Democratic Women Make History
March is Women’s History Month, and we’re taking this moment to celebrate the impact women have made on American history, within the Democratic Party, and the continued work in our fight for equality and equity in the United States.
While Republicans pursue their dangerous agenda to attack women’s rights and bodily autonomy, President Biden and Democrats are taking action to protect women’s rights. Among many other actions, the Biden administration has done the following in support of women:
- Reauthorized and strengthened the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
- Appointed many women to high-level positions throughout his administration, including the first Black woman to the Supreme Court.
- Issued an executive order to secure access to critical reproductive healthcare services and protect women crossing state lines to receive an abortion.
- Signed a bill to end forced arbitration for workers who are victims of sexual assault and harassment.
We have many Democratic women to thank for their leadership. As the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected Vice President, Kamala Harris has played a central role in making the Biden-Harris administration’s historic agenda a reality. We are grateful for her leadership.
Senator Jacky Rosen (NV) and Congresswoman Kathy Manning (NC-06) made history as Jewish community leaders elected to Congress. In 2018, Sen. Rosen became the first former synagogue president to be elected to the Senate and has been a constant advocate for Jewish Americans, advancing our values and combating antisemitism. Before successfully running for her House seat in 2020, Rep. Manning was the first woman Chair of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA).
We are incredibly grateful for the decades of leadership of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who served not once but twice as the first woman Speaker of the House.
Last month, Congresswoman-Elect Jennifer McClellan was elected to Congress from VA-04, becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia, and we look forward to working with her in the House.
At JDCA, we are proud to be one of the few Jewish nonprofits with a woman CEO. Halie, who was JDCA’s first employee nearly five years ago and now leads our staff of nearly 15 professionals, is committed to women’s leadership and mentoring women working — or aspiring to work — in and out of government to advance our shared democratic values.
For this week’s installment of our Meet the Members series, we are featuring Rep. Kim Schrier (WA-08), another Jewish woman making a significant contribution in the House of Representatives. Rep. Schrier has been a long-time friend of JDCA and an ally in Congress. Take a look at what Rep. Schrier shared with us on what makes her a proud Jewish Dem:
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
Shabbat Shalom,
Hon. Ron Klein
Board Chair, Jewish Democratic Council of America
Halie Soifer
CEO, Jewish Democratic Council of America