Conyers & Congressional Advocates Announce Creation of Full Employment Caucus

(WASHINGTON) – Today, in response to the ongoing jobs crisis in America, Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), José Serrano (D-N.Y.), and Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) announced the creation of a Congressional Full Employment Caucus. To end the unacceptably high rate of unemployment and underemployment in the United States - and achieve a truly full employment society - more than 24 million jobs need to be created. The Congressional Full Employment Caucus will serve as a platform and working group for Members dedicated to identifying solutions to our current unemployment crisis and advocating for legislative action. Ultimately, the goal of the Caucus is to realize the dream of a society in which every American who wants to work has the right to some form of employment. After the establishment of the Congressional Full Employment Caucus was finalized, the Representatives in attendance issued the following statement:

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. and Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, joined by their colleagues Congressman Charles Rangel and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, announcing the creation of a Congressional Full Employment Caucus.

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.): “For far too long, the plight of the unemployed and underemployed in the United States has been - at best - ignored by Congress, or encouraged - at worst - by callous austerity-minded policies. When more than 24 million of our family members, friends, and neighbors are out of work, we cannot allow this to continue or become the new normal in America. It is for this reason that I have come together with a coalition of concerned Representatives from all corners of the country to form the Congressional Full Employment Caucus. Together, we will craft legislative responses to address the jobless crisis - like my ‘Humphrey Hawkins Full Employment and Training Act’ - and serve as advocates, working towards a society in which employment is recognized as a fundamental human right. As Congress shifts its attention to legitimate concerns over gaping income inequality in the United States, we must not forget about the millions of Americans who lack an income to begin with through no fault of their own. Our work with the Congressional Full Employment Caucus will ensure that the unemployment crisis never leaves Congress’s radar until millions of hardworking Americans are able to find work once again.”

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.): “With nearly 30 million Americans unemployed or underemployed, Congress has a moral obligation to make full employment a reality.  We’ve formed this caucus to fight for a 21^st Century New Deal. This means making sure there are no more collapsed bridges, contaminated water, or falling positions in global education rankings.  It also means restoring the dignity of work for millions of people.”

Congressman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.): "In America, if you work hard and play by the rules, you should have the opportunity to succeed. When thousands of men and women work full time but need food stamps to put food on their tables, when they can't get health benefits, when they can't get paid sick days, then we must do whatever we can to stand up for them. In his State of the Union Address, the President has reminded the country that, with optimism for the future and action on all of our parts, we can expand economic opportunities for everyone in America. I look forward to work with Members of the Full Employment Caucus to advancing the set of concrete, practical proposals he has laid out to help more Americans find work, and more workers find the economic security they deserve."

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.): “As Congressional leaders, we must focus on long-term strategies that put every American back to work. Our country’s economic recovery will not be complete until we eradicate the chronic unemployment that plagues each and every one of our communities. Collectively, this caucus will work hard to ensure that all Americans are fully employed and set on a sustained path to economic prosperity.”

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.): “The creation of this Caucus provides a crucial platform for our colleagues in Congress and builds on the great efforts of the Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act of 1977, that I had the honor of working on as a Congressional staffer decades ago. This Caucus will continue that call to justice by working with advocates and job creators, to take an active role in creating the 24 million new jobs needed to end unemployment and underemployment, to reach full employment, and ultimately to grow an economy that works for all and eliminates poverty in America. We all know that the best way to tackle the deficit is full employment, and the best way to lift folks out of poverty is a good paying job. This Caucus will join with other caucuses in Congress, the Out of Poverty Caucus, the Progressive Caucus, and others, to reignite the American dream.”

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas): “Nearly 1.3 million long-term unemployed workers, including the 64,000 Texas residents, lost their unemployment insurance when benefits expired on December 28. I am proud to be a Member of the Congressional Full Employment Caucus – a Caucus that will work diligently and effectively to find solutions to our current unemployment crisis while advocating for any and all legislative strategies to combat the issue at hand.”

Congressman José Serrano (D-N.Y.): “I was proud to join the Full Employment Caucus, to focus on creating and sustaining good jobs. In too many of our communities – particularly the Hispanic and black communities – unemployment is at levels not seen in the rest of the nation since the Great Depression. We cannot rest until people in all communities have access to good jobs as well as the training and skills they need get them. Our nation is stronger when everyone is employed.”

Congressman Mike Quigley (D-Ill.): “Even as America’s economy is steadily improving, American workers are being left behind. Congress has a responsibility to change that, which is why I’m proud to join this effort and work towards meaningful legislation that will create jobs, grow our economy and strengthen the middle class.”

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. and Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, joined by their colleagues Congressman Charles Rangel and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, announcing the creation of a Congressional Full Employment Caucus.

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Conyers Invites Candace Adams - an Unemployed Constituent - to State of the Union, Underscoring Necessity of Job Creating Policies

House Democrats Urge Immediate Action to Extend Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program

(WASHINGTON) – Today, House Democrats held a press conference, with unemployed guests they had invited to the State of the Union Address, urging Congressional action to extend the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program. The Emergency Unemployment Compensation program expired on December 28^th because inadequate action was taken by House and Senate Republicans. Since then, more than 1.6 million Americans nationwide have had benefits cut off and this number continues to grow by 72,000 additional job seeking Americans every week. Following the press conference and prior to the State of the Union Address, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

“Today, I invited a young unemployed constituent of mine, Ms. Candace Adams, to attend the State of the Union Address to put a face on the millions of unemployed Americans who have received little relief from this Congress. Although she is not one of the 1.6 million Americans who have lost access to unemployment insurance, she is one of 5.8 million young Americans who cannot find work, are not in school, and are ineligible to collect benefits because they have never held a job,” Conyers said.  

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) prior to the State of the Union Address standing alongside his invited constituent guest, Candace Adams.

“Ms. Adams returned to school for a master’s degree in Communications in the hopes that an advanced degree would assist in her search, but it was to no avail. Extending emergency unemployment compensation legislation is critical to help Americans pay the bills and feed their families as they look for a job. House and Senate Republicans must work with Democrats to allow a vote so Congress can extend this vital relief for people who worked hard, played by the rules, and lost their jobs through no fault of their own. This lifeline is not only key for these families to make ends meet, but also will help keep up consumer demand to strengthen local businesses.

“Above all, we must look at long-term solutions to lead this country back to an era of full employment, and put 20 million unemployed and underemployed Americans back to work so that they do not have to rely on unemployment insurance. It is long past time for Congress to focus on policies that will create jobs to put all hardworking Americans back to work while rebuilding our communities. My full employment legislation, H.R. 1000, the ‘Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment and Training Act’ would be a perfect place to start.”

At the end of December, 1.3 million Americans lost unemployment insurance, which has now risen to 1.6 million Americans. This included 43,311 Michiganders in December when the program expired. That number has grown to 53,292 and will continue to grow as 3,327 additional Michiganders lose benefits every week over the next six months. The federal unemployment insurance program - formally called Emergency Unemployment Compensation - took effect in 2008 and was signed by President George W. Bush and has been reauthorized several times as the economy continues to recover. Despite the real progress the economy has made since its near collapse in 2008, there are still over 1 million fewer jobs than there were before the recession and more than 4 million Americans have been out of work for six months or longer. On average, nationwide, the program provides about $300 a week to recipients. Failure to extend federal unemployment insurance will hurt job growth locally and throughout the nation, costing the economy 240,000 jobs this year, according to the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

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Conyers Assails Republicans’ Fixation on Rolling Back Women’s Rights

(WASHINGTON) – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives debated H.R. 7, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” on the House Floor. Consideration of this bill by the full House of Representatives comes just weeks following a U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on the legislation, and an expedited Full Committee Markup. As debate was underway on the legislation, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) delivered the following statement:

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr

“The debate today on the House Floor is the latest attack in the Majority’s ongoing campaign to chip away at a woman’s constitutionally protected right to choose. As millions of Americans struggle to find gainful employment, it is a travesty that Congress is again wasting time on a divisive ideological debate instead of working to create jobs and improve the economy,” said Conyers.

“This shameful distraction from the work that the American people elected us to do is only made worse by the fact that the ‘No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act’ is based on a falsehood: there is no federal funding of abortion, due to the Hyde amendment disallowing it. In reality, this legislation places undue restrictions on how women with private health insurance policies can spend their own private money. My conservative colleagues pay a lot of lip-service to limiting the government’s role in American’s affairs, yet I can think of few actions more intrusive than limiting a woman’s access to healthcare options and private insurance.

“Thus far in 2014, the House Judiciary Committee has devoted our first legislative hearing and Markup to turning back the clock on women’s rights, and now one of the first major bills on the House Floor is nothing more than an ideological charade. Meanwhile, bipartisan areas of concern – ranging from immigration to surveillance reform – have languished. Rather than continue to dwell on bitter partisan issues, let us return our attention to the people’s business.”

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Reps. Conyers & Wilson to Host Press Conference January 29, 2014 at 10AM – Announcing Establishment of the “Congressional Full Employment Caucus”

(WASHINGTON) – In response to the ongoing jobs crisis in America, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) will announce the creation of the Congressional Full Employment Caucus tomorrow morning, January 29^th at 10:00 a.m. in 2226 Rayburn House Office Building. With 24 million new jobs needed to end the unacceptably high rate of unemployment and underemployment, and to reach full employment, Congress must take an active role to ensure adequate opportunities are available as it has historically. The Full Employment Caucus will serve as a working group and platform for Members dedicated to identifying solutions to our current unemployment crisis and advocating for legislative action.  Ultimately, the goal of the Caucus is to realize the dream of a society in which every American who wants to work has the right to some form of employment.

For further information about the Congressional Full Employment Caucus or the press conference, please contact Jenny Perrino (Rep. Conyers) at 202-225-5126 or jenny.perrino@mail.house.gov , or Justin Zorn (Rep. Wilson) at 202-225-4506 or justin.zorn@mail.house.gov.

What:	Press Conference – Announcing Establishment of the “Congressional Full Employment Caucus”
Who:	Ø  Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) Ø  Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) Ø  Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) Ø  Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (D-N.J.) Ø  Congressman Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) Ø  Additional Members of Congress
When:	Tomorrow morning - Wednesday, January 29th, 10:00 a.m.
Where:	2226 Rayburn House Office Building

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PELOSI, SLAUGHTER, & DeGETTE, ALONG WITH 91 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FILE AMICUS BRIEF IN SUPREME COURT CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE REQUIREMENT CHALLENGE

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), U.S. Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), and Diana DeGette (D-CO), along with Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Ranking House Judiciary Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI),  Ranking House Education and the Workforce Member George Miller (D-CA), Ranking House Energy and Commerce Member Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Ranking House Ways and Means Member Sander Levin (D-MI), and Ranking House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) are filing an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v Sebelius.  Those challenging the contraceptive coverage requirement under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) claim that it imposes a substantial burden on the exercise of religion. A total of 91 House members have signed onto the brief.

These members chose to participate as amici in these cases because they want the Supreme Court to hear the full story from Congress.  They strongly believe the contraceptive coverage requirement does not violate the free exercise of religion and will ensure all Americans receive vital preventive health care services. The preventive care provisions, including the contraceptive coverage requirement, are the least restrictive means of accomplishing Congress’ goal of ensuring the necessary healthcare coverage for women.

In the amicus, the members explain how the legislative history of the ACA supports the conclusion that the contraceptive coverage requirement of the ACA satisfies the test applicable to a free exercise of religion challenge under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

As the Congressional amici point out to the court: “The contraceptive coverage requirement does not substantially burden any exercise of religion in which the Corporations might be found to engage because it does not compel the Corporations to administer or use the contraceptive methods to which they object, nor does it require them to adhere to, affirm, or abandon a particular belief. It merely requires the Corporation, like other for-profit employers to provide comprehensive insurance coverage under which their employees may make their own personal decisions whether to use whatever form of contraception, if any, best suits their individualized health and wellness needs.”

CONGRESSIONAL AMICUS BRIEF IN SUPREME COURT CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE REQUIREMENT CHALLENGE

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Conyers Speaking On Voting Rights Act

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Conyers, Nadler, & Scott Hail Government Privacy Watchdog’s Recommendation to End NSA’s Mass-Surveillance Program

(DETROIT) – Today, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) released a report criticizing and calling for an end to the National Security Agency’s (NSA) sweeping telephone metadata collection program. The PCLOB cited the program, currently permitted under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, as having “little unique value” in investigating and preventing terrorism. This comes on the heels of President Obama’s speech at the Department of Justice last Friday calling for Congressional action to curb excesses in the United State’s surveillance programs. After the report was released, Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.) issued the following statement:

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.): “In 2007, Democratic Members of the House Judiciary Committee called for the creation of an independent civil liberties watchdog to respond to expanding government surveillance programs and capabilities. Ultimately, our advocacy resulted in the creation of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.  Today, the board released its long-awaited report on the government’s use of Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act. The report concludes that the telephone metadata program has provided no significant contribution to our national security, at great cost to our privacy and pocketbooks. I agree, and urge Congress to take immediate action to discontinue the program as soon as is practicable. Moreover, as many of the PCLOB’s recommendations overlap with bipartisan surveillance legislation I co-authored – the USA FREEDOM Act – I am confident that meaningful reform of the NSA’s dragnet surveillance operations can be realized.”

Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.): “I applaud the work of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board and welcome their voice in this critical debate over whether our existing surveillance scheme adequately safeguards Americans’ constitutional rights and Congress’s statutory demands. I agree with their conclusion that the National Security Agency must end its indiscriminant bulk surveillance of the American people. We know that this sort of mass collection of data does not make us safer and undermines our constitutionally protected rights. Working from these recommendations, along with those outlined in the USA FREEDOM Act, Congress must reform the law to ensure that there is real and lasting change and that the Constitution is fully respected.”

Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.): “Last week, President Obama spoke in detail about the need to reform the program of bulk metadata collection under section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act, and today the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board issued its report calling for the end of that program.  I have been particularly concerned that the manner in which the statute has been interpreted places virtually no statutory limits on the collection or use of the metadata.  The conclusions reached in this report reinforce the fact that executive action alone will not be enough.  Now is the time for Congress to act, and we must trust but codify.”

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Conyers & Nadler Mark 41st Anniversary of Roe v. Wade with Call to Embolden Women’s Rights

(DETROIT) – On this date 41 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, affirming the constitutional right of women to make their own health care choices. In marking this historic anniversary, U.S. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) issued the following statement:

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.): “Forty one years ago today, the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionally protected right of all women to make their own health care decisions. Yet, as we commemorate this historic anniversary, we are reminded of the uphill battle that remains for women’s equality and reproductive rights. In just the first few weeks of 2014, Republicans are already planning a vote on legislation that would turn back the clock on women’s health. Rather than focusing our energy on undoing four decades of progress, I hope my colleagues can recognize the deeply personal nature of private healthcare choices and move past a divisive issue that the Supreme Court settled long ago.”

Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.): “In 1973, the Supreme Court issued one of the most important decisions of the 20th century – Roe v. Wade. Despite that landmark ruling, the right of a woman to make health care decisions about her body remains under relentless attack. Anti-choice legislators in Washington, DC and in state capitals throughout America continue their assault on a woman's right to choose by writing absurd anti-women laws and ultimately seeking to overturn Roe v. Wade altogether. I remain committed to fighting against these measures and to protecting the rights of women to make their own health care decisions.”

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Conyers, Nadler, and Scott Applaud the President’s Pledge to End Bulk Collection at the NSA

House Judiciary Democrats Seek Legislative Action on Comprehensive Surveillance Reform

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Ranking Member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) attended President Obama’s address on surveillance reform at the Department of Justice. In his remarks, the President concurred with many of the findings of the Review Group he convened on Intelligence and Communications Technologies—including its recommendation that the government should no longer engage in the bulk collection of telephone metadata at the National Security Agency (NSA). After the President concluded his remarks, Congressman Conyers, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), and Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.) issued the following statement:

U.S. Representative
John  Conyers, Jr.

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.): “President Obama has taken a courageous first step towards improving oversight of these surveillance programs, reassuring our foreign allies, and restoring the public’s trust.  Perhaps most importantly, the government will take immediate action to mitigate the damage caused by the NSA’s massive bulk collection programs. Yet, even if implemented in full, the President’s proposals are not the end of our efforts to reign in excessive government surveillance - they are the first steps. Now, with the President’s remarks behind us, it falls to Congress - and, specifically, to the House Judiciary Committee - to begin the hard work of putting these proposals, and others, into practice. In my judgment, the best vehicle for that effort remains H.R. 3361, the bipartisan ‘USA FREEDOM Act,’ which requires more disclosure from the government, places a public advocate within the FISA court, and permanently ends bulk collection under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. As President Obama stated, ‘while the reforms that I have announced will point us in a new direction, I am mindful that more work will be needed in the future.’ I agree with the President, and look forward to Congress stepping up to the challenge of legislating comprehensive surveillance reform.”

Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.): “Today’s speech by President Obama is a welcome step in the right direction, but the reforms proposed by the President are not enough. Executive branch overreach in the name of national security did not start - and will not end - with this Administration.  The balance of powers enumerated in the Constitution must be respected for generations to come, regardless of who occupies the White House. Congress, and specifically the House Judiciary Committee, will continue to work to protect the American people from an intrusive Executive Branch, which all too often operates in secrecy and without proper accountability. We will make sure that President Obama follows through on the promises he made today, and will fight for further legal reforms to safeguard against indiscriminate, bulk surveillance of everyday Americans. We will ensure that our hard-fought freedoms are fully respected.” 

Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.): “In his address concerning surveillance conducted by the NSA, the President recognized the need for reform.  I am pleased he is taking steps to limit some of the programs which have raised particular concerns, and I welcome his call for consultation with Congress on these issues.  It is now time for Congress to take the next step by enacting legislation to appropriately limit these programs. For instance, the manner in which Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act has been interpreted places virtually no limits on the collection or use of the metadata, and Congress must take action to ensure reforms are enacted into law. While changes to these programs through executive action are welcome, we must trust but codify.”

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Conyers, Leahy, Sensenbrenner Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Introduction of Legislation to Restore the Voting Rights Act

(WASHINGTON) – Following the bipartisan tradition of the Voting Rights Act, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), joined with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) Thursday to introduce bipartisan legislation to uphold the most vital principles of the historic law. The legislation supported by a range of civil rights groups, is a bicameral, bipartisan response to the Supreme Court’s Shelby County decision which struck down a core provision in the Voting Rights Act. That provision determines how states are covered under Section 5 of the law, which requires Federal preclearance to protect against discriminatory voting measures. The bill updates the coverage formula by making all states and jurisdictions eligible for coverage formula based on voting violations in the last 15 years.  States and jurisdictions that have had a clean record over last 15 years would not be subject to coverage. President Lyndon Johnson signed the first Voting Rights Act into law in 1965, and it has been reauthorized four times since. President George W. Bush signed the most recent reauthorization into law in 2006, after the House voted 390-33 and the Senate 98-0 in favor of the legislation.

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

Conyers, ranking Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee, and a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus who cosponsored the original Voting Rights Act in 1965, said that “Nearly fifty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful vision of ‘jobs, justice, and peace’ inspired my first run for Congress and became the cause of my life. After being sworn in as freshman Member of the 89^th Congress, the first vote of consequence that I took was for the Voting Rights Act. Although the Shelby County v. Holder decision struck at the heart of the Act, today, it is with much pride that my colleagues and I are introducing a strengthened and renewed Voting Rights Act to reaffirm our constitutional commitment to the cornerstone of our democracy: the right to vote.”

“Through months of negotiation and compromise, Congressmen Sensenbrenner and Conyers and I have agreed on a bipartisan and bicameral proposal to restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act that were weakened by the Supreme Court’s decision last summer,” Leahy said.  “Our sole focus throughout this entire process was to ensure that no American would be denied his or her constitutional right to vote because of discrimination on the basis of race or color.  We believe that this is a strong bipartisan bill that accomplishes this goal and that every member of Congress can support.”

Sensenbrenner, who led House consideration in 2006 and who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last summer about the importance of the Voting Rights Act, said Thursday that, “This legislation is a direct response toShelby County v. Holder. When that ruling came down last summer, I knew the VRA must be fixed before the next election and any solution must be politically palatable while complying with the objections of the Supreme Court. The modernized VRA is constitutional and bipartisan. It includes strong, nationwide anti-discrimination protections and continues to permit states to enact reasonable voter ID laws. Therefore, it prevents racial-discrimination and gives states the ability to address voter fraud.”

An outline of the legislation can be found here, and text of legislation can be found online.

Key provisions in the bill include:

Ø  A coverage provision based on current conditions.  The bill establishes a rolling nationwide trigger that covers states or jurisdictions that have a persistent record of recent voting rights violations in the last 15 years.

Ø  Allows our federal courts to bail-in the worst actors for preclearance.  The current law permits states or jurisdictions to be bailed in for intentional violations, but the new legislation amends the Act to allow states or jurisdictions to be bailed in for results-based violations.

Ø  Greater transparency in elections so that voters are made aware of changes.  The additional sunlight will deter discrimination from occurring and protect voters from discrimination.

Ø  Allows for preliminary relief to be obtained more readily, given that voting rights cannot often be vindicated after an election is already over.

Ø  Includes modest provisions that continue to permit states to enact reasonable photo identification laws.

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Conyers Commends Judiciary Congresswomen for Denouncing Republican Attacks on Women’s Health

(WASHINGTON) – Today, all of the Democratic women on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee – including Representatives Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and Karen Bass (D-Calif.) – sent a letter to Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) urging him to shift his focus away from denying women their constitutionally guaranteed right to make their own healthcare decisions, and towards critical Committee issues. This letter comes following the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice’s hearing last Thursday on H.R. 7, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” and a day before a full Judiciary Committee Markup of the same legislation. After the letter was transmitted, Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

“I commend my colleagues for standing up to the Majority’s relentless attack on women. I stand shoulder to shoulder with my female colleagues on the Judiciary Committee in calling for this Congress to begin addressing the challenges facing women and families, rather than pushing a divisive political agenda. The Majority’s focus on undermining women’s constitutional rights has come at the expense of attending to pressing Judiciary Committee issues including: comprehensive immigration reform and a legislative review of our dragnet surveillance programs, amongst other bipartisan concerns. There is no need to squander 2014 on partisan sniping; going forward I urge Chairman Goodlatte to refocus our work towards advancing women’s healthcare not undermining it.”

No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act Letter to Chair Goodlatte from Judiciary Committee Congresswomen

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Memorandum to House Republicans on A Real Agenda for American Women

MEMORANDUM  

To:                  House Republicans

From:             Rosa DeLauro, Steering and Policy Co-chair

Jan Schakowsky, Steering and Policy Vice Chair

Donna F. Edwards, Chair of the Democratic Women’s Working Group

Eddie Bernice Johnson, House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Ranking Member

Nita M. Lowey, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member

Carolyn Maloney, Ranking House Member Joint Economic Committee

Louise Slaughter, House Rules Committee Ranking Member

Maxine Waters, House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member

Date:               January 10, 2014

RE:                 A Real Agenda for American Women

We know you are receptive to memos and have expressed an interest in learning about how to better communicate with women on the issues important to them. To that end, this memo is in the spirit of moving past partisan politics and working together to ensure America’s women and their families have the economic security and opportunities they need to succeed.

Yesterday House Republicans on a Judiciary subcommittee – an all-male panel led by GOP Rep. Trent Franks – held a hearing on yet another dead-end bill to restrict access to women’s health services. At this hearing one of the Majority witnesses, Helen Alvare, admitted to House Republicans that this issue is standing in the way of a “real women’s agenda”:

Regular squabbles over federal funding for abortion across myriad pieces of legislation seem to have taken the place of an actual legislative agenda for women’s actual needs. Instead of debating policies supporting women’s care work, or work/family balance, policies addressing paid leave or social security benefits -- instead of debating ideas about enabling poor women especially to break the cycle of poverty and nonmarital childbearing --Congress continually debates abortion funding. It is time once and for all to settle the matter of federal funding for abortion, and move on to a real women’s agenda. [1/9]

As MSNBC noted, some of the measures mentioned have already been introduced by Democrats:

Alvare did mention a couple of policies she would consider more pro-woman than the right to choose and access an abortion, among them paid family leave. In fact, Democrats just introduced such legislation in both chambers. The Republican silence was deafening. [1/9]

The constant debates and squabbling the witness decried are a result of Republicans refusing to take action on real legislation to help American women. The time has come to stop wasting taxpayers’ time and dollars waging attacks on women’s constitutionally protected right to make informed health care decisions about their own bodies with their own doctors and work on an “actual legislative agenda for women’s actual needs.”

House Democrats have an economic agenda for America’s women, When Women Succeed, America Succeeds, which will enable women to achieve greater economic security, raise wages for working women and their families and allow working parents to support and care for their families. Among the policies included in this agenda:

·         Paycheck Fairness

·         Supporting Women Entrepreneurs and Women-Owned Small Businesses

·         Paid Family and Medical Leave

·         Paid Sick Leave

·         The President’s Preschool and Early Head Start & Child Care Initiative

·         Promoting Access to Affordable and High Quality Child Care

Enough of the talking – it’s time for action for American women and their families.

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Conyers & 64 Colleagues Write Ambassador Samantha Power Urging UN to Take Responsibility & Remedial Action for Haiti Cholera Outbreak

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), along with 65 other Members of Congress, wrote Ambassador Samantha Power, the Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), about the UN’s inadequate response to the cholera epidemic in Haiti. Specifically, the letter detailed how in October 2010, UN peacekeepers in Haiti introduced cholera to the Caribbean nation and urged the UN to take immediate legal responsibility for the resulting harms. While the UN has expressed a desire to repair the damage, to date, no significant action has been taken. Following transmission of the letter to Ambassador Power, Rep. Conyers issued the following statement:

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

“As we approach the fourth anniversary of the tragic earthquake that devastated Haiti, much work remains to be done to rebuild and rehabilitate the Caribbean nation. Unfortunately, this effort has been imperiled since October 2010, when United Nations peacekeepers operating out of a base camp nearby Port au Prince inadvertently introduced cholera to the Haitian people. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Haitians have been hospitalized, and thousands of Haitians have died. The UN has a moral and legal obligation to repair the harm resulting from its peacekeeping operations,” said Conyers.

“Current efforts by the UN to eradicate the cholera epidemic in Haiti are far from sufficient. In order for the UN to maintain its credibility around the world, it is imperative for it to acknowledge its legal responsibility and act now. This means fully funding the Cholera Elimination Plan and working to improve the water and sanitation infrastructure in Haiti. Failure to do so will jeopardize the UN’s standing and moral authority in Haiti and other countries where its personnel are deployed.

“Although the United States’ mission to the UN has demonstrated its interest in remedying the massive harm caused by the cholera epidemic, on the dawn of the fourth anniversary of the Haitian Earthquake, I urge the Obama administration to intensify its efforts to find a just solution that will address the needs of the Haitian people. Access to clean water and adequate sanitation are fundamental building blocks for economic recovery, and the United States must not waver in advocating for the needs of the Haitian people.”

Conyers & 64 Congressional Colleagues Write Ambassador Samantha Power Urging UN to Take Responsibility...

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