Representative Sanchez and her female Congressional colleagues are living proof of the remarkable progress American women have made since winning the right to vote. As a member of the Women's Caucus, Congresswoman Sanchez has pledged to fight against the inequalities that continue to plague American women at home and at work.

Pay Discrimination

A recent report by the U.S. Census Bureau found that women are paid only 77 cents for every dollar a man earns-a wage gap that will cost the average full-time woman worker between $700,000 and $2 million over the course of her work life. In order to help correct this injustice, Representative Sanchez was a proud cosponsor of the Lily-Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which will help ensure that all workers, regardless of their gender, receive equal pay for equal work.

Sexual Assault in the Military

Congresswoman Sanchez is the highest ranking female member of the Armed Services Committee and is committed to creating a safe and healthy environment for female service members.  In 2005, she helped lead a successful effort to revise the Uniform Code of Military Justice to include a meaningful sexual assault statute that empowers victims and punishes offenders. The Congresswoman was also able to include language in the 2004 Defense Authorization Act to establish a Department of Defense task force to investigate sexual harassment and violence in the United States Military and Naval Academies.

Human Trafficking

According to the United States Department of State, approximately 800,000 individuals-80% of whom are women and girls-are trafficked across international borders each year. Human trafficking not only disrespects the human rights and liberties of the victims involved, but also poses a serious threat to U.S. border security. Congresswoman Sanchez is has been an especially strong advocate for female trafficking victims, many of whom are held in domestic servitude, exploited for commercial sex, and forcibly abused in factories and sweatshops. The Congresswoman is committed to expanding America's efforts to combat trafficking within our own borders and in neighboring countries.

Reproductive Freedom