Action on gun violence, job protection for new moms, and hunger in the U.S.: Civic action to-do list for 4-23-18

3. Take Action on Gun Violence

We have the right to live in a world without gun violence. Just yesterday a man used an assault rifle to kill four people at a restaurant in Tennessee, and on Friday morning a student was wounded in a school shooting in Florida. Students in America shouldn’t have to practice lockdown drills and adults shouldn’t have to train themselves to look for the nearest exits. At 10:00 a.m. Friday, thousands of students demanding action on gun violencewalked out of school for the  National School Walkout . We must follow their lead. Call your  Members of Congress  and tell them to co-sponsor the “ Assault Weapons Ban ” (S. 2095/H.R. 5087) to make sure that everyday Americans don’t have access to weapons of war!

2. Needs of New Moms

No woman should be prevented from doing her job, whether she is pregnant or a new mom. Last week the Senate unanimously passed a resolution to allow babies on the Senate floor during votes to accommodate the needs of new mom Senator Tammy Duckworth - but not all women work in such supportive environments. In 1978 Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), making it illegal to discriminate in all aspects of employment by whichexpanding the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include pregnancy discrimination. B ut 30 years later  pregnant women continue to face negative stereotypes and unfair treatment : Nearly 31,000 pregnancy discrimination charges were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 2010 to 2015. Call on your  Members of Congress  to co-sponsor the “ Pregnant Workers Fairness Act ” (S. 1101/H.R.2417). The U.S. must stop discrimination and promote economic security for pregnant women!

1. Protect Vulnerable Americans from Hunger

No one in America should go hungry, but lawmakers recently released a draft of the  2018 Farm Bill  that would decimate the most important anti-hunger program in the country. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) protects millions from hunger and helps our elderly, single mothers with children, and veterans to make ends meet. Call your  Members of Congress  and tell them to protect SNAP. Everyone in America deserves to eat affordable nutritious food!