| Montgomery, Philadelphia County, PA | May 20, 2014 Election |
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Women's RightsBy Marjorie MargoliesCandidate for US Representative; Pennsylvania Congressional District; District 13; Democratic Party |
This information is provided by the candidate | |
During her entire career, both in Congress and throughout the world, Marjorie has championed women's rights. Now, Marjorie seeks to continue on the work she started 25 years ago.I was first elected to Congress in 1992, in what some dubbed the "Year of the Woman." 25 of my fellow colleagues and I were part of the largest influx of female Representatives in history. What we proved in the coming years was this was not a "Year of..." but a "Future of." In that Congress, we pushed forward some of the most comprehensive legislation for women in recent memory, including the Family Medical Leave Act, which I co-sponsored, and the Violence Against Women Act. While we have continued to make progress on women's issues, we still have a great deal of unfinished business. This cause goes well beyond my legislative career--this is my life's work. As founder and chair of Women's Campaign International, I have continued to invest in the lives of women across the globe, providing training and assistance in economic empowerment, civic participation, conflict mitigation, and political leadership. It is these goals, and dozens others, I now wish to advance on a national scale. 1. Workplace Equality a. The Lilly Ledbetter Act of 2009 provided us with a great affirmation of what we already know: that men and women must be treated as equals in the workplace. And while this legislation, along with the Equal Pay Act of 1964, provides legal backbone to advance this cause, we must now strengthen the law's teeth through additional legislation. The recent drafts of the Paycheck Fairness Act have many of the necessary provisions to bolster these laws. If elected, I will work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make this legislation a reality. b. Women-owned businesses have increased over 32% in the last decade, now totaling over 8.6 million firms nationally. To keep this entrepreneurship flourishing, we must continue to invest in fair lending practices and start-up assistance to keep moving in the right direction. As founder and chair of Women's Campaign International, I have overseen the implementation of dozens of programs geared toward female entrepreneurs, including financial literacy, management, and marketing. As a member of Congress, I'll fight to implement additional programming, both domestically and abroad, and work to end discrimination against working moms and pregnant women. 2. Gender Equality a. Gender equality goes well beyond the workplace. It is a basic human right. As someone who has fought for the empowerment of women and girls across the globe, I have seen when governments help--and I have seen when they obstruct progress. As founder and chair of Women's Campaign International, I've helped create programs to support the rising female leaders of tomorrow around the world. In Congress, I'll bring these values and experiences to Washington to help create systemic change. 3. Ending trafficking a. Through my work with Women's Campaign International, I have heard firsthand of the appalling treatment of women in some developing nations across the world--where sex trafficking of women and minors can be rampant. Astonishingly, these horrific actions have also taken place in our own communities--with multiple accounts in Philadelphia and Montgomery counties. In Washington, I will work to strengthen laws to prosecute offenders and help provide greater support services, particularly in our new immigrant communities. 4. Family Planning and Reproductive Rights a. The Affordable Care Act provides many additional services and protections for women that were long overdue. As a member of Congress, I will staunchly defend a woman's right to proper healthcare access and stand up to the attacks on advocates such as Planned Parenthood. In addition, as my international work has shown me, education is critical to advancing healthy lifestyles. As a member of Congress, I will encourage age appropriate, medically accurate women's health and sex education both domestically and internationally. Additionally, I support full access to affordable birth control and the removal of copays through the ACA. b. I believe that a woman's medical decisions are between her and her doctor--not the government. As a supporter of Roe v. Wade, I believe women should have access to all necessary medical services--and will fight to maintain responsible local healthcare providers. This includes ensuring that our region has access to hospitals which offer all necessary health services. In Washington, I'll continue to protect a woman's reproductive rights and be a constant advocate in the 13th District. |
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