URGE demands action from Senate Democrats & Biden after Senate Republicans Block Vote on Freedom to Vote Act
The Freedom to Vote Act is one of the most significant voting rights bills in generations. It would protect the right to vote and voter accessibility for all Americans, prevent partisan gerrymandering, and limit the influence of dark money so that billionaires cannot outspend the voices of young people and all voters. Today’s Senate vote on the Freedom to Vote Act underscores Republican support for the mountain of anti-voter statutes and the partisan gerrymandering occurring across this country. This vote blatantly displays Republicans’ commitment to opposing legislation that supports the freedom to vote. We are deeply troubled by Republican Senators’ refusal to ensure that democracy is accessible for all Americans. Young people will not stand by idly while their rights are siphoned. We call upon Democrats in the Senate to do whatever is necessary to pass this key piece of legislation. We cannot allow the filibuster or procedural technicalities to block a path to the reform that… Read more »
URGE RESPONDS TO 5TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS’ DECISION TO KEEP S.B. 8 IN EFFECT UNTIL ITS CONSTITUTIONALITY IS DETERMINED
“A week ago, we cautiously celebrated a preliminary injunction issued by the District Court to temporarily block the harmful Texas anti-abortion legislation, S.B. 8. We held our breaths for follow-up action as we knew the ruling only provided temporary relief. Last night, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided to keep in effect this oppressive, fear-mongering statute, as its overall constitutionality is yet to be determined,” stated URGE Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella). “This move continues the war on Texans’ bodily autonomy and serves to drastically limit abortion access for people who currently are pregnant or who may become pregnant in the state.” “Simply put, abortion is under attack in Texas and many other states as the whims of power-hungry white male legislators become the laws that restrict our basic freedoms. Laws like S.B. 8 are especially harmful for Black and brown women, immigrants, and trans and non-binary young people of color, the very… Read more »
URGE Demands the Texas Senate Stops the Legislative Attack on Trans Youth After Texas House Passage of H.B. 25
Late last night, the Texas House of Representatives passed H.B. 25, a bill that would prohibit transgender students in public schools from competing on athletic teams that match their gender identity. If signed into law, H.B. 25 would force young people to either compete in potentially unsafe environments, hide who they are, or not participate in sports at all. Special session after special session, extremist legislators have pushed variations of this bill, and each time, trans young people testified and kept this bill from moving forward. At the beginning of 87(3), the current special session, legislators sent variations of this bill to several committees to ensure that one of them would find a way forward. URGE has repeatedly submitted public comments to oppose the movement of the various bills… Read more »
URGE Continues Exciting Growth, Adds Ten New Staff
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, the only national Reproductive Justice organization that centers the voices and leadership of young people, is excited to welcome ten new staff to manage and support our programs that build #YoungPeoplePower in the South, Midwest, and California. URGE is a state-driven national organization building a young people’s movement for Reproductive Justice by providing infrastructure for young advocates to lead their own movement on their own terms. URGE organizes our communities in Alabama, California, Georgia, Kansas, Ohio, and Texas, provides a political home for young people, advocates for meaningful policy change, and shifts culture. “URGE centers the leadership of young queer, trans, and BIPOC folks—and we work to build a team that reflects and represents our communities,” said Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director. “We are excited to bring in so many emerging leaders with deep experience in organizing, communications, policy, and administration nationally and in our investment states.” The new staff will be contributing… Read more »
URGE Statement on Ruling to Temporarily Block Texas’ Abortion Ban, S.B. 8
Statement from Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas granting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) a preliminary injunction in its lawsuit challenging Texas Senate Bill 8 (S.B. 8), a six-week abortion ban that would also let private citizens sue those who support people who have an abortion after this time. Under the terms of the preliminary injunction, no person may bring lawsuits against abortion providers, funds, and supporters to enforce the six-week abortion ban while litigation in the case continues. The State of Texas is also prohibited from enforcing the law. “Today’s decision by the District Court is a huge win for human rights and the fight for abortion access in Texas and across the country. Since taking effect on September 1, S.B. 8 has succeeded at instilling fear. The extremist… Read more »
URGE Celebrates the Passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act in U.S. House
(Washington, DC) URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity issued the following quotes today after the passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R.3755) in the United States House of Representatives: “At a time when states like Texas have heightened attacks on reproductive justice, it is imperative that the federal government steps in to defend abortion care across our nation. The Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) is a crucial step toward making abortion access a reality,” said URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella). “For too long, abortion bans of all kinds have kept essential care out of reach, especially for young, low-income, and BIPOC folks. Young people in the South and Midwest are demanding solidarity and action to defend abortion and uplift our… Read more »
URGE Statement on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Response to S.B. 8
Statement from Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, on the Biden-Harris administration’s recent responses to Texas Senate Bill 8 (S.B. 8), a 6-week abortion ban that would also let private citizen’s sue those who support people who have an abortion after this time, as well as the Supreme Court’s refusal to put a hold on enforcement of the law. “The United States has a number of tragedies unfolding in our midst. Appropriately, the Biden-Harris White House has responded by offering specific resources, practical action, and words of compassion for those all over the country impacted by Hurricane Ida and the wildfires in the West. Our hearts are with these people, that include URGE members, who have lost so much. At the same time,… Read more »
URGE Statement on Juneteenth
A century and a half since June 19, 1865, — the date federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure all enslaved African Americans were freed — Juneteenth continues to serve as a celebration of joy and resilience for Black people. A year after the global uprisings that followed the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and over a year into a global pandemic, this Juneteenth comes amid a period of immeasurable hardship. Yet, the holiday’s spirit of possibility remains stronger than ever. To honor that spirit of possibility, URGE will close our offices on Juneteenth, because our staff deserve the time to meditate on the gifts that we all gain from the liberation of Black people. As URGE prepares to close its office URGE leader Danielle Hurd-Wilson (they/them)… Read more »
Members of Congress Introduce Bill to Protect Abortion Access
The bill arrives just weeks after the Supreme Court announces it will hear an abortion ban case challenging Roe v. Wade (Washington, DC) Today, the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA)—a bill that would protect the right to access abortion throughout the country—was introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and in the Senate by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). WHPA would create a federal statutory right for health care providers to provide abortion care, and a corresponding right for their patients to receive that care, free from medically unnecessary restrictions that single out abortion care and impede access. The introduction of WHPA comes on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision to hear a… Read more »
A Year after the Murder of George Floyd, URGE Reflects
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed by a member of the Minneapolis Police Department. This murder, and the subsequent fearlessness of protestors in Minneapolis who refused to stand down in the face of anti-Black police brutality, sparked uprisings throughout the United States and across the globe in support of Black lives and the ending of police violence. A year later, URGE leader Danielle Hurd-Wilson reflects on the resilience of young people during a year of historic struggle. Statement from Danielle Hurd-Wilson, Interim Deputy Director of Field and Programs, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity: “The past year saw some accountability for the murder of George Floyd, but only glimmers of justice. True justice starts with defunding police departments, getting cops out of schools, decriminalizing Blackness, and investing in community-based solutions that create safer, more prosperous futures free from the threat of state violence. It means ensuring full access to social supports and health care for all… Read more »
