14 shootings, #VAWA4ALL twitter storm TODAY, and healthcare denied: Your civic action to-do list for 10-16-19
3. There were 14 shootings across the United States yesterday - in Texas, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Colorado, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Hawaii, New York, and Oklahoma - yet the Senate has done nothing.
In a nutshell: While no single policy will end all gun violence, there are many policies that will help us move in the right direction - an assault weapons ban, universal background checks, and extreme risk protection orders. The Violence Against Women Act, that passed the House in April, also has important gun violence prevention provisions, preventing adjudicated abusers from purchasing and accessing firearms.
Take Action: Listen to our own Dorian Karp in YWCA's podcast "A Week Without Violence: Ending Gun Violence and Disarming Domestic Abusers" to learn more about the link between domestic violence and gun violence and the deadly loopholes that must be closed.
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2. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, tell your Senators they must take action on a VAWA bill that meets the needs of survivors. Senators need to know their constituents care - and are watching.
In a nutshell: It has been 6 months since the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 (VAWA), with strong bipartisan support. It is past time for the Senate to take action on a substantially similar bill that maintains important protections for vulnerable survivors while making critical enhancements to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
Take Action: Join a twitter storm TODAY at 2PM EST to call on the Senate to take up H.R. 1585. Use THIS social media toolkit to create your post. Don't forget to use the hashtags #VAWA4ALL and #DVAM2019!
1. Everyone in America should be able to access healthcare, but current federal regulations greatly restrict immigrants' eligibility for health insurance coverage. The current restrictions are harmful for immigrants' health and interfere with their basic right to protect their own and their families' health and economic well-being.
In a nutshell: Yesterday The HEAL for Immigrant Women and Families Act was introduced in the House of Representatives. The bill would remove legal barriers that restrict immigrant's access to Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the healthcare marketplaces established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Take Action: Call your Representative and tell them to co-sponsor this important piece of legislation!