Women's Issues
When our nation was founded, I would not have been able to vote or serve in Congress because I’m a woman. In the years since our founding, we’ve come a long way toward ensuring equality for all Americans, regardless of their sex or gender. However, true and lasting equality remains elusive. Women are still paid less for doing the same job as men; women-owned businesses have reduced access to capital. The Equal Rights Amendment has still not been enshrined in the Constitution and politicians are still trying to tell women what healthcare they can and cannot receive. This is wrong.
As Congress continues working to ensure equal rights and protections for women, my priorities are:
- Keeping politicians out of the doctor’s office so women can make the best healthcare decisions for themselves and their families,
- Repealing the discriminatory Hyde Amendment,
- Increasing resources and services for domestic violence survivors, including reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA),
- Expanding access to capital for women-owned businesses,
- Ensuring a fair day’s work received a fair and equal day’s pay, and
- Inspiring young women to reach for the stars through STEM careers.
More on Women's Issues
This week the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Helping MOMS Act, legislation aimed at reducing and ending America’s growing maternal mortality crisis.
Today, the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Helping MOMS Act, legislation aimed at reducing and ending America’s growing maternal mortality crisis.
Black women and men are closer to a civil rights victory in being able to wear their hair in any style while in the workplace or at school. That is because the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday, September 21, passed H.R. 5309, also known as the CROWN Act.
Washington, DC – On Friday, a bipartisan coalition, led by the co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, introduced the Protect Black Women and Girls Act of 2020 (H.R. 8196).
Matteson, IL - Congresswoman Robin Kelly, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, released this statement marking Mother’s Day and challenged policymakers to end America’s embarrassing maternal mortality crisis:
“This Mother’s Day may feel different for many this year, separated because of social distancing and uncertainty. Normally, our families celebrate our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, stepmothers and all the women who love and nurture us with brunches, flowers, cards and backyard BBQs.
Congresswoman Robin Kelly will host a Black Women and Girls forum to address the epidemic of missing women and girls in the Chicago area.
The free interactive forum, “My Sister’s Keeper,” will take place Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chicagoland Christian Center (929 E. 103rd Street, Chicago).
Co-chaired and co-founded by Congresswoman Kelly, the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls specifically addresses the needs of black women and girls, their families and their communities.
Black women are up to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than their white counterparts. This horrifying statistic has, at this point, become a household fact, following the past few election cycles – including more recently the presidential elections where many candidates have pushed forward their own policy plans to solve the issue.
Washington, D.C. – On Friday, Members of the Illinois delegation wrote to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services endorsing the state’s waiver request to expand care access to new moms for the entire postpartum period.
In endorsing the waiver request, they wrote: “Illinois’ waiver request demonstrates innovative solutions to the maternal mortality crisis and embodies the intent of Congress in creating the Medicaid program to provide medical assistance to our nation’s most vulnerable populations.”
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL) wrote to newly confirmed SBA Administrator, Jovita Carranza, regarding burdensome rules governing the SBA’s 8(a) and 8(m) programs, programs designed to empower socially and economically disadvantaged business owners.
A bipartisan group of House members introduced legislation on Jan. 16 that would use broadband service data mapping to identify areas of the country where high rates of poor maternal health overlap with a lack of broadband service access.
Reps. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., G. K. Butterfield, D-N.C., Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., and Susan Brooks, R-Ind., introduced the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act.
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Robin Kelly
Office Locations
Washington, DC Office
Phone: (202) 225-0773
Fax: (202) 225-4583
Office Hours: M-F 9:00am-5:00pm (EST)
Chicago Office
Phone: (773) 321-2001
Office hours: 9:00am-5:00pm
Kankakee Office
Phone: (708) 679-0078
Lower Level
Office Hours: open on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Matteson Office
Phone: (708)-679-0078
Fax: (708)-679-0216
Office hours: 9:00am-5:00pm
