schools in an effort to provide extra security against school shootings. South Dakota is the first state to incorporate the National Rifle Association's proposed solution to school shootings into state law. The rationale behind the new law is that a teacher or hired guard with a weapon can put an end to a massacre before it begins. In all other states, bills allowing staff to carry guns in schools have stalled.
Under the new law, in school districts that allow it, staff members could come to school armed if they pass a training course. Teachers who are uncomfortable with carrying a gun would not be forced to carry or purchase a gun. Governor Deaguaard said he doubted many school districts would elect to have an armed staff, but that giving them the option was important.
"People will see it's reasonable, it's safer than they think, it's proactive and it's preventive." said the bill's sponsor, Representative Scott Craig (R). He also told the BBC the law is a boon to poor rural areas of the state, which typically lack the funds to hire a fully staffed police force. Representative Karla Drenner (D), who is opposed to the new law, told reporters that the bill was just an attempt to strengthen gun control laws after the Newtown, Connecticut, massacre, and was concerned how a gun might escalate conflicts between teachers and angry students.
Various school board officials also question that guns in the hands of civilians would decrease school violence. Wade Pogany, Executive Director of the Associated School Boards of South Dakota, said the decision was too rash. "If firearms are the best option that we have, I'll stand down. But let's not come into a heated, emotional debate about this and say this is the answer. This is premature," he said.
3/8/2013 - Idaho "Fetal Pain" Bill Struck Down By Federal Court
On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that an Idaho law banning abortion after 20 weeks is unconstitutional because it places an undue burden on a woman seeking to terminate a pregnancy before viability.
U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill wrote in his opinion, "the Idaho Legislature's enactment of the [fetal pain law] in light of this opinion is compelling evidence of the legislature's 'improper purpose' in enacting it." He also wrote, "the state's clear disregard of this controlling Supreme Court precedent and its apparent determination to define viability in a manner specifically and repeatedly condemned by the Supreme Court evinces an intent to place an insurmountable obstacle in the path of women seeking non-therapeutic abortions of a nonviable fetus at and after 20 weeks' gestation."
In delivering his decision the judge said, "the purpose of the [law's] categorical ban is to protect the fetus - not the mother. In essence, [the law] embodies a legislative judgment equating viability with 20 weeks' gestational age, which the Supreme Court expressly forbids."
The ban, based on the notion that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks gestation, was only one part of the anti-abortion law that was overturned. Judge Winmill also struck down two additional provisions. One required that an abortion be performed by a physician in a staffed clinic, which all but eliminated access to medical abortions, and the other required any second trimester abortion to be performed in a hospital and could have potentially criminalized a woman seeking a second trimester abortion.
In his decision, Judge Winmill wrote "Historically, abortion statutes sought to protect pregnant females from third parties providing dangerous abortions. As a result, most states' abortion laws traditionally criminalized the behavior of third parties to protect the health of pregnant women - they did not punish women for obtaining an abortion. By punishing women, Idaho's abortion statute is therefore unusual."
Judge Winmill's decision marks the first time a fetal pain bill has been overturned in federal court.
3/8/2013 - Today is International Women's Day
Today marks over a century of honoring women on International Women's Day. What grew out of protests over unsafe working conditions for female factory workers nationwide has now become an international day of recognition of women and girls around the world and the struggles they still face.
As the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and Girls continues into next week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon issued a statement urging governments to focus on violence against women this International Women's Day. He said "Look around at the women you are with. Think of those you cherish in your families and your communities, and understand that there is a statistical likelihood that many of them have suffered violence in their lifetime. ...One young woman was gang-raped to death. Another committed suicide out of a sense of shame that should have been attached to the perpetrators. Young teens were shot at close range for daring to seek an education. These atrocities, which rightly sparked global outrage, were part of a much larger problem that pervades virtually every society and every realm of life."
3/7/2013 - AR Legislature Passes Toughest Abortion Ban in the US
Yesterday, the Arkansas state legislature voted to override Governor Beebe's veto of the Human Heartbeat Protection Act, which bans abortion after a heartbeat can be detected with a standard ultrasound (usually 12 weeks). While the bill does include exemptions for rape, incest, severe fetal abnormality, and to save the life of the mother, the bill is the strictest abortion ban in the United States.
Governor Beebe vetoed the bill on Monday believing arguing that it was unconstitutional. In a statement, Governor Beebe said "In short, because it would impose a ban on a woman's right to choose an elective, nontherapeutic abortion well before viability, Senate Bill 134 blatantly contradicts the United States Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court. When I was sworn in as governor I took an oath to preserve, protect, and defend both the Arkansas Constitution and the Constitution of the United States. I take that oath seriously." The Arkansas state Senate voted 20-14 to override Beebe's veto on Tuesday, and the House agreed in a vote of 56-33.
Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said in a statement "We are deeply disappointed that the Arkansas Legislature voted to impose the most restrictive ban on safe and legal abortion in the country. The majority of Arkansans - and the majority of Americans - don't want politicians involved in a woman's personal medical decisions about her pregnancy. Gov. Beebe rightfully vetoed this legislation, and the Legislature would have been wise to let the veto stand as this bill is clearly unconstitutional. People in Arkansas and across America know that abortion is a deeply personal and often complex decision for a woman to make. This extreme legislation would insert politics into women's personal medical decisions."
Rita Sklar, director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas told reporters, "It sets Arkansas back several decades in the eyes of the nation and the world. It shows an utter disregard for women and their ability to make important personal decisions about their own reproductive health." ACLU is expected to challenge the ban in court, along with the Center for Reproductive Rights.
3/7/2013 - President Obama to Sign VAWA Today
President Obama will sign the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) into law today. The ceremony will take place at Interior Department.
After over 500 days without congressional reauthorization, the House approved an inclusive, bipartisan VAWA as passed by the Senate on February 28. The reauthorization includes expanded protections for students, LGBT individuals, immigrants, and Native Americans. Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority, said "The House passed by a wide margin (286-138) the strong, bipartisan Senate version of VAWA which was supported by the Feminist Majority and scores of women's rights, civil rights, labor, and domestic violence and sexual assault groups and organizations. ... Women's groups and their allies acted as one and created a massive grassroots lobbying campaign to pass a strong VAWA despite the Republican House leadership opposition. We cannot forget that 138 Republicans and no Democrats voted against final passage of the real VAWA. Nor can we forget those that voted to roll back full protections of VAWA for college students, immigrants, the LGBT community, and Native Americans as well as to weaken of the Office of Violence Against Women."
With VAWA just hours away from being signed into law, the Justice Department has released statistics that violence against women decreased by more than 60% from 1994, when VAWA was first enacted, to 2005. Figures remain unchanged since 2005. Smeal told reporters that this in large part is a result of VAWA and proves why it is necessary. Smeal said that now "everybody knows that rape and sexual assault are crimes and will be treated as such."
"We have a ways to go," she added. "It is clear there is still too much violence and too many are fearful to report it."
3/7/2013 - UN Affirms Commitment to Ending Violence Against Women
On Monday, the 57th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women began in New York. The two-week long convention discusses the current problems facing women and girls around the world and what the international community can do in response. The primary goal of the commission is to eliminate violence against women and girls.
Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson addressed the commission by saying "Ending violence against women is a matter of life and death. The problem pervades all countries, even in the most stable and developed regions. ... Violence against women pervades war zones as well as stable communities, capitals as well as the countryside, public space as well as the private sphere," Mr. Eliasson said. "Since it is an unacceptable feature of daily life, we have to respond everywhere and on every level."
In her opening statement, Michelle Bachelet, the UN Women Executive Director, addressed the commission: "Recent events and protests point to growing awareness and momentum. Over the past few months, women, men, and young people took to the streets with signs that ask 'Where is the justice?' with rallying cries that say 'Wake up!' ... It is an understatement to say that the priority theme of this 57th session, the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls, is timely."
On Tuesday, various heads of UN agencies met as part of the commission to discuss how agencies can cooperate to end gender-based violence. In the meeting, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon informed the leaders "Too many women and girls face intimidation and physical and sexual abuse often from those who should care for and respect them most - fathers, husbands, brothers, teachers, colleagues, and supervisors" and that internationally 70 percent of women report having experience physical and/or sexual violence.
3/6/2013 - Lieutenant General Overturns Service Member's Rape Conviction
On Monday, Lieutenant General Craig Franklin overturned the rape conviction of an air force service member who was found guilty by a jury. Franklin claims there was not sufficient evidence that the woman had been raped.
The Air Force fighter pilot was convicted in November for aggravated sexual assault by a jury of four colonels and a lieutenant colonel. He was dismissed from the Air Force and sentenced to one year in prison. Lieutenant General Franklin overturned the jury conviction using "convening authority" - an absolute power of a singe military supervisor to dismiss a jury decision.
The Lieutenant General's decision has warranted outrage from members of Congress. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) said "The military needs to understand that this could be a tipping point. I question whether, after this incident, there's any chance a woman assaulted in that unit would ever say a word. ... There's a culture issue that's going to have to be addressed here. And what this decision did - all it did was underline and put an exclamation point behind the notion that if you are sexually assaulted in the military - good luck." In a letter to the Air Force Secretary and chief of staff she said "His decision shows ignorance, at best, and malfeasance, at worst. I strongly urge you to undertake an immediate review of his conduct and consider removing him from his leadership position."
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel saying "This is a travesty of justice... At a time when the military has unequivocally stated that there is zero tolerance for sexual assault, this is not the message it should be sending to our service men and women, and to our nation."
3/6/2013 - AR Senate Overrides Governor's Veto of Abortion Bill
The Arkansas Senate voted to override Governor Mike Beebe's (D) veto of the Arkansas Human Heartbeat Protection Act yesterday. The override passed the Senate in a twenty to fourteen vote. All fourteen Arkansas Democratic Senators voted against the override. In a letter issued after Beebe's veto on Monday, Beebe said the bill twenty to fourteen vote"blatantly contradicts" the Constitution.
Senate Bill 134, or the Arkansas Human Heartbeat Protection Act, includes exemptions for rape, incest, life of the mother and severe fetal abnormalities. If the Arkansas House also overrides the veto, it will be the most restrictive abortion ban in the country. A simple majority is needed in both the state Senate and state House to override the governor's veto.
Last week, the Arkansas Senate voted to override Governor Beebe's veto of a bill that bans abortion at twenty weeks. The Senate voted 19 to 14 in favor of overriding the veto following a House vote approving the veto override by 53 to 28 last Wednesday. The passage of the bill makes Arkansas the tenth state to outlaw abortions after 20 weeks. Beebe vetoed the bill on claims that it was also unconstitutional.
3/6/2013 - Lawmakers Seek Limits on Contraceptive Coverage
Fourteen Republican members of the House of Representatives reintroduced a bill on Tuesday that would exempt unwilling employers from a requirement that their employee health insurance plans include contraceptive coverage. They are also trying to get the language included in the Continuing Resolution to extend funding for operation of the federal government. The bill's cosponsors said in a letter, "Nothing short of a full exemption for both nonprofit and for-profit entities will satisfy the demands of the Constitution and common sense."
A broad coalition of women's groups led by Planned Parenthood released their own letter (see PDF) in response to the move. The letter concluded, "Including language in a continuing resolution or omnibus appropriations measure to restrict women's access to birth control would be bad policy and is contrary to our shared goals of improving women's health. We respectfully urge you to reject efforts to politicize the appropriations process for the remainder of fiscal year 2013 and oppose riders that are harmful to women's health."
The Department of Health and Human Services released proposed rules in January to operationalize that health insurance coverage under the ACA must provide birth control without co-pays or deductibles. Under the proposed rules, employees who work at religiously affiliated institutions such as hospitals and universities/colleges will be covered seamlessly by the insurance provider or plan administrator. The sole exception within the proposed rules is narrowly construed to only houses of worship that object and can deny coverage to their employees.
3/5/2013 - AR Governor Vetoes 12 Week Abortion Ban
Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe (D) vetoed a bill that would have banned abortion after a heart beat was detected with a standard ultrasound - usually around 12 weeks - on Monday.
In a statement, Governor Beebe said "In short, because it would impose a ban on a woman's right to choose an elective, nontherapeutic abortion well before viability, Senate Bill 134 blatantly contradicts the United States Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court. When I was sworn in as governor I took an oath to preserve, protect, and defend both the Arkansas Constitution and the Constitution of the United States. I take that oath seriously."
Senate Bill 134, or the Arkansas Human Heartbeat Protection Act, includes exemptions for rape, incest, life of the mother and severe fetal abnormalities. Despite that, if the state legislature overrides Beebe's veto and the bill becomes law, it will be the most restrictive abortion ban in the country. A simple majority is needed in both the state Senate and state House to override the governor's veto. A vote to override the veto is expected to go before the legislature this week.
Last week, the Arkansas Senate voted to override Governor Beebe's veto of a bill that bans abortion at twenty weeks. The Senate voted 19 to 14 in favor of overriding the veto following a House approving the veto override by 53 to 28 on Wednesday. The passage of the bill makes Arkansas the tenth state to outlaw abortions after 20 weeks. Beebe vetoed the bill on claims that it was also unconstitutional.
3/5/2013 - Somali Appeals Courts Clear Alleged Rape Survivor
On Sunday, a Somali appeals court overturned the conviction of an alleged rape survivor who accused security forces of raping her in August 2012. A journalist who had interviewed the woman but never published a story about the allegations had his sentenced reduced, but was not cleared of the charges against him. Both the woman and journalist had been originally sentenced to one year in prison each for offending the honor of a State institution. The journalist was also convicted of filing a false report even though he never published a story on the case.
Zainab Hawa Bangura, U.N. Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, said in a statement "The overturned verdict and release of the woman who had the courage to come forward reflects the fact that victims of sexual violence should not be criminalized for reporting this crime... I ask survivors of rape not to be deterred, and to always seek justice."
The U.S. Department of State also released a statement on the overturned conviction. Patrick Ventrell, Acting Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department, said in the statement, "The United States welcomes the Mogadishu appeals court's March 3 decision to overturn the conviction of a 27-year-old alleged rape survivor but is profoundly disappointed by the same court's decision to uphold the conviction of journalist Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim who interviewed her... Sexual violence and restrictions on freedom of expression are grave problems in Somalia...Somali institutions must demonstrate the will to protect human rights, including women's rights and freedom of expression as part of their efforts to promote peace and democracy."
3/5/2013 - Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013 Announced
Today Senator Tom Harken (D-IA) and Representative George Miller (D-CA) announced they will introduce the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013. The legislation would increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour. In addition, the bill would also raise the minimum wage for tipped employees from $2.13 today to 70% of non-tipped minimum wage.
Harkin told the Huffington Post "When you see what's happened to CEO salaries and compensation since the 1970s, and what's happened to the minimum wage, it's just startling... We can't continue on this way. We need a higher minimum wage." Miller echoed similar sentiments "People do see the minimum wage as a matter of justice for people who don't have the ability to bargain for decent wages... And that's all this is - it's a minimum wage. Nobody's walking away from here rich."
During his State of the Union speech in February, President Obama argued in favor of raising the minimum wage, though only to $9.00 an hour compared to Harken-Miller's $10.10. But in a USA Today/Pew Research Center poll, 71% of American supported the President's proposal for an increase in minimum wage.
3/4/2013 - Obama Quickens Judicial Appointments, Expands Diversity
President Obama has increased his number of judicial appointments in an attempt to diversify the federal judiciary. Since taking office in January, President Obama has nominated over three dozen candidates compared to his first term where he received criticism for not appointing judges quickly. Of the 35 nominations awaiting Senate approval, 17 are women, 15 are ethnic minorities, and five are openly gay - many of whom would be historic firsts for their states.
White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler told reporters "Diversity in and of itself is a thing that is strengthening the judicial system. ... It enhances the bench and the performance of the bench and the quality of the discussion . . . to have different perspectives, different life experiences, different professional experiences, coming from a different station in life, if you will."
President Obama's confirmed federal judicial nominations from his first term were more diverse than both his predecessors, George W. Bush or Bill Clinton. 37% percent of his confirmed nominations were non-white compared to 19% and 27% respectively. Also, 42% were women compared to 21% and 30% respectively. President Obama's nominations have also taken significantly longer to be confirmed by the Senate that his predecessors. His first term nominees took 225 days to be confirmed, whereas Bush's nominations took 175 days and Clinton's took 98 days.
There are currently an additional 50 judicial vacancies awaiting nominations. President Obama is expected to make those nominations over the next few months.
3/4/2013 - Protests Break Out in India After Sexual Assault of a Minor
Protests are breaking out across New Delhi, India after a seven year old girl was sexually assaulted while at school. The minor was attacked Thursday while at a school run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Delhi chief minister Shelia Dikshit said, "The incident is inhuman and shameful. It is a shocking incident. The municipal corporation must strengthen their existing security infrastructure in the schools."
No arrests have been made, leading to accusations that the police have not been acting quickly enough. Protests broke out the next day outside the Sanjay Gandhi hospital where the young girl was treated after her attack. The protesters threw stones at police and damaged buses.
Sexual assault has been an issue garnering attention in India ever since the brutal gang rape and death of a 23-year-old female medical student. The incident sparked protests across the country. These large protests and demonstrations have voiced anger regarding the treatment of women in India and calling for tougher laws on violence against women. In India, the world's largest democracy, a woman is estimated to be raped every twenty minutes, with Delhi being labeled the "rape capital," according to the Associated Press.
3/4/2013 - Researchers Announce HIV-Positive Toddler Now "Functionally Cured"
On Sunday, researchers announced that an infant born with HIV is now a "functionally cured", healthy two-year old with only trace amounts of the virus in her system. Doctors involved in her treatment made the announcement in advance of the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections today. The medical definition of "functionally cured" is when a virus is present in the body in such a small concentration, medical intervention is not necessary.
The girl's mother discovered she was HIV positive when she went into labor and was admitted into a local hospital. Doctors tested the infant shortly after birth and concluded that the child had contracted the virus in utero. The child was transferred to the University of Mississippi Medical Center where medical staff decided to treat the baby with a trio antiretroviral drugs 30 hours after being born.
Dr. Hannah Gay, who originally treated the child, told reporters "We are hoping that future studies will show that very early institution of effective therapy will result in this same outcome consistently."
"For pediatrics, this is our Timothy Brown," said Dr. Deborah Persaud, a lead author of the formal report on the girl. Timothy Brown was an HIV-positive man at the turn of the century; when he received a bone transplant for leukemia in 2007 from a person who was HIV-resistant, he became HIV-negative. Brown is still alive and is still considered functionally cured.
3/1/2013 - AR Abortion Ban after Twenty Weeks Becomes Law
The Arkansas Senate voted yesterday to override Governor Mike Beebe's (D) Tuesday veto of a bill that bans abortion at twenty weeks. The Senate voted 19 to 14 in favor of overriding the veto following a House override vote of 53 to 28 on Wednesday. In Arkansas, a majority vote in both houses is the only requirement to override a veto and pass a bill into law. The passage of the bill makes Arkansas the tenth state to outlaw abortions after 20 weeks.
Beebe vetoed the bill on claims that it was unconstitutional. Additionally, the 20 week ban violates the legal threshold enacted by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has held that bans on abortion before a fetus is viable are unconstitutional. Viability usually occurs after the 24 week mark.
The state legislature also approved a bill outlawing abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected through an abdominal ultrasound, which typically occurs at 12 weeks. The bill now goes before Governor Beebe, who is expected to veto the legislation.
3/1/2013 - Openly Gay MS Mayoral Candidate Found Dead
Mayoral Candidate Marco McMillan of Clarksdale, Mississippi, was found dead on Wednesday in what authorities have ruled is a homicide. 22 year old Lawrence Reed, who was found inside McMillan's crushed car after a head-on collision, is currently in custody facing a murder charge. McMillian's body was later discovered nearby.
"It's too early in the investigation to know what the motive is," a spokesman of the Sherriff's Office said to CNN.
McMillan was the first openly gay man to run for mayor in Mississippi. The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Institute tweeted that McMillian was "one of the 1st viable openly #LGBT candidates in Mississippi." McMillan's campaign centered around improving the employment rate in Clarksdale, as well as cracking down on crime in the impoverished Delta region.
McMillan's campaign team said on facebook "We remember Marco as a bold and passionate public servant, whose faith informed every aspect of his life." McMillan had previously served as Executive Director of Phi Beta Sigma, where he brought greater attention to HIV/AIDS and its impact on people of color. Ebony Magazine named McMillan to its list of thirty up-and-coming African-American leaders under thirty in 2004.
