Women's Rights

Make abortion safe, legal, and rare. Limiting choice is an invasion of privacy and relegates women to second-class citizenship. Sue Kelly, in virtual lockstep with the Republican Party, has continuously voted to diminish choice. She has repeatedly failed to protect the rights of the people of the Hudson Valley, by supporting restrictions on choice that ignore health consequences for pregnant women. When elected, I will fight to protect a women's right to choose. I believe in the sanctity of the family. Families should be able to control their health and well-being. The government's role is to not dictate, but support the decisions of families. To this end, all women deserve access to safe medical facilities, and effective prenatal and neonatal care. I will also work to develop affordable childcare and fair treatment of working mothers. Sadly, under the Republican-led Congress, the number of abortions has actually increased while the availability and safety of these procedures has declined. As your Congressman, I will help create a world where abortions are available, but rarely needed.

Prevent teenage pregnancy. The Republican-led Congress and Sue Kelly have systematically eliminated effective programs intended to educate young women and prevent teenage pregnancy. Using methods that are ineffective and deceptive, the Republicans are exposing future generations to increased risk with little concern for the effect this has on our young women. As a principal, I have seen firsthand the impact of health education on the prevention of unplanned pregnancies. I will work to ensure that the young women of the Hudson Valley not only have choices but know about these choices so they can make informed decisions.

Protect the health of women. The Republicans in Congress, supported by Sue Kelly, have replaced non-partisan medical experts with right-wing zealots who care more about their own political agenda than about women's health. Religious restrictions that affect women’s health are increasing across the country, including pharmacists refusing to fill contraception prescriptions, hospitals prohibiting certain services, and women being denied information and counseling. As your Congressman, I will fight to ensure that medical experts make the decisions about the availability of health technologies. I will fight against the conservatives who are trying to block the availability of the morning-after pill, ‘Plan B’, despite an FDA advisory committee’s recommendation that the drug be made available over the counter. The development of a vaccine for cervical cancer for is a welcome development and I would work to ensure that it is available to all young women and girls regardless of income and insurance coverage.

Advance Women’s Human Rights. The Bush administration and the Republican Congress have extended their unilateralist foreign policy to the area of international women’s human rights, hindering the efforts of other nations to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS, promote women’s reproductive health, and increase development. They have alienated our allies by appointing unqualified UN representatives on women’s issues and insisting on ineffective religiously motivated programs and severe cuts to federal funding of international family planning and health programs. I would work to change this approach to women’s rights and work with the international community to create international resolutions and policies that will work to increase women’s status in developing countries which will in turn, increase sustainable development.

Ensure Fair Treatment. The Bush administration has repeatedly tried to undermine Title XI, which provides important opportunities for women and girls in athletics and academics. Recently, the administration quietly amended the law, without congressional approval, to further erode women’s opportunities to compete in intercollegiate athletics. Sue Kelly has not chosen to cosponsor the House bill that asks the administration to withdraw this amendment. I would, because I believe in the importance of this legislation and would work to support and promote it.

Enable Work/Life Balance. Both women and men need the flexibility to take time off from paid employment to care for their children. Guaranteed parental leave is vital to women’s equality and the growth of our society. Women’s progress in the employment market and in public life depends in part on their ability to take leave to care for children or an elderly parent without jeopardizing their job. While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides unpaid leave for some employees, it is not enough. I support the creation of limited paid leave so that more employees can afford to use the leave granted to them under this legislation.

Increase the availability of childcare. Affordable childcare is also important to our children’s development, women’s equality, and economic growth. Parents want and need to participate in the employment market and the cost of childcare is currently prohibitive for most parents. I support improving state and federal efforts to make childcare more affordable for working parents.

Address the continued violence against women. Sexual and domestic violence remain a major threat to the safety and well-being of women across America. I strongly support federal funding to ensure women and children have access to advocacy and assistance services. I also support protections to ensure victims of violence do not face discrimination in their search for housing and employment. I support efforts to enhance the safety of technological and databasing systems that protect women’s anonymity. I also support efforts to improve the treatment of victims in the criminal justice system, including the development of a consistent and fair set of victim’s rights and protections.