Issue Position: Women's Rights and Families

Issue Position

Healthy families are a key element of a healthy society. I believe that standing up for families means standing up for the rights of women, including equal pay for equal work and equal access to healthcare. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. When women are empowered our nation is strong.

I support the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and applaud the role that our current congressional delegation played in its passage. Unfortunately, with Alaska's high rates of domestic violence, the job is far from complete. For starters, I'd work to remove the provision that leaves Alaska's tribes out of the protections offered to indigenous groups in the Lower 48.

I also believe fully in a woman's right to choose when she starts a family. This means that all women need access to birth control and basic healthcare, regardless of their employer's religious preferences. I oppose the Hobby Lobby decision, which disregards the rights of thousands of women while simultaneously assigning religious beliefs to corporations, a notion out of step with this nation and this state's founding principles.

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