Since reading the NY Times article about stalled policies for families since the Family Medical Leave Act http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/opinion/sunday/why-gender-equality-stalled.html?pagewanted=all it's apparent that women AND men deserve time and money to bound with a newly born child. Only if paid maternity leave and paternity leave is provided will women feel they can remain in the workforce and contribute to society and men feel they can be fully present in their family's lives. Let's put the pressure on the US House, Senate, and President Obama to make this a priority!

Join “Hindu Voices for VAWA: Standing United Against Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse”, a campaign by Hindu American Seva Communities (HASC) to mobilize American Hindus to urge Congress to pass the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Our tradition worships the divine feminine aspects (God). Let us honor women and bring the dharmic social justice voice to the forefront. We urge you to sign the petition to support VAWA. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is our nation's most effective tool in addressing and preventing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. With 1 in 4 women experiencing severe physical violence by an intimate partner and nearly 1 in 5 women being raped in her lifetime in the United States alone, the reauthorization of VAWA is needed now more than ever. Recently, the Senate passed a strong bipartisan and inclusive VAWA reauthorization bill. It’s now up to the House to pass an equally robust version of VAWA quickly. Background: Initially passed in 1994, VAWA was written to protect women against domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. VAWA provides the law enforcement officials efficient and effective support in responding to crimes such as these. VAWA brings awareness to the serious endemic of domestic and sexual abuse and promotes efforts to end such violence. VAWA programs are administered by the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services and give law enforcement, prosecutors and judges the tools they need to hold offenders accountable and keep communities safe while supporting victims. In 2012 the 112th Congress stalled and did not vote to reauthorize VAWA for another five years the Senate version that gives extra provision to protect the immigrant, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), and Native American communities. “Hindu Voices for VAWA: Standing United Against Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse” is a project of Hindu American Seva Communities (HASC) (aka Hindu American Seva Charities), an independently registered not-for-profit organization. Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) is a progressive American organization advancing seva (community service), interfaith collaboration, pluralism, social justice and sustainable civic engagement to ignite grassroots social change and build healthy communities and coalitions while strengthening our places of worship. Through education and policy changes it seeks to bridge the gap between US government and Hindu and Dharmic people and places of worship. For more details see www.hinduamericanseva.org and http://www.sevavotes.org/social-justice/womens-empowerment/

Native American Women and Children are seriously vulnerable to attack on Tribal Lands by non-Native Drug Dealers and Sexual Predators. As the Law stands now only Federal Courts can prosecute these perpetrators and there is rarely follow through. Knowing this we call upon the House to open the way for Tribes and the Dept. of Justice to work together to protect our Families!

Hate Crimes issue--there is a large statue on Central Park's Fifth Avenue and 103rd Street of "Dr. Marion Sims, Father of Gynecology" a 19th Century Alabama "doctor" who performed many documented gruesome gynecological experiments on several African slave women in the 19th Century in his backyard without anesthesia. This was during the time when many in the medical community were using gruesome experimentation of African black slaves to enforce the slave system (especially in the South). The experiments are well documented even in medical journals. There is no mention of any of the victims on the statue. He encouraged backyard experimentation of slaves whether he wanted to or not. The statue belongs in a museum on slavery not as a regular great statue. Yet, it is listed as a highlight in Central Park and it also happens to be across from the Academy of Medicine. What should be investigated is why the government's various civil rights departments have not had it removed.

The Violence Against Women Act has been incredibly effective in decreasing domestic violence in the United States. Yet there are still women killed every day by their husbands or boyfriends. Countless women still live in fear of abuse, and one in five have been victims of rape. The House should follow the Senate’s lead and pass the Violence Against Women Act right away.

I see women in my small community that are bullied by their husbands. many people just turn a blind eye. it seems that the more money the man has the less concern for the woman -- people, including law inforcement just turn their backs.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is our nation's most effective tool in addressing and preventing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. With 1 in 4 women experiencing severe physical violence by an intimate partner and nearly 1 in 5 women being raped in her lifetime in the United States alone, the reauthorization of VAWA is needed now more than ever. Today, the Senate passed a strong bipartisan and inclusive VAWA reauthorization bill. It’s now up to the House to pass an equally robust version of VAWA quickly.

Two bills in the Alabama Legislature will impose regulations that are totally unnecessary and can not be met by the current clinics in our state. These bills are an attempt to shut down every clinic in the State of Alabama and have nothing to do with patient safety. The regulations in these bills are duplicating regulations that Reproductive Health Clinics are currently meeting and Governed by the Alabama Board of Health.

First put in place from 1985 to 1993, the Mexico City Policy (Global Gag Rule) stipulates that nongovernmental organizations receiving U.S. assistance cannot use separately obtained non-U.S. funds to inform the public or educate their government on the need to make safe abortion available, provide legal abortion services, or provide advice on where to get an abortion. The policy did allow for exemptions in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother, but not for a woman’s physical or mental health.

This issue is very serious for the safety of all of us.Since the terrible killing in Newtown,Conn. there have been almost an addition 1700 people killed with guns.We need to keep pressure our Congress,our governor and our legislatures.

Female Nudity has been around for a long time and most likely always will be but it has gotten more gratuitous and offensive in the recent years. There have been dozen of times where I had to turn off a movie because it was so offensive and it has happened to not only me but many of my colleagues as well. In an actively sexist society I know it will always be a battle and there will be the endless name calling "prude!, it's just a movie" etc etc. but I stand for what I believe in and I think there is WAY too much female nudity in media and cinema. I would like to end it. If not end it, at least make limits or lessen it for the sake of female viewers who would like to see movies too. Just because a person is an adult, doesn't mean they always want to see "adult" things...a majority being in the female form. Lets take a break from objectifying women.

Bill recently passed that will allow teachers to carry a gun in the classroom.