Holt earned a 100% rating by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), and was endorsed by the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
A record of accomplishment for the women of Central New Jersey
Rush Holt understands the concerns of the women of central New Jersey. He has established a strong record on the issues of reproductive choice, gender equality, and health issues.
Rush Holt has been and will continue to be a strong leader in protecting women's rights and fighting for the issues that are important to the quality of women's lives. In Congress, he has supported efforts to adopt the proposed Equal Rights Amendment.
Rush Holt believes that it is unacceptable that many women still face discrimination in the workplace, from the "glass ceiling" to pay disparity. He believes that working women should receive equal pay for equal work. He worked to win the approval, in the U.S. House of Representatives, of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would strengthen enforcement of prohibitions against discrimination and increase penalties for infractions.
He also supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which responded to a disturbing Supreme Court decision in a sex discrimination case. In Ledbetter v. Goodyear, a majority of the Court ruled against Lilly Ledbetter, a 20-year veteran employee, who had filed suit when she discovered that sex-based pay discrimination had resulted in her earning 20 percent less than the lowest paid man in the same position. She did not learn for years that she was paid less and filed a complaint when she learned. The Court ruled that the 180-day statute of limitations on her claim meant that she had no claim because she had not filed years before. The legislation that passed the House - but was blocked in the Senate - would clarify that the statute of limitations on sex discrimination cases would apply from the date of an employee’s most recent paycheck.
Rush Holt has been unwavering in his support of the health and reproductive rights of women. He strongly believes that every woman has the right to make health care decisions without government interference, and he supports legislation to protect Roe V. Wade. Rush doesn't believe these are women's issues, they are human rights issues. As a trustee of the Mercer Area Chapter of Planned Parenthood, Rush recognizes that supporting a woman's right to choose means opposing every effort to erode this fundamental right. For his consistent support of a woman's right to choose, Rush has earned 100 percent ratings from both Planned Parenthood and NARAL each year he has been in Congress.
Rush also supports measures that provide women with vital family planning services as as a means to reduce unwanted pregnancies. He fought to ensure that health insurance plans include coverage for birth control, and he continues to fight to overturn the global "gag rule" on U.S. funding for international family planning services. This rule prevents health care providers from counseling the world's poorest women about all their legal health care options.
Rush is also a leader in improving our nation's health care system, including improvements that directly affect women. Rush created a Women's Health Forum, bringing together the top researchers, academics, activists and medical personnel to discuss advances in women's health research and to find out how Congress can best assist in this important area.
Rush co-sponsored and voted for the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act, a measure to promote research into environmental factors that may be related to breast cancer, as well as the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, which would guarantee safe hospital stays for women who have undergone surgery. He also co-sponsored the HEART for Women Act, which would provide outreach and education on heart disease, one of the greatest threats to women's health.
Rush has worked throughout his career to protect victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. He supports fully funding the programs authorized under the Violence Against Women Act, and he continues to support essential government programs that help abused women. He also supports increasing the cap on the Victims of Crime Act fund, which provides federal support to many state and local programs that assist victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes.