Congresswoman Lois Frankel joined her constituent Elisha Morrow at a recent subcommittee meeting of the Judicial Proceedings Panel designated to study Section 120 of the military code on rape and sexual assault. Frankel and Morrow pushed for changes to the law in order to address use of military authority to coerce sexual activity. Morrow told the panel of how she and other female recruits were sexually harassed at Coast Guard boot camp by the company commander who ultimately used his position o... Read more

Mike DeBonis Washington Post The House passed two abortion-related bills Friday, including one that would strip federal health-care funding from Planned Parenthood for one year, but it remains unclear whether the votes would appease conservatives who have threatened a government shutdown over the organization. The votes followed months of intense focus on Planned Parenthood prompted by undercover videos released by an activist group claiming they show violations of federal laws prohibiting the ... Read more

Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22) Thursday held a press conference to rally support of Planned Parenthood in light of renewed Congressional attempts to defund the organization that, for nearly a century, has been a critical provider of essential preventative and lifesaving healthcare for men, women, and children. “These continued attacks on Planned Parenthood are another spoke in the wheel that extremists are using to run over women in this country,” Frankel said. “We will continue to fight bac... Read more

Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22) spoke on the House floor today to address H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which claims to limit taxpayer funding of abortion despite the fact that there is no federal taxpayer funding of abortion right now. For the video of Frankel’s remarks click here and below please find her remarks as prepared for delivery on the House floor. Today, on the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we should be celebrating it – not dismantling it. I heard my colleag... Read more

Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22), joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (CT) and Tammy Baldwin (WI), and U.S. Representatives Judy Chu (CA-27) and Marcia Fudge (OH-11) today to reintroduce the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2015, a historic pro-choice bill that would make it illegal for states to chip away at women’s reproductive rights. The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal protections against state restrictions that single out abortion services for unnecessary regulations. It... Read more

Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22) has been elected Vice Chair of the Congressional Women’s Caucus for the 114th Congress. She will be sworn in today with other newly elected leadership of the Caucus. “For more than 30 years, the Women’s Caucus has championed women’s issues in our country and around the globe – putting aside partisanship and embracing collaboration,” said Congresswoman Frankel. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to improve the lives of women... Read more

Today, Congresswoman Frankel joined her Pro-Choice Caucus colleagues in introducing The Not My Boss’ Business Act. The legislation fixes the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. The Affordable Care Act requires employer sponsored health insurance to include preventative care, including contraception, with no out-of-pocket costs to individuals. The Court’s decision allows closely-held companies to be exempt from the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) contraception benefit becaus... Read more

Congresswoman Lois Frankel released the following statement after the Supreme Court handed down its ruling on Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius affirming the 10th Circuit Court of Appeal. “Employers belong in the workplace, not in an employee’s doctor's office,” said Frankel. “Personal decisions about contraception should be between a woman and her physician – not a woman and her supervisor. Today’s ruling is a sad step backwards for women’s health and individual rights over those of corporate bosses.” Un... Read more

Elisha Morrow, who inspired Congresswoman Frankel’s National Defense Authorization Act provision on military sexual assault, visited Washington today to testify at a panel on sexual assault in the military. "It was a privilege to testify before the subcommittee today about the difficulties our military members face,” said Morrow. “I addressed boot camp and training environments and focused on needed areas of change." The hearing was held by the Victim Services Subcommittee to Response Systems to... Read more

President Barack Obama today signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes Congresswoman Lois Frankel’s provision that directs the military to examine the need for a new definition of rape and sexual assault in cases when someone abuses their position in the Military Chain of Command. Frankel’s provision was inspired by constituent Elisha Morrow, a former Coast Guard recruit and victim of sexual harassment in the military, who brought her harrowing story to Frankel and t... Read more