Posts Tagged congress

Boehner and Rep. Franks
By Maya Dusenbery • 9 years ago

First up on the new Congress’ agenda: Ban abortion after 20 weeks

On its very first day back in session, the new Congress got straight to work on the issue most important to the majority of Americans the small, vocal minority of anti-choice activists who control the Republican party: passing an unconstitutional ban on abortion.

On its very first day back in session, the new Congress got straight to work on the issue most important to the majority of Americans the small, vocal minority of anti-choice activists who control the Republican party: passing ...
By Alexandra Brodsky • 9 years ago

Who on the Hill is making transphobic Wikipedia edits?

The internet can do some cool things. For example: @CongressEdits automatically posts every time someone using a Capitol Hill IP addresses changes an entry. On the 18th, the bot posted about two changes to trans-related pages by someone on a House computer:

Gender identity disorder Wikipedia article edited anonymously from US House of Representatives http://t.co/z0JXcd04tR

— congress-edits (@congressedits) August 18, 2014

Transphobia Wikipedia article edited anonymously from US House of Representatives http://t.co/74DMTxrhuq

— congress-edits (@congressedits) August 18, 2014

Unsurprisingly (unless you have a hell of a lot of misplaced faith in Congress), the edits were hateful.

The internet can do some cool things. For example: @CongressEdits automatically posts every time someone using a Capitol Hill IP addresses changes an entry. On the 18th, the bot posted about two changes to trans-related pages by ...
By zerlina • 10 years ago

A sternly worded letter to the ‘Kamikaze Caucus’ that caused this shutdown

Dear House Republicans,

As we begin day three of the government shutdown, you and your colleagues, the “Kamikaze Caucus,” continue to hold America hostage. You are ideologues who have no desire to actually govern the country.

Even fellow Republicans are calling your latest stunts “reckless and unnecessary” and millions of Americans are signing up for Obamacare, finally able to afford health insurance for themselves and their families. I am currently uninsured and will be signing up for Obamacare as soon the traffic on the New York exchange lightens up. You see, because of all this unnecessary drama your fantasy land idea that you could somehow “defund” Obamacare backfired and made millions of Americans aware that they could start ...

Dear House Republicans,

As we begin day three of the government shutdown, you and your colleagues, the “Kamikaze Caucus,” continue to hold America hostage. You are ideologues who have no desire to actually govern the country.

Even ...
By Mychal Denzel Smith • 10 years ago

What you need to know about the government shutdown

A small faction of the Republican party in the House of Representatives has finally done what they’ve always wanted: shut down the government. As of midnight, the federal government has been shut down because Congress failed to pass a bill that would continue funding it. Speaker of the House John Boehner refused to bring a funding bill to the floor for a vote without amendments aimed at dismantling or delaying Obamacare, the once pejorative now popular name for the Affordable Care Act that will make health insurance more accessible to the millions of Americans without it. Of course, the president would never sign that into law, as healthcare reform has been the signature domestic victory of his presidency. And because ...

A small faction of the Republican party in the House of Representatives has finally done what they’ve always wanted: shut down the government. As of midnight, the federal government has been shut down because Congress failed to ...
By Syreeta McFadden • 10 years ago

Why the VRA matters

Today Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into law one of the most draconian pieces of legislation destroying reproductive health to Texas women as Congress continues its hearings on the reinstatement of the Voting Rights Act.

Last month, the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in an extreme act of hubris by a 5-4 vote. Roberts, in writing the majority ruling remains unclear as to which parts of the constitution were in violation of  the 40 year law that protected voting rights for African Americans, requiring several southern states (and some Northern districts) to be pre-cleared before implementing new voting rules. There’s no mention of the 15th Amendment in the majority decision for Shelby County v. Holder. The Court ...

Today Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into law one of the most draconian pieces of legislation destroying reproductive health to Texas women as Congress continues its hearings on the reinstatement of the Voting Rights Act.

Last month, ...
By Lori Adelman • 10 years ago

Friday Feminist Fuck Yeah: A note of thanks to my fellow Texans

Ed note: This is a guest post by Jessica Luther. Jessica Luther is a freelance writer, reproductive justice activist, historian, and proud Texan. She is on Twitter at @scATX and her main site is jessicawluther.com. To my fellow Texans: Living as a progressive in Texas can be hard. Often you feel outnumbered, silenced, and underrepresented. I have believed for a long time that Texas has the potential to change its political makeup, that all we needed was some kind of spark to light the fire of change. What happened over the last week, as hundreds and then thousands of Texans showed up in person to protest incredibly restrictive anti-choice and anti-access abortion bills, that was the most beautiful spark I’ve ever seen. By ...
Ed note: This is a guest post by Jessica Luther. Jessica Luther is a freelance writer, reproductive justice activist, historian, and proud Texan. She is on Twitter at @scATX and her main site is jessicawluther.com. To ...
By zerlina • 10 years ago

What should I #AskPelosi this weekend at Netroots Nation 2013?

This weekend in San Jose, California, I have the privilege of representing for the Feministing crew in a lunchtime keynote session with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). We recently had an awesome Feministing Five with Pelosi, and knowing her reputation for candor, I expect nothing less than an awesome interview.

I’m taking your questions via Twitter using the hashtag #AskPelosi so please make sure to submit questions there before Wednesday, June 19th at 10pm  EST.

This weekend in San Jose, California, I have the privilege of representing for the Feministing crew in a lunchtime keynote session with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). We recently had an awesome Feministing Five ...

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