“Just like EMILY’s List, Diane has been a loyal supporter of Michelle from the very beginning. She understands the real need we have for women’s voices at all levels of government. A big thanks to Diane from all of us for standing strong for Michelle.” EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock noted after reading Denish’s op-ed.

Michelle Lujan Grisham needs your support! The primary is June 5th and we have to help her stay strong and fight back against these attacks. Support Michelle Lujan Grisham by donating today!

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Let Her Speak

Motherhood and Politics

Honoring women

Today an all-male panel of Member of the House will hear witnesses on H.R. 3803, a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy only in the District of Columbia. The Democrats on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution have called a D.C. resident, Professor Christy Zink, whom we recommended to testify, because she had to have an abortion after 20 weeks under tragic circumstances. Her testimony will be front and center. Even before the hearing, however, Republicans have created yet another controversy by refusing to extend me the courtesy of testifying on behalf of the residents I was elected to represent, a long-standing congressional tradition.

Republican bullying tactics began with a bill that passed the House (but not the Senate) that would permanently prohibit the District of Columbia from spending its own local funds on abortions for low-income women. The same Judiciary Committee Republicans have now escalated their attack, from low-income women in the District to all women in the District, as well as women across the region who are cared for by physicians and health care personnel here. Under the bill, physicians who perform post-20-week abortions are subject to fines and up to two years in jail.

Senators, Members of the House, and women throughout the country have Tweeted their outrage. They understand this bill for what it is -- a stalking horse for overturning Roe v. Wade and attacking the reproductive rights of women across the nation. My constituents are the Republicans’ chosen guinea pigs. Now is the time for women across the country to protest what the Republicans are doing to us and to stop them before they reach their chosen destinations nationwide. And now is the time to send more women to Congress, so the voices of women from every state and district can be heard.

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Motherhood and Politics

Honoring women

Happy Mother's Day

In a special Mother’s Day interview on MSNBC’s “UP with Chris Hayes,” Rep. Chellie Pingree and her daughter Hannah Pingree, former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, discussed the intersection of women’s political ambitions, family life, and modern day policy battles over motherhood.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And Chellie’s story couldn’t be a better example. Her daughter Hannah pushed her to pursue running for office, telling her mother to “go for it.”

Influenced by her mom, Hannah grew up to become involved in politics herself, becoming Speaker of the House in the Maine State Legislature. “[She] probably is how I got the political bug and why I got so involved in politics today. For me it was amazing to have a mom as a political role model and obviously that’s how we change politics, to have a lot more moms as political role models,” Hannah said of her Mom’s role in her choice to pursue politics.

Chellie explained, “When you get women who have been mothers, who are thinking about family issues, the cost of childcare, the cost to feed your kid, what it takes to get a kid through school and educate them in college, women bring a different sensibility to that.” We couldn’t agree more.

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Honoring women

Happy Mother's Day

At It Again

In a race against scandal-plagued Republican Congressman David Rivera, businesswoman Gloria Romero Roses has stepped into the ring to fight for Florida’s middle class families. Born in Colombia, Gloria has lived in the Sunshine State since age seven. She’s managing partner of Nexus Homes, LLC, which connects investors with high-quality assisted living facilities, and she’s ready to take her business acumen and solutions-oriented approach to Congress. But for Gloria to compete in the newly-drawn 26th Congressional District, she will first have to clear a Democratic primary -- and her campaign is off to a strong start.

Gloria has been “living the American dream” with her family, and she wants to protect programs like Medicare that ensure those dreams don’t get derailed. Meanwhile, her opponent David Rivera has been investigated for criminal and ethical violations. As reported by the Miami Herald, prosecutors said Rivera “‘essentially live[d] off’ campaign contributions for almost a decade while serving as a part-time state lawmaker, paying mortgages on four different properties and jetting around the globe though he never held a full-time job or earned more than $28,000 a year.”

All of this adds up to an opportunity to unseat an unscrupulous Republican with a fresh face like Gloria. Though she’s a first-time candidate, Gloria has been working behind the scenes to support pro-choice, Democratic women as Statewide Vice Chair and Regional Chair of Ruth’s List Florida. She still mentors students at her alma mater, Florida International University, and she’s been involved in educational issues in her community. Gloria’s combination of common sense and dedication to lifting up others is exactly what Florida’s 26th district deserves.

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Show Me a Better Candidate

Honoring women

Happy Mother's Day

No one is sure about the origin of Missouri’s unofficial slogan, the “Show-Me” state . In an 1899 speech, Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver said, “I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.” Though he may not have coined “show-me,” Vandiver certainly popularized the phrase that embodies the no-nonsense character of Missourians.

Cass County Prosecutor Teresa Hensley has the show-me spirit in spades, and she’s ready to bring that approach to Congress so she can fight for the families of the 4th District . She has deep Missouri roots and strong ties to the community she protects by prosecuting criminals . She’s serious about women’s safety, and was recognized by the Missouri Attorney General with a Justice Award for Domestic Violence Prevention . Teresa wants to serve in Congress so she can protect Medicare and Social Security for her parents, union jobs for workers like her brother, and Pell grants for students like her nephew.

Currently representing the 4th District is Tea Partier Vicky Hartzler , swept into Congress on the Republican wave of 2010. Hartzler didn’t get the memo on Missouri’s motto. Apparently, she thought it meant “show me the money” from oil companies (to the tune of over $36,000) and from the Koch Brothers. And she got it wrong again, saying she had “a lot of doubts” about President Obama’s birth certificate and that she didn’t “understand why he didn’t show that right away .”

It’s high time to show Missourians a better candidate, and Teresa Hensley fits the bill.

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Honoring women

Happy Mother's Day

At it again

On Mother’s Day this year, join me in taking time to reflect on a special woman who has made a difference in your life, a woman who helped you become the person you are today.

When I think about my career in politics I’m absolutely sure that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the love, strength, and support my mother, Lori, has given me.

She’s been there for me through every turn and I am so thankful. That’s why, this Mother’s Day, I’m honoring her with a contribution to EMILY’s List. Because she dropped everything to volunteer during my toughest campaigns and because she never let me quit, no matter what.

Just like my mom, there are women all over the country making an incredible impact. And this year, we need to be standing together to protect all the work these women have done – because generations to come are relying on us. That’s what we are working to do at EMILY’s List, every single day. By electing more pro-choice Democratic women, we know that our hard-fought freedoms will be kept safe.

Today, let’s remember all the women who’ve empowered us -- in our careers, in the fight for our rights, and in our everyday lives. And let’s make this Mother’s Day one where we really show our gratitude.

The women who’ve brought us where we are today are truly amazing. Thank you to my mom and to all these amazing mothers. Happy Mother’s Day to all of you.

Make this Mother’s Day extra special. Join me and honor a woman who made a difference in your life by contributing to EMILY’s List.

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Happy Mother's Day

At it again

One Chance for a Democratic Woman Governor

This past week, we asked our Facebook Fans to reflect on how their mom, grandmother, sister, wife or other special woman in their life influenced their decision to be politically active and stand up for women's rights - like health care, equal pay, and access to birth control.

Since we asked many of you to share your experience, I thought it was only fair for me to talk about mine. My mom was never overly political. I do remember going to vote with her, but nothing beyond that. For me though, it wasn't going to rallies and discussing politics at the dinner table. It was more instilling the values of truth, justice, and knowledge that have driven me into politics, first in High School and college, and now in my professional life. And now, since I work at EMILY's List, she gets to brag about how well she raised me. Thanks mom.

We received many great responses and below are a few of the answers we got.

Cate: I remember my mom always saying that the positions a politician holds on women's issues say more about who s/he is as person than anything else. It speaks volumes about priorities and values. But specifically I remember my mom taking my older brother to a pro-choice rally in Washington D.C. and being insanely jealous that he got to go and I didn't! That brought home the fact that "women's issues" are human issues! We, male and female, all need to stand up and demand respect as individuals. It didn't hurt that she has always said one of the main reasons she married my father (a nurse midwife) was because she knew he'd be a great father to a girl and she was right!

Vicky: My mother was a women's lib-er LONG before it was ever even mentioned. She was an artist, an architect, an instructor. She could (and did) dig in and build a block wall (literally) just as easily as she could cook a meal. She was a Republican, but her commitment to education was life-long, serving 2 terms on the local school district board of education when I was young, then many more terms on the board of the community college where she was an instructor for over 30 yrs. She NEVER told me that I COULDN'T do something, and encouraged me to be me, even if 'being me' meant not being a republican. Because of my mom, I am a strong woman with many skills and interests that aren't common among my female friends... and I credit HER with giving me a strong example to follow.

Samantha: My mom grew up during the Dr. King era. As we got older she told us the importance of voting. When we became 18 years old we had to register to vote. My mom is the shortest of all of us, but the fear that she put in us to vote and to protect our rights, it went a long way. All 5 of my sisters vote in almost every election. We have been active voters and our children are that way as well. She says it is your strong voice, so use it. My mom is now 69 and I remember an election with the city was being held and I jumped out of bed real early and went and stood in the line to vote. I could hear her voice, "Samantha did you vote today?" Yes I did, yes I did.

Nancy: Speak your mind, speak the truth and quite frankly, "give a damn!" Thanks mom!

Tiffany: My mother was a leader in the Republican Party, yes THAT party. She taught me to be politically aware, and a strong woman. A woman with a voice. I am a Democrat and we used to laugh about how her daughter could be a Democrat, but she always supported my active stance and would debate with me about issues that typically divide the parties. We would get VERY passionate during these debates, but would always end with an "I love you" and plans to do something together. My mother died July 2010 and I miss her every day. I cherish what she has taught me and I know she is proud of me.

Blithe: When I was in 4th grade we were sent home to ask the older members of the family what the greatest invention from their lifetime was. My great-great aunt said the washing machine, my grandfather said the TV. My grandmother said "The Pill" - the look on my teacher's face was priceless :)

Toni: My mother came to the US as a teenager, turning 14 on the boat that took her from her old home in Sicily to a port in NY where she then traveled to her new home in the Midwestern US. The quiet strength that grew within her as an immigrant child in a foreign land was an integral part of the woman who has influenced me more than any other. Her influence has always been subtle but ever present. There was no command to vote, stand up, speak out, etc., but rather an all encompassing love and support that gave me the foundation to be active and present in my life. When I, as a child, refused to bend to the norms of gender and culture, she never pressured me to conform and always encouraged me to do what I believe, and believe what I do. She came with me to vote for the very first time, listening to the passionate tirade of a newly politically empowered 18 year old the entire way to the polls. 20 years later, she's still listening just as intently as she did that day.

Lee: My mother had activism in her bone marrow. In high school in the 1940s, she was called "political woman." She used to put my little brother in the stroller to make her rounds as a Republican Party block worker in the late 1950s. She circulated petitions, registered people to vote, and wrote letters to the editor. When picketers used intimidation to block access to the only clinic in the state where abortions were performed, she escorted women and their partners through safely. She was active in PTA, in establishing a drug abuse prevention program in the schools, in starting a shelter for women and children who were fleeing abuse, and in campaigning for the Equal Rights Amendment. She urged (in person) office-holders to appoint more women to commissions and positions of public responsibility. Through it all, she taught me the importance of participating in the democratic process, and in discussing differences fairly and reasonably and working toward solutions that were best for everyone.

Melissa: My three granddaughters are my most motivating influences! Earlier in my life I was frankly, too busy to do much more than vote and discuss women's issues. As this next generation of young girls has blessedly come into my life, I am tuned into their future dreams, needs, and aspirations as never before! I want a wonderful, fair, healthy environment for their sweet lives - it is all I can think of some days. Thus, I am involved on many levels to ensure this happening!

Sue Ellen: My mother was a lifelong Democrat and held public office. She was county treasure for many years and was the first woman to work for the State of Kansas, Department of Revenue under the leadership of the late, great Governor George Docking. This was in the late 50's. Not only was she the first woman she was the only woman for many years. Mother taught us we could do anything we wanted too. She never believed her gender could hold her back.

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At it again

One Chance for a Democratic Woman Governor

This weekend in Connecticut...

House Republicans are at it again. As expected, the GOP is putting the interests of corporate America and 1% ahead of women, and families.

Yesterday, House Republicans approved a bill that will protect the Department of Defense at the expense of vital programs for women, children, and the neediest Americans. One fourth of all proposed GOP cuts would remove funds from Medicaid, Meals on Wheels, and other programs that protect children. And families who need help making ends meet to put food on the table? The cuts will make it harder for them too. The SNAP food stamp program would lose up to $7.7 billion in funding in the first year and $33.2 over ten years.

But it’s not just children who get the short end of the stick. While the rest of us prepare to celebrate the mothers and other important women in our lives on Sunday, the GOP continues to slash funding to women’s health programs. Cuts to funding for insurance exchanges and Medicaid would adversely affect millions of women. Cuts to State Social Services Programs (SSSP) will affect women who are victims of domestic violence. Massachusetts, for example, uses money from SSSP to fund domestic violence prevention and treatment programs.

Lucky for millions of women and families, this bill is unlikely to become law. President Obama has threatened to veto the bill, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid promised that the GOP bill is dead on arrival in the Senate. Still, these repeated attacks on women are troubling.

This is just another example of why we need more pro-choice Democratic women to stand with women like Lois Capps and Kathy Hochul in the House. These women are looking out for the rights, health and safety of women, children and those most vulnerable. Without their courage in battling GOP right-wing extremism, many of these cuts would have become law years ago.

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One Chance for a Democratic Woman Governor

This weekend in Connecticut...

WHY 2012: Houston Conference

At the end of 2012 we could be faced with a nation that has zero Democratic women governors. Zero. For the first time in over 15 years. And that's not a step back that I am willing to take.

At EMILY's List, we work to elect Democratic women to every level of office. And it's every level of office for a reason.

Electing Democratic women governors has never been more crucial. And at this critical moment for women in America we only have one chance. That chance is Maggie Hassan. And Maggie is playing to win.

Maggie is running the kind of campaign that wins in New Hampshire. She's building a winning coalition for November and she's hitting the ground running. We have to start now -- we can't wait while the Republicans coalesce around a hard-right extremist like Ovide LaMontagne. The stakes are simply too high -- for New Hampshire and our nation.

Maggie has been a powerful force in New Hampshire politics for years, and I can't think of anyone I'd rather see take residence in the governor's seat. And she's running a strong campaign that will take her there.

In the State Senate, Maggie helped pass an innovative program that provides businesses with alternatives to laying off workers and increased worker training. She also knows that in order to have a brighter future for our country and our economy we need to start early. So she worked to improve New Hampshire's education system, by helping to pass legislation for universal access to kindergarten, raising the high school dropout age and increasing funding for community colleges and universities.

She understands that women want to focus on jobs and the economy and policies that will help their families, not on policies that restrict their rights. As Maggie said, "You don't strengthen the economy by limiting women's rights." And she's right.

Not only is Maggie a fantastic candidate, but she represents a larger movement. Her victory would be a rebuke of the regressive extremist GOP agenda playing out not only in Congress, but in state capitols across the country.

A state with a Democratic woman as governor would not see its equal pay protection repealed. A state with a Democratic woman governor would not see mandates for invasive, medically unnecessary ultrasounds. A Democratic woman governor would not defund Planned Parenthood and put the health of millions of women at risk.

In 2011, there were over 1,100 pieces of anti-choice legislation introduced in state capitols. 1,100 pieces of legislation, 1,100 times the GOP told women they weren't qualified to make their own decisions, 1,100 attempts to turn back the clock. It was a record year in the worst of ways.

At the end of 2012 two EMILY's List heroes, Governors Chris Gregoire and Bev Perdue, will be retiring. They are the only Democratic women governors in the country, and when they leave office it's possible there won't be any Democratic women to take their place.

Women legislators recognize the difference between legislating for women and families and legislating at them. When more women hold office it changes the conversation. It changes from a conversation about women to a conversation with women -- and that difference is huge.

That's why it's so important to us to elect woman up and down the ballot. So that women are in every office. So that women can not only be involved in discussions at the state capitols but can set the agenda for their states. They can return the focus to issues important to women and families.

As a former Majority Leader of the state Senate, Maggie knows the politics of the state inside and out and will be able to set an agenda that does just that. That's why at EMILY's List we're so excited to stand with Maggie Hassan in her campaign to become the governor of New Hampshire.

This originally appeared on the Huffington Post.

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This weekend in Connecticut...

WHY 2012: Houston Conference

First Look: Maggie Hassan!

And Connecticut voters have the chance to vote for one of the most dynamic, focused, and formidable candidates running in America this year. Susan Bysiewicz will do two important things with her victory: she’ll be the first woman Connecticut has ever sent to the Senate (really, Connecticut?) – and she’ll be a champion who will stand up for the middle class and hold Wall Street accountable.

Susan’s campaign has been one of the smartest and most innovative of 2012 – her detailed plan to take on Wall Street, end corporate welfare, and reform government is exactly what Connecticut voters want after years of watching Main Street suffer at the hands of politicians who serve the special interests.

It’s clear Susan’s message is resonating. In the latest public poll, Susan beats likely GOP nominee Linda McMahon by double digits. And that lead has grown as the campaign has progressed.

Democrats will make sure that their nominee has the resources to win in November – and with McMahon poised to write herself a check totaling tens of millions, we better be. At EMILY’s List, we’re committed to breaking more than a couple glass ceilings this year by sending women to the Senate from states that have never done it before. When Susan comes through her primary, she’ll join women like Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Baldwin, and Shelley Berkley as a trail-blazer who will make history with her victory in November.

In the end, it will come down to whose message resonates with an electorate that’s sick of building up Wall Street at the expense of the middle class. And Susan has been a strong and consistent voice on this most important issue.

Susan is a strong campaigner who’s won statewide in Connecticut before. She’s an impressive fundraiser who polls like a winner. Connecticut has the chance this weekend to say yes to making history, beating McMahon, and taking one more step forward in sending a champion for the middle class to Washington.

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First Look: Maggie Hassan!

So...how does one go about meeting an astronaut?

Her mission isn’t complete

Last weekend, EMILY’s List held its WHY 2012 Majority Council conference in Houston, Texas, the first in a series of regional conferences with events in Chicago, San Francisco, and New York coming soon. These conferences give attendees a chance to hear from EMILY’s List staff and candidates and find out more about this historic year for women.

Briefings led by senior staff members from EMILY’s List, including political director Jonathan Parker and WOMEN VOTE! director Denise Feriozzi, provided attendees with insight on why 2012 is such an important year, the incredible number of women running for office across the country, and what EMILY’s List is doing to help them. As EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock put it, “At EMILY’s List, we’ve got the know-how, and we’ve got the team [and] we’ve certainly got the candidates!”

Elected officials from the state of Texas including Mayor of Houston Annise Parker, Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, Texas state Senator Wendy Davis, and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee were joined by a number of EMILY’s List candidates from across the country -- Congresswoman Betty Sutton of Ohio; Kyrsten Sinema, running for Congress in Arizona; Michelle Lujan Grisham, running for Congress in New Mexico; Val Demings, running for Congress in Florida; and Susan Bysiewicz, running for U.S. Senate in Connecticut.

These women shared advice and personal stories from their own experiences running for office, the challenges they faced, and how EMILY’s List has stood by them.

Read some tweets from attendees, and check out our slideshow of pictures below to see photos from this incredible conference.

Yes! @emilyslist @anniseparker we need to see more women candidates at all levels! I want to see it happen here in #Miami ASAP

— Vanessa Christiansen (@vnsschrstnsn) April 30, 2012

“@emilyslist: Moving story from @kyrstensinema about overcoming the challenges of running for office as a young woman.” Love @kyrstensinema

— Karyn Lathan (@KarynforAzHouse) April 30, 2012

Could 2012 surpass 1992 as the year of the woman? ~ City Councilwoman Sylvia Garcia @emilyslist

— Jackie Mintz (@jemintz) April 30, 2012

"People don't want government on their backs, but they do want it on their side" Congresswoman Betty Sutton @emilyslist

— Jackie Mintz (@jemintz) April 30, 2012

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First Look: Maggie Hassan!

So...how does one go about meeting an astronaut?

Her mission isn’t complete

When the New Hampshire House leadership took a cue from the Blunt Amendment and decided to author a bill that would allow employers to deny contraception coverage , former Senate Majority Leader and now gubernatorial candidate Maggie Hassan had something to say about it.

In a press conference, Maggie took a stand: “Women should have freedom to make their own health-care decisions. The legislature wants to give that power to employers. We should not go back to the days where women were paying up to $1,000 more a year out-of-pocket for basic health care. This unbelievable attempt to turn back the clock on women’s health care must be stopped.”,/p>

Her Republican opponents, however, toed the line. Both Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith accused Maggie of somehow “politicizing” this issue – which conveniently ignores the fact that a New Hampshire law requiring health insurance plans to cover contraception has been on the books for 12 years.

Many of the key battles in the War on Women are being fought in our state houses , which is why it’s more urgent than ever to elect pro-choice, Democratic women like Maggie Hassan as governor – officials who’ll stand up to the rising tide of anti-woman policies.

Sadly, we have precious few opportunities in 2012 to help get Democratic women into governor’s mansions . And we if don’t do everything possible to support EMILY’s List candidates Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire and Kathleen Falk in Wisconsin, we could have no Democratic women governors at all.

We’d better get to work.

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So...how does one go about meeting an astronaut?

Her mission isn’t complete

Exclusive! Watch our new Gabby Giffords video before it premieres tonight!

It was a thrill and an honor to present Congresswoman Gabby Giffords with the We Are EMILY Award last night. Here’s a quick look at what folks were saying on Twitter about the event.

Ha! "There's nothing like being at a women's event with a new haircut." -Ellen Malcolm #weareemily

— EMILY's List (@emilyslist) April 24, 2012

So proud to honor @GabbyGiffords tonight at @EMILYsList's #WeAreEMILY event. Gabby continues to be such an inspiration bit.ly/IdKyJZ

— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) April 24, 2012

"The cavalry that's coming isn't some guys on horses. It's women." #weareemily

— EMILY's List (@emilyslist) April 24, 2012

@emilyslist: .@GabbyGiffords enters to U2's Beautiful Day. The entire room is on their feet for longest standing ovation ever! #weareemily

— Lillie Schechter (@lillieschechter) April 25, 2012

Few dry eyes in crowd as @GabbyGiffords escorted onstage at EMILY's List fundraiser in DC

— Josh Lederman (@josh_lederman) April 25, 2012

Only @NancyPelosi can look good crying @emilyslist

— Kate Bukowski (@BukowskiK) April 25, 2012

Incredible to be with @GabbyGiffords tonight at EMILY'S List dinner. She is so amazingly strong and inspiring!

— Kyrsten Sinema (@kyrstensinema) April 25, 2012

"So...how does one go about meeting an astronaut?" - @Schriock1. #weareemily twitter.com/emilyslist/sta…

— EMILY's List (@emilyslist) April 25, 2012

At Emilys List tribute to Gabby Giffords.a Boehner-like moment(liquidity).remembrance of her return to vote on debt ceiling.great moment4all

— Steve Cohen (@RepCohen) April 25, 2012

Rep. Gabby Giffords being presented with the @EmilysList #WeAreEmily award. Total goosebumps. instagr.am/p/J0tqCwHN-P/

— Morgan Shoaff (@Morganized) April 25, 2012

"It will always be one of the great treasures of my life to have met you." - @dwstweets #weareemily

— EMILY's List (@emilyslist) April 25, 2012

"The essence of character is how we handle the here and the now." #weareemily

— Morgan Shoaff (@Morganized) April 25, 2012

Also gabby's mom: gabby remembers every boy she ever kissed, every bill she ever wrote, every Vespa she ever rode #weareemily

— Geraldine Sealey (@geraldinesealey) April 25, 2012

Goosebumps as @GabbyGiffords walks on stage at tonight's @EmilysList awards dinner. She is such an #inspiration

— Heather R. Mizeur (@heathermizeur) April 25, 2012

Debs introduces Gabby Giffords at #weareEMILY instagr.am/p/J0yhCrNd1S/

— Sianna (@siannalia) April 25, 2012

LOVED LOVED LOVED @DWStweets remarks accepting @emilyslist #WeAreEmily award on behalf of Rep. Gabby Giffords. #BestFriendsAreLikeSisters

— Recovering Lobbyist (@ExLobbyist) April 25, 2012

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Her mission isn’t complete

Exclusive! Watch our new Gabby Giffords video before it premieres tonight!

Hey Girl…

Last night, EMILY’s List honored Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords with the We Are EMILY Award for her leadership, dedication and service in Congress.

Among the 450 supporters were more than 40 members of Congress and many of EMILY’s List’s endorsed candidates this election cycle.

It was an emotional night, full of happiness, pride and laughter. Congresswoman Terri Sewell got the party started by welcoming guests and telling her personal story of how EMILY’s List was a critical part of getting elected. She was followed by House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi who praised Gabby by saying, “There is nothing more wholesome to the political and governmental process than the increased participation of women in the leadership.”

EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock saluted Gabby in her remarks, saying “You are what a true public servant looks like.” And DNC Chairwoman and friend of Gabby, Debbie Wasserman Schultz commented later, “It will always be one of the great treasures of my life to have met you.”

But the overall tone of the night wasn’t at all serious. The room was full laughter and excitement. Gabby has dedicated the same strength and determination to her recovery, as she did to her service in Congress. And it was that attitude and character that everyone came to celebrate.

Gabby's mom, Gloria Giffords, who spoke on her daughter’s behalf described Gabby's determination - a quality that her mom said Giffords has had since childhood. Her mom said, “She has the focus of a space shuttle captain - one in particular she’s quite fond of. She knows you don’t leave the ship. She’s not done. Her mission isn’t complete.”

Last night EMILY’s List also announced a new award named in Gabby’s honor: The Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award. This award will honor women who demonstrate the sort of commitment to community, dedication to women and families and determination and civility that have been the highlight of Gabby’s career.

Check out our slideshow of pictures below to catch up on the night.

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Exclusive! Watch our new Gabby Giffords video before it premieres tonight!

Hey Girl…

Taking nothing for Granite – Carol Shea-Porter is endorsed in New Hampshire’s First District!

Tonight we’re honoring Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords for her leadership and service in Congress. We’re presenting her with the We Are EMILY Award, and we’ll premiere this video. Check it out below to get an exclusive first look. Share it with your friends, post it on Facebook and Twitter, and follow us (@emilyslist) tonight using the hashtag #WeAreEMILY to join us virtually.

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Hey Girl…

Taking nothing for Granite – Carol Shea-Porter is endorsed in New Hampshire’s First District!

Protecting Our Women in Uniform

By now, you’ve seen the Ryan Gosling “Hey Girl…” meme floating around the internet – including Feminist Ryan Gosling and Equal Pay Ryan Gosling.

Since Ryan hasn’t returned our calls, we decided to have a little fun with the meme in our own way.

Mitt Romney says he supports women’s rights…until suddenly he doesn’t. For instance, when it comes to securing reproductive health and rights, deciding if he supports and would sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, or knowing how birth control works and how “personhood” amendments affect that. There are many more occasions where Romney has paid lip service to women’s rights, only to add caveats later that actually hurt women’s rights.

Can you think of your own idea for a Mitt Romney “Hey Girl…”? Leave it in the comments! Share these on Facebook or Pinterest!

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Taking nothing for Granite – Carol Shea-Porter is endorsed in New Hampshire’s First District!

Protecting Our Women in Uniform

Equal Pay Day 2012

Looks like the Tea Party’s over for New Hampshire Rep. Frank Guinta. Thanks to his tireless (or tired, depending on your viewpoint) support of the extremist GOP House leadership and Paul Ryan’s slash-and-burn budgets, Guinta’s approval rating sits at just 25%, and his town hall meetings are peppered with frustrated constituents.

Well, town hall meeting-goers of New Hampshire, we couldn’t agree more – that’s why EMILY’s List today announced our full and enthusiastic endorsement of Carol Shea-Porter in the First District. Carol is determined to regain the seat she held for two terms and we’re with her, all the way.

Carol made history as the Granite State’s first woman member of the House of Representatives when she defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Jeb Bradley in 2006. During her two terms in Congress Carol fought for what she calls “the bottom 99% of Americans,” backing bills to expand college aid and children’s health insurance and spearheading measures to increase small business loans and support veterans and their families.

Guinta, who campaigned on overturning Roe v. Wade, voted to defund Planned Parenthood and supported a draconian anti-choice bill banning abortions without exceptions for rape or the health of the mother. He voted to cut Head Start and Pell Grants, and introduced a bill to repeal key provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Despite Guinta’s obvious negatives, Carol faces an uphill battle. Guinta’s loyalty to the House leadership’s far-right agenda is earning substantial returns, with fundraisers headlined by John Boehner and attended by House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy – not to mention tens of thousands in contributions from conservative special interests.

EMILY’s List members helped Carol win in 2008 – and polls indicate the race is winnable in 2012. But we’ll need to move quickly to help her raise the funds necessary to compete with Guinta and introduce herself to new voters picked up during the Granite State’s redistricting process.

Carol Shea-Porter has shown time again that her courage is matched by both conviction and commitment. Let’s show Carol we have her back – and send her back, to the House, where she belongs!

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I had heard this kind of story too many times. These women had tried to get disability benefits, but it was too hard to prove the attack had occurred. It’s very difficult to prove sexual assault within the current system, making it hard for victims to qualify for the benefits they need. It’s truly a case of adding insult to injury.

The VA’s standards of proof for veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) because of a sexual assault are unreasonable, and much higher than the standard of proof for combat related incidents of PTSD. And PTSD is only one potential result of a sexual trauma; victims often suffer from depression or anxiety.

It’s absolutely outrageous that the men and women who sign up to defend our country end up being victims of sexual assault in the first place. For us, as a country, to then deny them the benefits they need to recover is simply unacceptable.

Victims often won’t report incidents because they don’t feel safe, or they think that when they do report them, it will likely be swept under the rug. That shouldn’t be a reason for their benefits to be denied. There isn’t any reason for their benefits to be denied.

I knew we couldn’t let the members of our military, who give so much to our country, get so little back in return at the moment they needed it most. I’ve been fighting to change these standards and make sure that members of our military have access to the protections, treatment and benefits they need and deserve.

It’s been the focus of the Military Sexual Assault Caucus to correct these problems. And our work has paid off. This week some of my colleagues and I met with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to discuss the proposed changes to the official military policy on sexual assault. These changes won’t make sexual assault in the military go away, but they are a good first step.

All military sexual assault cases will now be dealt with at a special court martial proceeding. This takes the incident out of the unit where the alleged abuse occurs which is a crucial step to securing a fair trial; currently these incidents are reviewed at the unit level, where the alleged attacker is often well known and popular.

In addition, a Special Victims Unit will be created, and it will be solely dedicated to investigating sexual assault. These specially trained investigators are much better suited to dealing with these unique and sensitive cases. And, all personnel will be required to undergo training within two weeks of joining the military and all units will be required to conduct an annual review of potential sexual assault problems.

These military men and women are true American heroes who should never be forced to suffer these kinds of attacks. In the event that they do, our policy needs to make help readily available and I think these proposed changes are a great first step in tackling this problem.

Chellie Pingree represents the first district of Maine in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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The War on Women wages on. And no, I'm not talking about caterpillars.

Today is Equal Pay Day. The sad fact is, in 2012, American women still earn only 77 cents on average for every dollar men make. This terrible wage gap has dire consequences for not only women, but for their families as well.

But Republicans think that 77 cents is more than enough for women. Earlier this month, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker repealed an equal pay law, making it easier for employers to have wage discrimination and harder for victims to prosecute. It’s just another example of Republican extremism turning back the clocks for women.

Last week, Mitt Romney, who has repeatedly called Scott Walker a "hero" and a "man of courage," couldn’t answer a simple question about whether he supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Ultimately, he came out in favor of the act, but it took him hours to decide. Hours to decide if equal pay for women was something he could publicly support. And he would not answer whether or not he would have actually signed the law that assures equal pay for women.

Still, that’s better than former Republican Congressman Pete Hoekstra, who is now running for Senate in Michigan against EMILY’s List candidate, Debbie Stabenow. He called the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act a “nuisance.” Really, Pete?! A nuisance? In Michigan, women make 74.4% of what men make. The median earnings for men in the state are $48, 953, but women only make $36,413 for the same work.

Let's get real: there's nothing courageous about attacking the economic security of women and their families. Rolling back equal pay laws is just another battle in the Republican War on Women. And we're simply not going to stand for it.

How do we fight back against the Republican War on Women? We must go all out to take back the House and keep our Senate firewall of pro-choice, Democratic women. EMILY's List women like Patty Murray and Kirsten Gillibrand have been leading the charge on equal pay, but they need back up. We must stand together against this extremism and make sure women get fair and equal treatment.

It's up to us to ensure that 2012 is a historic year for American women. We must unite our voices against the backwards policies of Republicans like Scott Walker and Mitt Romney. Sign our petition to tell Republicans that women deserve equal pay for equal work.

Want to know what the gender pay gap is in your home state? Check out our Pinterest board that breaks it down.

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NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn (another EMILY’s List hero; click here to see coverage of her and EL President Stephanie Schriock together talking about getting more women into politics), NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, NYC Comptroller John Liu, and former Comptroller Bill Thompson came together to endorse Grace Meng in her historic race to represent the diverse neighborhoods of NY’s 6th Congressional district. All have worked with Meng – an accomplished legislator who’s worked hard for women, families, and seniors – and they pledged to roll up their sleeves and work hard to help her win this tough – and critical – race.

This is a tough three-way primary for a newly-open seat. With such a compressed timeline, endorsements like these are critical, and today’s impressive showing of four leaders – all with different priorities and different profiles, but all totally committed to electing a hard-working congresswoman who will fight for the folks of her district and the progressive values they share, is great momentum for Grace Meng!

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