Women's Issues

This week, I bring you some updates on the American Rescue Plan, COVID-19 vaccines, Women's History Month, and more.

My weekly video update for my constituents, including updates on Hispanic Heritage Month, the recent whistleblower complaint about forced hysterectomies at ICE detention facilities, and HHS officials changing scientific reports.

I want to tell you about two recent U.S. District Court rulings that I am following closely that have major implications for access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

For my entire career, I have worked to advance reproductive freedom. I will always remember the horrifying story of my friend’s back-alley abortion pre-Roe v. Wade. Roe was not the beginning of women having abortions, it was the end of women dying from abortions.

Last week, the Arizona Supreme Court gave the go-ahead to enforce an antiquated law that bans nearly all abortions in the state. This cruel ban was first enacted in 1864—more than 150 years ago, before Arizona was even a state and well before women had secured the right to vote.

On Friday, the Supreme Court granted the Department of Justice’s emergency stay application in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, preventing a lower court decision from going into effect that would have put women’s health at risk and undermined FDA’s medical judgment. For now, Mifepristone, which is used in 54% of all abortions, remains safe, legal, and available. But let me make it clear – the battle is not over. I will continue to fight and advocate for bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom.

I started out the week with Senator Dick Durbin and Attorney General Kwame Raoul speaking to University of Illinois Chicago law students about my legislation to stop illegal robocalls. Some constituents I have spoken with said they receive half a dozen or more calls per hour. These intrusive calls must end.

We need commonsense gun safety legislation to address America’s gun violence epidemic. Last week, I joined Vice President Kamala Harris, Moms Demand Action, and other gun safety advocates at Everytown for Gun Safety’s annual conference to demand greater action on gun control. Gun safety laws are vital to saving lives in our community and nationwide, and I am so thankful to the advocates in my district who are helping lead the charge. The conference took place the same day that Illinois’ Supreme Court upheld our ban on the sale of assault weapons. I am proud of my home state.