Norma Torres: “When I step onto the House floor every day, I am never certain what I will face: Will the agenda promote progress and…”

“When I step onto the House floor every day, I am never certain what I will face: Will the agenda promote progress and growth? Or will the House encourage policies that deliver an America of inequality? Unfortunately, inequality is often the answer and women are often the targets. Whether the issue is opportunity on the corporate ladder or the freedom to make choices, this Congress has sought to strip away and demolish the rights of women. At the top of the hit list is: limiting access to abortion and abolishing affirmative action. But what worries me most is the theme of these efforts: These themes are not about helping women. If helping women was the intent, we would acknowledge the fact that women earn only 72 cents for every man's dollar, and we would enforce equal pay for equal work. We would not question a woman's judgment when she needs a medically necessary procedure; we would work toward perfecting the safest method. If this Congress is serious about women's issues, let's focus on what we can do for women, not what we can take away.”