Written by Austen Erblat, Sun Sentinel - South Florida Community News About 80 people showed up at the Wellington Community Center Aug. 29 to discuss how to reduce gun violence in communities, public gatherings and schools. U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a Democrat who represents most of Palm Beach County, called the meeting after two recent shootings — one at a Palm Beach Central High School football game in Wellington and another at a video game tournament in Jacksonville. She has been outspoken on t... Read more

Written by Rosalind Jones, Ms. Magazine Over the last few months, the Saudi Arabian government has imprisoned about 15 prominent feminist activists, most of whom led the fight to end the country’s driving ban. On Wednesday, Reps. Lois Frankel, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairperson of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, released a formal letter urging Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to fight for their release. “These brave champion... Read more

Written by Brock Colyar, Ms. Magazine Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) remembers the disappointing days before the #MeToo movement when sexual harassment and domestic violence were experiences without a proper name and space to discuss them. “Domestic violence was just a matter-of-fact,” she told Ms., looking back on her time in the Florida state legislature. “It wasn’t unlawful for one spouse to beat another.” Today, however, the conversation is moving at full speed—and as co-chair of the Congressional... Read more

Written by: Jamille Bigio and Rachel Vogelstein As the #MeToo movement goes global, many nations are grappling with the need for reform so that women in the workplace are free from discrimination and harassment. The U.S. government is taking action as well: the House of Representatives just passed legislation to promote economic growth by eliminating barriers to women’s economic opportunities globally. This is not just a question of fairness, but of economics: one recent analysis estimates that ... Read more

Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Lois Frankel (FL-21), Norma Torres (CA-35), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40) and 54 Members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling for the Trump Administration to withdraw Ronald Mortensen’s nomination to be Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration. The letter asserts that Mr. Mortensen’s disparaging comments toward immigrants disqualify him from managing the bureau responsible for refugee and migration policies a... Read more

Written by Carter Sherman, Vice News Months after the #Metoo movement against sexual misconduct first made headlines, a bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers have introduced far-reaching legislation to curb harassment in the workplace. The bill, put forth Wednesday, has a laundry list of goals, including regulating the use of non-disparagement and non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs. It would amend the tax code to make sure that harassment can’t be written off as “the cost of doing business... Read more

Written by Lauren Holter, Bustle A bipartisan effort is underway in Congress to combat the pervasive workplace harassment brought to light by the #MeToo movement. U.S. House representatives from both parties introduced a bill on Wednesday that already has sister legislation in the Senate aimed at holding public companies accountable for sexual misconduct. But in order for the measure to have any real world effects, it must first pass a vote in Congress — and you can show your support for the EMP... Read more

Written by Sunshine State News With the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) expiring at the end of September, the two congresswomen in charge of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues are calling on the leaders of the U.S. House to provide additional funding for the program. On Monday, U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Ind., and U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., wrote to U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., and U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on the matter. The congresswomen pointe... Read more

Written by Skyler Swisher, Sun Sentinel At the Guatemalan-Maya Center in Lake Worth, soccer balls, stuffed animals and other toys are stacked on a table — gifts for migrant children being held in South Florida. Families seeking help fill every seat in the lobby of the small center that has served immigrants in South Florida since 1992. A few people stand outside on the sidewalk waiting for space to open. The stories of children being taken from their parents have injected even more fear into Sou... Read more

Written by Lois Frankel, Published in the Sun Sentinel By now, most of America has heard of the Trump-induced crisis at our Mexican border. Mothers and fathers seeking refuge from persecution and extreme danger in neighboring Central American countries are being thrown into prison cells and their children stolen from their arms by the US federal government. Over the weekend, I traveled with 25 of my Democratic colleagues to McAllen and Brownsville, Texas to see the impact of family separation ca... Read more