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The Violence Against Women (VAWA) Act
What is the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)? VAWA is bipartisan legislation, originally passed in 1994, that provides protections for women and children suffering from violence and abuse. It supports comprehensive, trauma-informed, and cost-effective responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. This includes prevention, education, prosecution, and survivor services programs at the federal, tribal, state, and local levels. Some of these services and programs include: Efforts, including funding, to address rape kit backlogs Housing assistance, counseling, and legal clinics for survivors Data collection on stalking and domestic violence Increased protection for immigrants, trafficking victims, and LGBTQ+ victims Authority for Native tribes to enforce tribal laws pertaining to…
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Principles of Ethical Government: Minority Rights
Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Principles of Ethical Government (2)(b) states: (b) Special care should be taken to protect the rights of the minority from undue infringement by the majority (see Exodus 23:2 and Proverbs 31:8-9). Every human is a child of Heavenly Parents and must be treated with respect and love. There are religious and ethical foundations for ensuring that minority rights are safeguarded and that theagency, growth, and potential of all of God’s children are consequently protected. Resisting oppression lifts all members of society. Because living in and perpetuating structures that oppress minorities harms souls, safeguarding the rights of minorities enables the growth and potential of all of…
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Utah State Board of Education Public Hearing on Educational Equity in Schools (R277-328)
The Utah State Board of Education hosted a public hearing on July 22, 2021, to allow for commentary on R277-328 — an administrative rule that dictates what Utah schools can and cannot teach about diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Utah chapter of Mormon Women for Ethical Government shared their position at the meeting with the following text and presentation. When sharing any of the below information, please share it in its entirety to maintain the integrity and context of the message. As parents and members of Mormon Women for Ethical Government, also known as MWEG, we wish to express our appreciation for and concerns regarding R277-328. We take seriously the…
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Filibuster Reform
Joe Manchin’s leaked call and apparent softening on the question of filibuster reform has given new energy to the questions of whether and how to reform this Senate rule in keeping with historic tradition and the goal of encouraging compromise. The historic tradition is complicated. The Constitution does not mandate this rule, and both James Madison and Alexander Hamilton wrote about how dangerous it would be to require supermajorities for decision making in Congress. In 1805, Aaron Burr suggested dropping the rule about how to end debate on the Senate floor, as he was trying to simplify the Senate rules as a matter of bureaucratic housekeeping. At the time, it…
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Open Letter to U.S. Senators Asking for Debate on S1 to Ensure Equal Citizen Access to Participate in Federal Elections
(To send this letter to your senators, please go here.) Dear Senators, E pluribus unum — out of many, one. We are deeply committed to this vision for our nation and believe it is reflected in our governing principles. As a nonpartisan organization made up of women with diverse political views, we have experienced the benefits of good faith discussion and compromise. As S1, the For the People Act, is brought to a vote, we ask you to come together with your colleagues and model open, intelligent, and collaborative governance, including honest debate. We ask for sincere engagement with legislative efforts that reflect the clear will of the American people…
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Official Statement from Mormon Women for Ethical Government on the January 6 Commission
On January 6, 2021, violent insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol with the stated intent to subvert the democratically manifested will of the American people and stop the peaceful transition of power. These unprecedented events caused irreparable harm. Amid the throng of insurrectionists, several individuals lost their lives and hundreds were injured. The slow law enforcement and military response exposed national security risks, fractured citizens’ trust, and, ultimately, weakened our nation. Yesterday, the U.S. Capitol was the site of a quieter and, perhaps, more lasting assault. Rejecting good faith efforts on the part of Democratic leadership to construct a bipartisan investigative commission, the GOP leadership and 35 senators effectually sided with…
