Tell Your Senators to Ask the Tough Questions
by JWI Staff
JWI continues to work every day for women and girls. We’re asking questions, holding elected officials accountable, and actively opposing politicians who want to roll back our progress towards greater health, economic security, and equality for women and girls. We are standing strong.
In the coming weeks, as hearings for Cabinet nominees continue, JWI will be watching closely and speaking out. Join us – call your senators and tell them to ask the tough questions and oppose nominees whose records indicate that they have not or will not stand up for women and girls.
Call your Senators!
Betsy DeVos, nominee for Secretary of Education
Hearing: Tuesday, January 17
Who is she?
Billionaire and former chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, longtime donor and activist for school choice and charter schools.
Why JWI is concerned:
DeVos has little to no experience with public education, federal civil rights law, and other crucial areas overseen by the Department of Education.
We need to know:
What is DeVos’s stance on preventing campus sexual violence? How will she ensure that Title IX is enforced and the civil rights of survivors are protected? How will she act to ensure the safety of sexual assault survivors on campus and prevent future violence?
Rep. Tom Price, Nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services
Hearing: Wednesday January 18
Who is he?
Orthopedic surgeon and current Member of Congress
Why JWI is opposed:
Price is an opponent of reproductive rights who supports the defunding of Planned Parenthood, and has previously proposed severe cuts to Medicaid and CHIP, crucial government programs that support healthcare access for low-income women and children.
Price supports repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which gave millions of low-income women access to healthcare and implemented crucial women’s health provisions, including bans on pre-existing conditions and gender discrimination in insurance pricing, and coverage for domestic violence screenings and contraception.
Andrew Puzder, nominee for Secretary of Labor
Hearing: Not yet scheduled
Who is he?
CEO of CKE Restaurants, the franchiser of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants
Why is JWI opposed?
Puzder has a long record of opposing worker protections, from minimum wage to paid sick days. He oversaw a series of sexist and degrading marketing campaigns for his company’s restaurant chains, and said in defense of these ads, “I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis. I think it’s very American.”
Puzder’s company’s restaurants had higher-than-average rates of sexual harassment allegations while he was CEO, with a shocking 66 percent of female employees reporting harassment. JWI has serious concerns regarding Puzder’s ability to promote the safety of domestic and sexual violence survivors in the workplace, prevent and address sexual harassment, and support the economic security of working women.