Civil rights

March 11th, 2009 -- A little while ago the President signed an Executive Order to ensure there is always an eye kept on how every government agency is addressing the challenges confronted by women of all ages. The White House Council on Women and Girls will be chaired by Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, with Director of Public Liaison Tina Tchen serving as Executive Director, and will made up of Cabinet Secretaries and other top White House staff. It will begin its work immediately by asking each agency to analyze their current status and ensure that they are focused internally and externally on women.

During its first year, the Council will also focus on formulating comprehensive, coordinated policies in the following areas:    » read more »

March 10th, 2009 -- The White House periodically gets questions about the President’s Executive Order on Ethics and how it is being implemented. In addition to responding to these questions individually, we thought it might make sense to provide an overview to the public of the background for the Order and how it has been working so far.    » read more »

Rights of 138,348 ex-offenders restored in past 23 months

March 11, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today announced that since the Florida Board of Executive Clemency approved a rule change in April 2007 providing for the restoration of the civil rights for certain ex-offenders, a total of 138,348 individuals have had their civil rights restored. In the 12-year period prior to the rule change, the civil rights of only 83,345 ex-offenders were restored. The announcement comes on the eve of the Florida Board of Executive Clemency’s meeting just two years after approving a change to the Rules of Executive Clemency introduced by Governor Crist in April 2007.    » read more »

Department Receives additional Funding for National Security, Combating Financial Fraud, Hiring More Police Officers, Civil Rights Division, Prison Operations

February 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The President released the Administration’s FY 2010 top-line budget proposal today which includes $26.5 billion for the Department of Justice (DOJ), a 3.5 percent increase more than the FY 2009 budget. The Department’s budget includes enhanced funding for: national security and intelligence; combating financial fraud; hiring additional police officers; civil rights enforcement; securing our nation’s borders; and for federal detention and incarceration programs.    » read more »

February 24, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - Gary Moss and Devan Klausegger of Medford, Ore., pleaded guilty today to conspiring to interfere with civil rights, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King for the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Karin J. Immergut for the District of Oregon.    » read more »

June 23, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today issued the following statement to mark the anniversary of the enactment of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972:

“Title IX has unlocked doors and created opportunities for millions of women in America. In the 36 years since Title IX’s enactment, there has been a massive increase in the number of women participating in high school and college sports.    » read more »

June 23, 2008 -- DNC Chairman Howard Dean and DNC Women's Caucus Chair Mame Reiley today issued the following statement marking the 36th anniversary of the enactment of Title IX, which outlaws sex discrimination in educational programs. After the passage of Title IX in 1972, today more than 2.7 million girls participate in athletics in high school according to the U.S. Dept. of Education. [Feminist Majority Foundation Website, accessed 6/18/08]    » read more »

June 17, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today commended Florida Department of Corrections and Florida Parole Commission employees for completing the review of all pre-2008 cases of ex-offenders eligible for automatic restoration of civil rights.

At the first statewide Florida Restoration of Rights Summit at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Governor Crist announced that since the Florida Board of Executive Clemency approved a rule change providing for the restoration of the civil rights for certain ex-offenders, 115,232 individuals have had their civil rights restored.    » read more »

16 June 2008 -- Thousands of same-sex couples are expected to wed in California following the state's Supreme Court ruling that overturned a ban on gay marriage.

State officials will issue the first marriage licenses at 5pm local time.

In a four to three decision in May, the California Supreme Court ruled against a voter-approved law that restricted marriage to a man and woman.

The court said the state constitution's guarantee of equal rights gives same-sex couples the right to marry.

California voters will have a chance to overturn the court ruling in November when they vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to limit marriage to a man and a woman.

Twenty-seven U.S. states have amended their constitutions to limit marriage to a union between a man and a woman.    » read more »

29 May 2008 -- New York Governor David Paterson is directing state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other states and countries, though the practice is not legal in New York.

The directive issued earlier this month orders agencies, such as those that regulate health care and insurance, to update their rules to accommodate gay couples.

Paterson's office based the order on a February state court ruling that said New York must recognize the marriage of a woman and her female partner who wed in Canada.    » read more »

May 19, 2008 -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement on the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, handed down 54 years ago last Saturday, May 17th:

"The historic 1954 decision in Brown vs. Board of Education earned a special place in history by rejecting decades of discrimination and unequal access to America's educational system. More than half a century later, however, the growing economic divide in rural, suburban and urban areas of our nation has resulted in a new form of segregation that yields unequal educational opportunities for America's children, often reflected through race and ethnicity. Fifty-four years later, much work remains before us.    » read more »

May 15, 2008 -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today issued the following statement on the California Supreme Court decision to overturn the state's anti-marriage ban:

"The Supreme Court of California today took a step forward in the long march toward protecting equal rights under the law for every American. This should not be a matter of politics or partisanship; it is a matter of protecting the rights and dignity of all American families."

Source: DNC

May 13, 2008 -- MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today issued an executive order directing his administration to take significant steps to reduce racial disparities in Wisconsin’s justice system. Governor Doyle called for swift action to implement specific recommendations presented by his Commission on Reducing Racial Disparities in the Wisconsin Justice System.    » read more »

May 10, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of civil rights leader Medgar Evers, endorsed Senator Barack Obama today citing his unique ability to bring people together and achieve real change we can all believe in.

"I am deeply honored to announce my support for Senator Barack Obama. Over the course of this campaign, I have watched with pride as Barack Obama has inspired a new movement for change. Countless Americans of every race, economic and political background are engaged in our democracy with a passion and commitment not seen for generations.    » read more »

April 24, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement after the Senate's passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 493):

"I am proud the Senate passed landmark legislation today to protect all Americans from discrimination by insurance companies and employers on the basis of our genetics. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act will strengthen our privacy and civil rights protections in this new century of medical breakthroughs.

Automated DNA analyzers: Photo by Steve Jurvetson (CC)    » read more »