CIVIL RIGHTS
Affirming Equality for Women – A longtime supporter for the rights of women, Susan is a leader in Congress on women’s issues. In each Congress, she is a sponsor of a constitutional amendment to ensure the equality of all Americans regardless of gender.
Protecting Americans from Hate Crimes – Susan has been a consistent supporter of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act which would expand federal hate crime protections to offenses involving actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. In 2009, she was the leading supporter of a measure to broaden the definition of a hate crime to include those committed because of gender or sexual orientation. As she told the New York Times, ““Left unchecked, crimes of this kind threaten to ruin the very fabric of America.” Click here to read more.
Ensuring Supreme Court Access for Servicemembers - The words on the United States Supreme Court building read “Equal Justice Under Law.” Yet some U.S. service members are denied access to the nation’s highest court. That is why Susan reintroduced legislation to fix this inequity in the military justice system.
The Equal Justice for Our Military Act (H.R. 3133) would eliminate a troubling disparity in current law by allowing court-martialed service members whose cases involve extraordinary circumstances to appeal for Supreme Court review. Furthermore, the bill would allow service members to appeal to the Supreme Court in cases where their petitions for review by the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces have been denied as well as allow the Supreme Court discretionary review of certain cases, provisions supported by the American Bar Association.
Ending Discrimination in the Workplace – Susan has consistently supported legislation that would outlaw employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. She is also an original cosponsor of H.R. 11, the House version of S. 181, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. (S. 181 became public law on January 29, 2009) She’s also a proud supporter of the Paycheck Fairness Act. Women still only earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. The enactment of the legislation would provide a much needed update to the 49-year-old Equal Pay Act by providing effective remedies to women who are not being paid equal wages for doing equal work.
Promoting Civil Rights Abroad – Susan has sought to expand civil rights aboard by championing causes like ending the genocide in Darfur. Last Congress, she was a cosponsor of the Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act.
She’s also the co-sponsor of H. Res. 134, which condemns the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of the Baha’I minority.
Supporting Domestic Partner Benefits – In the 110th Congress, Susan was a cosponsor of, H.R. 2792, the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act. This measure would have extended Family and Medical Leave Act provisions to same sex spouses and domestic partners. Susan was also a cosponsor of the Uniting American Families Act, H.R. 2221, which allows U.S. citizens to sponsor their domestic partners for immigration purposes. In addition, Susan is proud to have been a founding member of the LGBT Equality Caucus.