Women

Ongoing gun violence in the United States has galvanized women in ways few issues have in recent times. After the horrific tragedy in Tucson that almost took her life, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords stepped up to the plate to demand better gun control. Along with her husband astronaut Mark Kelly, Gabby founded Americans for Responsible Solutions, the first political action committee to support lawmakers willing to advance responsible gun policies.

In my professional career, Women’s History Month has always been about politics—electing more Democratic women to office, fighting for access to reproductive freedom, and defeating candidates who don’t value women’s rights. But this year, for me, Women’s History Month is about mothers: moms who are influencing our leaders to take action against gun violence.

Happy International Women’s Day! Today we have a lot to celebrate. From the recently strengthened Violence Against Women Act, to the establishment of the White House Council on Women and Girls, the Obama administration has been a leader on the road to gender equality for women and girls both here and abroad.

Today, President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Act into law. This law strengthens the criminal justice system’s response to crimes against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking.