5 Ways Senator Lautenberg Helped Women

We at the National Women's Law Center are saddened to hear of Senator Lautenberg's passing. We thank him for his service and his work on behalf of women and families. 

Here are the top five ways Senator Lautenberg worked to expand opportunities for women and girls: 

1. The Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban, known as the Lautenberg Amendment, which prohibits firearm access for individuals convicted of domestic violence or restrained by a protective order. Passed in 1997 and sponsored by Senator Lautenberg, this ban increases the safety of survivors of domestic violence. 
2. The Peace Corps Equity Act, which would provide Peace Corps volunteers with insurance coverage for abortion if the volunteer is a survivor of rape or incest, or in the case of endangerment of the life of the pregnant volunteer. Senator Lautenberg trusted women to make decisions about their healthcare and their bodies. 
3. The Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Service Act, an act that would require the Federal Trade Commission to enforce it rules prohibiting crisis pregnancy centers from misleading advertising that implies that they provide abortions. Senator Lautenberg knew that women deserve to know all of their healthcare options when they discover that they are pregnant. 
4. The Tyler Clementi Higher Education Antiharrassment Act, which would require federally-funded colleges and universities to enact an anti-harassment policy for students based on a number of identities, including race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. The bill focuses on prevention, education, and counseling, and would provide women of many identities a safer educational environment while studying at a college or university. 
5. Senator Lautenberg was a consistent supporter of policies to reduce poverty and inequality, including supports for low-income people, a higher minimum wage, and fair tax policies. In 2011, poverty rates for all groups of women were higher than their male counterparts. Women need the critical supports that Senator Lautenberg championed. 

Thank you, Senator.