Government

Pressley: Courtroom Treatment of Trump Shows There Are Two Legal Systems — For Rich & Everybody Else

By |

Following the arraignment of former President Donald Trump, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley said the courtroom treatment he was afforded was a slap in the face of Black, Brown and low-income people stuck in jail before trial. “...despite his well-documented criminal history, the fact that Trump was brought into a courtroom, arraigned, and allowed to return home in a matter of hours is a slap in the face to the millions of Black, brown, and low-income people locked in jails across the country before a trial," said Pressley (D-MA 7). "This is another example that we have one legal system in America for the rich and powerful, and another for everyone else." Pressley added that while his formal indictment for falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments is a step in the right direction towards accountability, he needs to be held accountable for among other things, inciting an insurrection, and conspiring to overturn an election. She added that Trump is also taking advantage of his arraignment.

1,023 Views
Government

Congresswoman Pressley Wants Gender Equality Amendment Added to U.S. Constitution

By |

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is calling for a 28th amendment to be added to the U.S. Constitution that would establish gender equality. Pressley (D-MA 7) and Cori Bush (D-MO 1) will host a press conference on Tuesday to launch a Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment. The caucus will "partner with a multi-generational, multi-racial and inclusive coalition of advocates, activists, scholars, organizers, and public figures; and center the people who stand to benefit the most from gender equality, including Black and brown women, LGBTQ+ people, people seeking abortion care, and other marginalized groups," according to a press release. The new caucus is being launched 100 years after the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was initially proposed in Congress to provide full equality for women by the 19th Amendment. On Monday, Pressley and Bush, in coordination with the Congressional Black Caucus are leading members on the House floor to speak about the ERA, and specifically Black women's contributions to get the ERA into the Constitution and ratifying state-level ERAs.

937 Views
Nonprofit

Congresswoman Pressley Celebrates Community Servings’ 11th Million Meal Milestone

By |

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley recently visited Community Servings to celebrate the Jamaica Plain nonprofit's 11th million meal served. “This is a unique model that meets the needs of individuals who are vulnerable and isolated, those that are terminally or chronically ill, that shows that food is also medicine. The fact that they have 100 volunteers a day helping at Community Servings is really a testament to just how many people care,” said Pressley after visiting on Sept. 8. “Community Servings is celebrating our 11 millionth meal, which we prepared from scratch in our kitchens in Jamaica Plain.

1,588 Views
Government

Pressley’s Bill Looks to Address Credit Issues Faced by Trans, Nonbinary People Following Legal Name Changes

By |

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley's  (MA-07) legislation to provide credit reporting accuracy after a legal name change advanced out of committee last week. 

Pressley, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, along with Congresswoman Katie Porter (CA-45), authored their brand-new legislation to make the credit reporting system more inclusive and address credit issues and discrimination faced by trans and nonbinary people who legally change their names. The legislation was passed by the House Financial Services Committee. Pressley's hope is that the bill passes the House of Representatives. “In this country, your credit score is your financial reputation, for better or worse, and the credit reporting system has perpetuated inequities and pushed our most vulnerable consumers—including our trans and nonbinary siblings—further to the margins,” said Rep. Pressley via press release. “Our Credit Reporting Accuracy After a Legal Name Change Act is a legislative fix that will help prevent the financial discrimination of trans and nonbinary people and improve accuracy in consumer reporting.

1,380 Views
Government

Congresswoman Pressley Arrested for Peaceful Protest to Defend Abortion Rights

By |

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and several of her colleagues were arrested on Tuesday outside the Supreme Court during a non-violent civil disobedience action in support of abortion rights. “This Supreme Court has been relentless in stripping away our reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy, but we’re not backing down," said Pressley in a statement after her arrest. "...we put our bodies on the line to defend abortion rights because the stakes in this fight could not be higher. Due to the cruelty and callousness of this Court, millions of people now face insurmountable barriers to abortion care and the health of our most vulnerable—especially our Black, brown, low-income, disabled, Indigenous and LGBTQ+ siblings—is now further at risk." [Pressley is arrested around the 32:18 mark in the video below]

LIVE: Members of the @DemWomenCaucus and leaders from CPD Action affiliate orgs around the country are taking action?

1,593 Views
Digital currency

Reps Lynch & Pressley Introduce Legislation to Develop Electronic Version of U.S. Dollar

By |

Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-MA 8) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA 7) introduced a bill that would develop an electronic version of the U.S. dollar. “As digital payment and currency technologies continue to rapidly expand and with Russia, China, and over 90 countries worldwide already researching and launching some form of central bank digital currency, it is absolutely critical for the U.S. to remain a world leader in the development and regulation of digital currency and other digital assets,” said Rep. Lynch, Chairman of the Task Force on Financial Technology. “By establishing a pilot program within Treasury for the development of an electronic U.S. Dollar, the ECASH Act will greatly complement and advance ongoing efforts undertaken by the Federal Reserve and President Biden to examine potential design and deployment options for a digital dollar. Importantly, this pilot program will also preserve a role in our financial system for smaller anonymous cash-like transactions which are currently transacted in physical dollars and which have seen a rapid decline in use.”

The White House previously announced an executive order on March 9 instructing numerous federal agencies to study digital assets and provide numerous reports about their use and proposals that could regulate them. The hope of this legislation is to promote greater financial inclusion, maximize consumer protection and data privacy, and advance U.S. efforts to develop and regulate digital assets.

1,695 Views
Schools

Congresswoman Pressley Comforts Kiddo at Daycare, Touts Build Back Better Act

By |

On a tour of Ellis Early Learning, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley may not have been planning to comfort a little lady. But that's exactly what happened during a recent visit.  

When you’re having a rough morning at daycare and ⁦@AyannaPressley⁩ is there to help you out. ⁦@EllisEarlyLearn⁩ ⁦@NVSBoston⁩ pic.twitter.com/SBUBu9JLvT
— Corey Welford (@CoreyWelford) October 14, 2021

Pressley visited EEL on Oct. 14, and was also there to promote the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) that President Biden is pushing to pass.

3,039 Views

Update: Federal Eviction Moratorium Extended to Oct. 3

By |

The Biden administration heard the calls for help and after letting a federal eviction moratorium end on Aug. 1, reversed course and issued a new moratorium running through Oct. 3. The federal moratorium was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The new ban applies to parts of the country experiencing what the CDC refers to as "substantial" and "high" spreads of COVID.

2,054 Views
Coronavirus

Federal Eviction Moratorium Ended Aug. 1; Rental Assistance Available; Pressley Pushes To Extend Moratorium

By |

The CDC's eviction moratorium expired August 1, but rental assistance resources are available through the city's Office of Housing Stability. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is also pushing legislation to extend the moratorium. You can apply for rental assistance through the city's Office of Housing Stability by visiting their website here. The Office of Housing Stability hosts a virtual clinic for small landlords and tenants every Tuesday at 5:30 pm. Complete the online form to RSVP for this virtual clinic. The Office of Housing Stability also host virtual walk-in hours on Wednesday from noon to 2 pm to answer your housing questions.

2,124 Views
Government

Video: Congresswoman Pressley Testifies on Redistricting 7th Congressional District

By |

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley virtually testified on Monday at a Massachusetts State House hearing on redistricting the 7th Congressional District, the district she currently represents. During the Joint Committee on Redistricting hearing, Pressley shared constituent stories and testified to the importance of centering racial and economic diversity in the redistricting process and keeping municipalities whole if possible. "As I have said before, the Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District is incredibly diverse and vibrant, but also one of the most unequal in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for every community--but by almost every metric, the hardest hit communities per capita in the Commonwealth are concentrated in the Massachusetts 7th—Chelsea, Everett, and Randolph. This is not random, it's not a coincidence.

3,098 Views