Together

“EpiPens save lives when anaphylaxis, which can be deadly if not treated quickly, occurs, but the cost is still prohibitive for many moms and families and that puts lives at unnecessary risk. In order to be safe, since anaphylaxis can occur in 15 minutes to one hour of exposure, multiple EpiPens are often needed by people who have anaphylactic allergies as schools regularly require them and EpiPens are also needed at home as well as with the people who have the allergy when they are out of the home. And for families with multiple members with allergies, in particular, EpiPens are also not affordable right now. Capping the price is an urgent priority so that parents, teachers, and others can have these auto-injectors at the ready whenever someone has a severe anaphylactic reaction, which happens without warning.

“We commend U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost, and all the cosponsors of the EPIPEN Act, for introducing legislation that would cap the cost of these life-saving devices at $60 for two injectors. This vitally important bill would help ensure that people with health insurance with high deductibles no longer have to pay hundreds of dollars for EpiPens – or go without them.

“America’s moms urge leaders in both chambers of Congress to prioritize passage of the EPIPEN Act. There’s no time to waste.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – WEDNESDAY, May 8 at 1:45 PM ET, the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) will host a Mother’s Day press conference recognizing moms across the country and calling for action on the policies that will help them thrive. This Mother’s Day, moms don’t want just chocolate and flowers—they want care policies that actually deliver quality affordable child care and elder care, they want their reproductive rights protected, and much more. The Democratic Women’s Caucus—many of whom are moms themselves—will call for House Republicans to back up their empty “pro-family” rhetoric with actual action that will help moms this Mother’s Day.  

The press conference will include Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, DWC Vice Chair Nikema Williams, DWC Vice Chair Teresa Leger Fernández, DWC member Brittany Pettersen, Donna Norton, Executive Vice President of MomsRising, and moms from across the country who will share their stories fighting for the policies that will help women thrive.

MomsRising will give Democratic Women's Caucus members superhero capes at the event, and storybooks with the experiences of moms across the country who have struggled without a care infrastructure.

WHAT:

Mother’s Day press conference calling on action for the policies moms need to thrive.

Call will include a media Q&A.

WHEN:

WEDNESDAY, May 8

1:45 PM ET

Media set up beginning at 1:30 PM ET

 WHERE:

House Triangle

 WHO:

Democratic Whip Katherine Clark

DWC Vice Chair Nikema Williams

DWC Vice Chair Teresa Leger Fernández

DWC member Brittany Pettersen

Donna Norton, Executive Vice President of MomsRising

Krystal Judah, mom and MomsRising activist from Wisconsin

Nancy Pontius, mom and MomsRising activist from Pennsylvania

 RSVP:

 Interested media can RSVP HERE.

“America’s moms condemn many of the executive orders President Trump has issued in his first days in office, which will lead to less access to health care, expand the spread of disease, embolden discrimination, and increase fear and hardship. His executive orders do nothing to lower costs, make housing and groceries less expensive, or to make child care more affordable, paid family and medical leave more available, reproductive health care more accessible, gun violence less commonplace, or to reverse our devastating maternal health crisis. And shutting down the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention – the day after yet another school shooting – is an abomination.

“President Trump is releasing violent criminals onto our streets, reversing efforts to cut the cost of prescription medications, demonizing trans people, ending the work to make opportunity equal, freezing federal civil rights lawsuits and rolling back measures to mitigate climate change and gun violence, and terrorizing immigrant communities including children who are U.S. citizens. This isn’t shock and awe; it’s intimidation, division, and oppression. Moms will fight for the values we hold dear.

“Moms will fight efforts that reverse Biden administration actions that lower the cost of prescription drugs for those of us who rely on Medicaid and Medicare. We will fight moves that pull us out of the World Health Organization, slash Medicaid, further deny our access to and coverage for preventive and reproductive health care, raise the cost of health coverage, and appoint a vaccine denier to run the federal health agencies our families rely on.
 
“Moms will continue to fight for the fair treatment of all people, gender and racial equity programs and protections for transgender, nonbinary and intersex people, for our freedom to be safe from gun violence, and against confirmation of cabinet nominees who are dangerous, unqualified, do not respect the rule of law and hold views that are far out the mainstream.
 
“We will fight for a federal budget that requires the wealthiest individuals and corporations – the billionaires who were so prominent at President Trump’s inauguration – to pay their fair share in taxes, so we can fund schools, health care, child care, WIC, SNAP, maternal health, and other essential government programs.
 
“We will stand with refugees and immigrants and against deportations that separate families, terrorize U.S. children, and harm our communities and our economy. We recognize that birthright citizenship is in our Constitution and that all children born in our nation are citizens. We reject use of the military to carry out deportations; raids into schools, religious institutions, and women’s shelters; deportations without due process; targeting of state or local officials who act to protect their residents; and efforts to deny public benefits to undocumented immigrants, many of whom hold jobs and pay taxes.
 
“This President, whose shameful first-term legacy includes separating families and inciting a deadly insurrection, is utterly misreading the electorate. He has no mandate to rig our economy for his billionaire friends, jeopardize our health, reverse the progress to make our country more fair for women and people of color, erode our rights, marginalize and stigmatize trans and immigrant communities, or undermine our democracy. America’s moms will fight to protect our gains and continue our progress, and for an economy that works for families.”

“This Pride month and every month, moms are fighting for a future where everyone can live successful lives, care for their families, and contribute to their communities, free from discrimination and bias. There is much to be done to reach that essential goal, including closing the devastating wage gap the LGBTQIA+ community faces. Every day, LGBTQIA+ workers are shortchanged on their paychecks compared to their cis, straight counterparts, with transgender and LGBTQIA+ workers of color suffering the worst harms due to systemic racism, transphobia, and homophobia. The wage gap contributes to the unacceptably high rates of poverty among LGBTQIA+ people and drains critical resources from families, communities, and our economy. Moms want Congress to invest in policies to help close it, now. 

“The Trump administration is sending us backwards by gutting the federal agencies that collect wage data and enforce anti-discrimination policies, including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), the Women’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor, and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). That is disgraceful. 

“Moms reject the Trump administration's horrifying attacks on LGBTQIA+ workplace protections, health care, and civil rights, which will only cause more trauma, poverty and hardship and more harm to our economy. Many moms are members and supporters of the LGBTQIA+ community, and we won’t stand for this appalling cruelty. We are counting on Congress to do everything in its power to defend federal agencies that enforce critical civil rights protections, and to advance policies that enable everyone to thrive, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.”