The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is devoted to making sure that every woman has the right to make the best decision for herself and her family about whether and when to have a child, without any interference. To this end, they have been advocating for laws that would guarantee full pay equity for women in the workplace. This is an essential step towards achieving equality, but there is still much work to be done. When the 39th Congress convened in December 1865, women's suffragists were already formulating their strategy. The Senate and House of Representatives had appointed a 15-member joint committee, known as the Joint Committee on Reconstruction, to investigate the issues of a nation ravaged by war.
Women activists argued that the committee should consider granting them the right to vote as well. I am a strong proponent of initiatives to increase prevention and research into diseases such as breast cancer, which affects one in eight women during their lifetime. Howard was a key figure in drafting and revising the Fourteenth Amendment, which was a major step towards recognizing women's rights. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other activists organized a petition campaign to send to members of Congress in support of women's suffrage. Many legislators held traditional views on the role of women in society, believing that their most important contributions came from being wives, mothers and homemakers. Senator Hoar was elected by the Massachusetts state legislature in 1877 and quickly earned respect from both parties for her intellectual curiosity and determination.
She was part of a small but growing Senate minority that supported women's suffrage in the 1880s. In Indiana, legislation has been passed to ensure that people with pre-existing conditions have access to treatment, and that insurers cannot charge more for women than men or impose lifetime limits. However, despite significant progress, women and girls still face systemic barriers that prevent them from participating fully and equally in our economy and society. I support legislation that allows working women and men to take leave under the Family Medical Leave Act, even if they only work part-time as long as they have been with their employers for at least twelve months.
