Women’s Rights

It’s long past time for full equality. Women have waited long enough.

On top of being one of Congress’ fiercest advocates for equal rights for all, Jerry has been a proud feminist his entire life and has used his power to advance countless causes important to women. On this crucial issue, Jerry’s record is long and robust: he fought to combat the pay gap and coauthored the seminal Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, has worked relentlessly to protect reproductive rights, authored the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to require workplaces to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant women and protect women from retaliation, and much more.

Women’s equality is anything but a new priority for Jerry–when he served in the New York Assembly, before entering Congress, he was the first-ever man to receive the New York State Chapter of the National Organization for Women’s “Legislator of the Year” Award.

As Judiciary Committee Chair, Jerry has made the most of this unique opportunity to advance the causes important to women. He led vital efforts to pass the long-stalled Equal Rights Amendment and was a key figure in the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Last year, Jerry led the Judiciary Committee in taking historic action by outlawing the forced arbitration clauses that have scared so many women victims of sexual assault into silence. President Biden signed that legislation into law in March of 2022, delivering justice to countless women and making American workplaces safer.