The Hillsboro School Board recently voted 4 to 3 to prevent the school-based health center at Century High School from providing students with access to contraceptives. There are 4 men and 3 women on the board—can you guess who voted for access to contraception? That's right: all 3 women stood up for women's reproductive health care. This is one of the many reasons why having women leaders in public office matters. It's unacceptable for men to make this health care decision for young women—when they've never known what it's like to be in their position. Tell the Hillsboro School Board: Provide birth control in the school-based health center! In Congress and in Hillsboro, I'll always stand up against attacks on women's health. Despite the national attacks on Planned Parenthood, Oregon has been a leader– we've reduced teen pregnancy rates by 55% between 1988 and 2014 through the expansion of comprehensive age-appropriate and science-based sexual education and access to contraception. This decision from the Hillsboro School Board sets us back and can hurt the future of young women. I'm proud to stand with the three women on the Hillsboro School Board who fought for the young women they serve. It's not the 1950's—we know that refusing to provide contraception to high school students does not stop them from having sex. Sign the petition: Provide access to contraceptives in Hillsboro's school-based health center!

We, the undersigned, are appalled by the partnership that has developed between Uber and the government of Saudi Arabia, the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive. Uber is profiting from this ban, generating tremendous revenue by providing male drivers to Saudi women who are not allowed to drive themselves. On top of that, Uber has now accepted $3.5 billion in investments from this repressive, misogynist Saudi government through its Public Investment Fund. To seal this sordid deal, Uber has granted a seat of its Board of Directors to Yasir Al Rumayyan, managing director of the Saudi government fund. Saudi women have been fighting for decades for this basic right that women have all over the world. They have gathered petitions, solicited the King, conducted acts of civil disobedience, and gone to prison. Uber should not be on the side of their oppressors but should be supporting the brave Saudi women.

Brock Allen Turner, a Stanford University student, was convicted of raping an unconscious woman on the Stanford campus after two graduate students found him on top of the woman, behind a dumpster, outside of a fraternity party. But California Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Turner to just six months in a county jail. As a Stanford graduate, I am disgusted that this rape occurred, and I am outraged by Judge Persky's sentence. Instead of justice, Judge Persky handed convicted rapist Brock Allen Turner the lightest possible sentence for raping an unconscious woman, saying that prison would have “a severe impact on [Turner].” It's worth noting that Turner’s father had called on the judge to give him only probation, saying he had already “paid a steep price" for “20 minutes of action." This rape culture cannot continue. Rapists must be held accountable for their actions, and judges who refuse to do so must resign. There is precedent for calling for a judge's resignation: Back in 2013, when Judge G. Todd Baugh sentenced a former high school teacher to just 30 days in prison for repeatedly raping a 14-year-old student, MoveOn member Kate Olp started a petition calling on the judge to resign. After thousands of MoveOn members and allies joined Kate's call, the Montana Judicial Standards Commission filed a formal complaint against the judge, and he ultimately did not seek re-election. Will you stand with me, just as MoveOn members stood with Kate Olp, and speak out against rape culture by calling for Judge Persky to resign?

Judge Aaron Persky sentenced convicted rapist Brock Allen Turner to just six months in county jail and probation after he was found guilty of raping an unconscious woman outside of a fraternity party on the Stanford campus. In his remarks at sentencing, Judge Persky justified this light sentence out of concern for Turner's future and the impact the verdict will have on his life. As a Stanford graduate, I'm disgusted that this rape occurred and I am outraged by Judge Persky's lenient sentence. Rapists must be held accountable for their actions, and judges who refuse to hold them accountable must be removed from the bench. The Committee on Judicial Performance has the authority to remove a judge. If enough of us speak out and demand justice, we can ensure judges like Judge Persky must value the life of the woman who was raped over the consequences of a just sentence for the rapist.

A judge just sentenced a Stanford University star athlete--who was caught in the act of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman--to only six months in jail. Why? Because the judge, Aaron Persky, worried that a prison sentence would have a "severe impact on him"--yes, the rapist--and said, "I think he will not be a danger to others." It's a horrifying example of rape culture: when a judge is more concerned with the well-being of a rapist than with justice or public safety. This judge has no business staying on the bench. Now the story is making headlines around the country and Judge Persky is coming under fire. If we all speak out, we can generate enough outrage to force California's judicial oversight commission to remove Judge Persky from the bench--and send a message to judges and law enforcement everywhere that rape culture has no place in our courts. Will you add your name?

The Oklahoma Legislature just passed a bill that would make a doctor who performs an abortion guilty of a felony and subject to a prison sentence of up to three years. The legislation would prevent any physician who performs abortions from securing or renewing a license to practice medicine in the state. The bill would undermine the right to abortion in Oklahoma and punish women's health care providers. It's on its way to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, who has a reputation for being an anti-abortion Republican. But the governor, who's also acknowledged to be a potential running mate for the presumed GOP nominee for president, Donald Trump, has not yet said publicly if she will sign the bill into law. This is the first such bill in the nation. We absolutely cannot allow it to become law. That's why we need to reach Gov. Fallin immediately with a clear call for her to veto this reckless and dangerous bill.

The Oklahoma state legislature just passed a bill that proposes to charge doctors who perform abortions with felonies which could come with associated prison sentences of up to three years. The bill also also denies any physician who performs abortions from securing or renewing a license to practice medicine in the state. It's on its way to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin who has a reputation of being an anti-abortion Republican. But the governor has not yet decided if she will sign the bill into law. This is the first such bill in the nation. We can't allow it to pass, which is why we need reach Governor Fallin immediately with a clear call for her to veto this reckless bill, which restricts women's rightful access to necessary health care.

HB 386 is working its way to the Governor in Louisiana. This bill would extend the mandatory waiting period for an abortion to 72 hours. Under the bill, women who live as far as 149 miles away from a clinic would be forced to drive over three hours to the clinic, take three or more days they may not have off of work, and find child care and a motel room to sit and wait out the government's intrusive clock. All for a common, safe procedure that 1 in 3 women will undergo. But some women cannot wait this long due to personal need or medical circumstance, and those who can will travel to other states. That means waiting periods for everyone. States that have passed similar laws have wasted millions defending them in court also, and Louisiana is about to do the same. Aren’t we in a budget crisis? Governor Bel Edwards and the legislature should focus on fixing the budget rather than attacking women.

Florida women can’t afford irresponsible and inconsistent representation in Congress.

The Florida State Legislature recently passed a law defunding Planned Parenthood, which Governor Rick Scott signed. This action would force Planned Parenthood clinics across the state to close later this year. As a result, millions of low income women will be left without basic reproductive health care. They will be unable to receive screening and diagnostic tests that prevent the spread of cancer, std's and other diseases, at an affordable cost. They would also be unable to access birth control, which prevents the need for abortions in the first place. How many women will die because of the actions of Governor Scott and the Florida legislature?

As the current law in Tennessee stands, expecting mothers may only receive pay at the employer’s discretion. We, a group of female students at Lipscomb University, would like to see this change. Why? The answer is simple: In today’s economy, no matter the situation, a woman cannot afford to be without pay for months at a time. The cost of living is rising. Basic needs from housing to groceries are becoming less affordable even for couples, let alone single women who by choice or by no choice conceive a child. To be expected to take a few months away without pay is frankly impossible. We are also concerned about part-time employees who receive no benefits. Many jobs only hold a handful of full-time positions within their companies. Often women in need of a job are forced to settle for part-time hours because there are no openings for a full-time position. This really hurts when it comes to pregnancy because part of the reason that corporations keep so few full-time employees is to avoid providing necessary benefits. If a woman becomes pregnant while working part-time, she has no choice but to either go straight back to work after giving birth or accept unemployment benefits which more than likely will not match her working wage. As part of the current bill, employers who do provide maternity leave to employees are only required to hold a similar job for a woman if she chooses to take leave. This means that someone else will step into her job, so when she comes back, she will essentially start over in a like-position. We would like to see progressing, career-oriented women be able to pick up where they left off exactly. Several developed countries provide paid leave for their expecting mothers with no economic consequences. Therefore, we believe that the benefits outweigh the costs of businesses providing paid leave to their employed mothers-to-be. The first few months of a newborn’s life are crucial for mental and physical health. Babies are more likely to be breast-fed, which helps protect them from serious infection. Women who are able to stay home with their newborn report fewer depressive symptoms, reducing the risk of developing depression after quickly returning to work and leaving their child with another caretaker. Let’s help all women get the benefits they deserve: to receive their living wage during leave, to be able to enjoy the first weeks of their child’s life, and to continue progressing their career once they return to the workplace. We have mailed a copy of the bill with these revisions to our state representatives. Please sign this petition to show support for these changes.

Paul Song is a sexist bully. It is not right to refer to any woman as a "whore." We do not need people practicing medicine in our country who refer any woman in public as a "whore."