NASW applauds President Obama for appointing Julia Pierson as Director of the United States Secret Service (USSS). This is a milestone for women and the USSS as Ms. Person is the first woman in the agency’s nearly 150 year history to hold the top leadership position. In January, NASW expressed concern with the change in direction the President was taking on appointing women, of all ethnicities, to Cabinet positions and/or high level federal positions. Since then, the President has proceeded to nominate four additional women to the Administration including: Sally Jewell as Secretary of the Interior, Gina McCarthy as EPA Administrator, Edith Ramirez as Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and Slyvia Mathews Burwell as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. NASW is pleased to see President Obama continue to confirm his commitment to women.
Second Chance Act Reintroduced: Seminal Criminal Justice Reform Legislation
On April 16, 2024, the House of Representatives reintroduced a truly seminal bipartisan criminal justice reform bill called the Second Chance Act (SCA). This news of the reintroduction of SCA is more gratifying when we realize that it coincides with the act’s 16th anniversary.