Statement of NOW President Toni Van Pelt on the Death of Rep. Louise Slaughter:

NOW deeply mourns the passing of Rep. Louise Slaughter. Louise Slaughter made her mark on history, and women everywhere are living better, safer lives because of her vision and leadership.

As one of the longest-serving women in the House of Representatives, Louise Slaughter was a dynamo when it came to women’s rights. She was the first female chair of the all-powerful House Rules Committee, where she facilitated the passage of dozens of bills, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Louise Slaughter was the co-chair and founding member of the Congressional Pro-Choice caucus, and an original author of the landmark Violence Against Women Act, which has reduced cases of domestic violence by 67 percent since 1994.

Congresswoman Slaughter dedicated the first $500 million in federal funds to breast cancer research at the National Institute of Health (NIH). Prior to 1993, all clinical trials at the NIH were being conducted only on white men.

And when the Supreme Court ruled that employers could deny coverage for certain types of contraceptive methods, Louise Slaughter introduced the Not My Boss’s Business Bill, which would ensure that no corporation can choose to deny federally mandated health services.

Louise Slaughter’s wise counsel, sharp intellect and effective lawmaking will be sorely missed. Women have lost a leader, and a dear, dear friend.

Contact

Emily Imhoff, press@now.org, 951-547-1241

Enough is Enough Summit, April 25, 2018:

WASHINGTON – The Enough Is Enough campaign, launched in December by coalition partners National Organization for Women (NOW), Feminist Majority, National Congress of Black Women, UNITE HERE, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, and Legal Momentum are holding a one-day summit and congressional briefing on April 25, 2018 in Washington, D.C. These groups are bringing together activists and allies to discuss strategies and craft initiatives to combat sexual violence and develop survivor-centric solutions on the ground, in the courts, and in Congress.

Through panels and discussion, the event will serve as an opportunity to listen to a diverse group of people – from survivors themselves to various activists and allies working across different industries and sectors. These participants will not only share their first-hand experiences with sexual violence and harassment, but help lay a groundwork of recommendations for actionable solutions. The goal of Enough is Enough is to shine light on what sexual harassment looks like for different communities, and how together we can work to craft informed solutions that address these specific barriers.

WHAT: Enough is Enough Summit & Briefing; Discussion Topics to Include:

Strengthening Federal Law and Policy
Model State Laws and Workplace Policies
Countering Misogyny and Changing the Culture

WHO: Convening Leaders and Program Participants:

Toni Van Pelt, President, National Organization for Women (NOW)
Eleanor Smeal, Co-Founder & President, Feminist Majority
Dr. E. Faye Williams, National President, National Congress of Black Women
Maria Elena Durazo, General Vice-President, UNITE HERE
Mónica Ramírez, President, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas
Carol Robles-Román, President and CEO, Legal Momentum
Carol Moody, Chief Operating Officer, Legal Momentum

Confirmed Speakers and Panelists:

Gaylynn Burroughs, Policy Director, Feminist Majority Foundation
Sunu Chandy, Legal Director, National Women’s Law Center
Chai Feldblum, Commissioner, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Debra Katz, Founding Partner, Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLC
Sonia Ossorio, President, New York City NOW and NY State NOW
Maya Raghu, Director of Workplace Equality and Senior Counsel, National Women’s Law Center
Kathy Spillar, Executive Editor, Ms. Magazine
For an updated schedule of events and speakers, please visit ​http://bit.ly/EnoughSummit2018

WHEN: Thursday, April 25, 2018; 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

WHERE: ​Congressional Visitors Center: Atrium and Auditorium First St. NE (at East Capitol St.), Washington, DC 20515

MEDIA:​ ​For media interested in attending ​the event, please contact Daniella Burgos at dburgos@scottcircle.com​; 202.695.8221

For media interested in interviews with any of the convening partners or participants, please contact Dee Donavanik, ​ddonavanik@scottcircle.com​; 202.695.8229

GUEST ​RSVP:​ For more information on the Enough is Enough campaign and to RSVP for the Summit, ​please click here​ (free to attend).

Contact

Dee Donavanik , ddonavanik@scottcircle.com​, 202.695.8229

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-HI) will soon be the first U.S. Senator in history to give birth while in office. But under Senate rules, if Sen. Duckworth takes any maternity leave, she will be unable to perform the most essential aspects of her job—voting and sponsoring legislation.

And if she’s not on leave, Sen. Duckworth will miss votes when she’s breastfeeding because the Senate rules deny floor privileges to family members, and nursing infants are considered family members. These are patriarchal and patently unfair rules and certainly do not reflect family values.

Is the U.S. Senate stuck in the 50’s—the 1850’s?

News flash for Mitch McConnell–you can’t put the “no girls allowed” sign back up in the Senate. Modernize the rules to allow women to work while caring for their children.

But even as important, do something for all the working women—particularly for women who work in low-wage jobs, predominantly women of color, who urgently need workplaces that provide reasonable accommodations for working mothers. This is your chance to provide family friendly workplaces, and exhibit true American family values.

Contact

Emily Imhof, press@now.org, 951-547-1241