West Palm Beach, FL – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21) has returned from a week-long bipartisan fact-finding trip to India, organized by the Indian government. The group participated in policy discussions with local and global leaders, visited military installations, and learned about India’s history and culture. At a time of rising India-Pakistan tension, Rep. Frankel sought insight on efforts to maintain peace and stability in Kashmir. “As the world’s oldest and largest democracies, the U.S.... Read more

Washington, DC – Last week, Congressman Bill Keating introduced H.R. 4097, the Afghan Women’s Inclusion in Negotiations Act” or the Afghan WIN Act. Said Congressman Keating of the bill: “Women’s participation in peace negotiations has time and time again proven to lead to more lasting peace agreements. That is why we introduced the Afghan WIN Act: so that everything that Americans, Afghans, and allies alike have fought for and sacrificed to secure a peaceful and stable future for Afghanistan has... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, introduced legislation that would help improve U.S. efforts to combat gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies across the globe. She was proud to introduce the bipartisan bill with Reps. Chris Stewart (R-UT), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA). The Safe from the Start Act would codify the Department of State-Uni... Read more

Washington, DC – Today, an amendment introduced by Representatives Lois Frankel (FL-21) and Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) ensuring the U.S. government accounts for women’s unique roles as preventers, participants and victims of violent extremism passed in the House as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. The amendment requires the Director of National Intelligence to submit an intelligence assessment on the relationship between women and terrorism, including an analysis of... Read more

Washington, DC – Tonight, Representatives Lois Frankel (D-FL-21), David Cicilline (D-RI-01), Ann Wagner (R-MO-02), and Susan Wild’s (D-PA-07) bipartisan resolution condemning Saudi Arabia’s continued jailing and alleged abuse of women’s rights activists was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. The resolution, which has 28 additional co-sponsors, urges the Saudi government to immediately release the prisoners and hold the abusers accountable, and calls on the U.S. government to sanction a... Read more

Washington, DC – Today, two amendments introduced by Representative Lois Frankel (FL-21) passed in the House as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill for Fiscal Year 2020. The first amendment would prevent President Trump from plunging the United States and Russia into a new nuclear arms race. It prohibits funding for missile systems noncompliant with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, unless the Administration can demonstrate that all diplomatic and strateg... Read more

Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Lois Frankel (D-FL-21) and Susan W. Brooks (R-IN-05), joined by 75 Members of Congress, sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to ensure that women are included in Afghan peace negotiations and that any agreement protects Afghan women’s rights. During recent discussions between the U.S. and the Taliban aimed at securing a peace agreement, Afghan women were not represented. In March 2019, more than 700 Afghan women gathered to... Read more

By Chantal Da Silva, Newsweek The House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan resolution denouncing the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) and recognizing it as a human rights violation against women and girls. "Today we're sending a clear message that every girl, no matter where she’s born, has a right to live free of violence,” Democratic Representative Lois Frankel, of Florida, who introduced the bill alongside Republican Representative Scott Perry, of Pennsylvania, said on Tues... Read more

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Lois Frankel (FL-21) released the following statement after helping pass the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies funding bill for Fiscal Year 2020 out of the Appropriations Committee. During yesterday’s markup, Rep. Frankel fiercely took on the Republican attempt to cut off women’s access to health care around the world and limit reproductive rights. Included in this bill are provisions supported by Rep. Frankel that will protect a woman’s full ... Read more

Today, Reps. Lois Frankel, Susan W. Brooks, Nita Lowey, and Brian Fitzpatrick re-introduced the Keeping Girls in School Act to support the educational empowerment of girls globally. A companion bill is being introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowksi (R-AK). Read more