A Commitment to Defending Reproductive Rights and Advancing Women’s Health
Defending Reproductive Rights and Advancing Women’s Health
- Following the 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade, it is vital to safeguard reproductive justice and women’s right to privacy across the nation. With 62% of Americans supporting women’s right to choose, April will vote to codify Roe v. Wade, and will co-sponsor the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), preserving access to abortion services and reproductive healthcare, and ensuring that a woman’s right to choose is protected under federal law.
- April is committed to advancing gender equity in healthcare and improving health outcomes for all women. April endorses the Biden-Harris Administration’s $12 billion investment into women’s health research – a significant step toward better understanding and addressing women’s health needs, driving essential research into health issues disproportionately affecting women, including disparities in maternal health care and mortality. In Congress, April will continue and expand investments into NIH and other federal agencies dedicated to women’s health innovation.
Ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
- April is a vocal supporter of ratifying the overdue Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which enshrines the principle that discrimination based on sex is a constitutional violation. With 38 states having ratified the ERA, April believes it is imperative to secure equal legal rights for all, ensuring that gender equality is a foundational principle in our Constitution.
Ending Gender-Based Violence
- April vows her unwavering support for the Violence Against Women Act, and its Reauthorization Act of 2022, which ensures protection for survivors and provides necessary funding increases for local programs and resources regarding emergency shelters, legal assistance, prevention, counseling, and economic justice.
- April is committed to eradicating gender-based violence and supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence – a comprehensive plan addresses national epidemics like sexual violence and intimate partner violence. In Congress, April will support funding federal programs such as the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Visiting Program and the Rape Prevention and Education Program, which are crucial to protecting vulnerable individuals and promoting safety across communities.
- April is devoted to expanding the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, originally passed in 2000, to guarantee funding to prevent human trafficking domestically and internationally, protect all victims, and prosecute perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Supporting Families and Empowering Women in the Workforce
- Whether caring for their children or aging parents, women bear the responsibilities for unpaid caregiving that often hinders economic mobility and career advancement. Recognizing the challenges faced by working moms, April supports funding for the Office of Child Care and the Child Care and Development Fund, programs combating the rising cost of child care by subsidizing services through vouchers, grants, and assistance to providers. With over 14 million children living in mother-only households, investing into women-led families and children’s well-being contributes to the prosperity of future generations.
- To alleviate financial burdens on working families and reduce child poverty, April will vote for an increased Child Tax Credit, as was done by the American Rescue Plan in 2021. By putting more money into the pockets of hardworking families, legislation such as the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act helps ensure families can afford basic necessities and invest in their children’s futures.
- Today women are paid 84 cents to every dollar a man earns, with disparities worsening for women of color. To combat discriminatory gender pay gaps and improve economic mobility for women, April is dedicated to advancing the achievements since the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 and initiatives under the Biden-Harris Administration, such as ensuring that salary history is not a determining factor for federal employees and having transparency for federal contractor employees.
