On February 12, the U.S. Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) by a comfortable 78-22 margin.  The bill included comprehensive protections for Native American women, women in same-sex marriages, and illegal immigrants, features not included in the 2012 House version of the bill. Now, we are urging the House of Representatives to pass the same version of VAWA that the Senate passed earlier this month. ... 

By Paul R. Pace, News staff Retired congressman and social worker Edolphus “Ed” Towns said he will continue to champion social work policy and aid U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., as she leads the next chapter of the Social Work Caucus in the 113th Congress. Eldophus “Ed” Towns, who recently retired from the U.S. House of Representatives after 30 years, stands with Washington, D.C., Congressional Delegate... 

Senator and Social Worker Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) has been named Chair of the Committee on Appropriations. She follows after Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) who died in December. Senator Mikulski will be the first woman to hold this powerful position, which reflects the growing representation of women on Capitol Hill. The Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee which has jurisdiction over all discretionary... 

Senator Daniel K. Inouye died Monday, December 17, 2012, and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) fondly remembers him as the first Japanese American elected to Congress, the first Congressman representing Hawaii, the second longest serving Senator in U.S. history, a highly decorated World War II Veteran, and a longtime friend to the profession of social work. According to the New York Times, Senator Inouye... 

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was drafted and adopted by the United Nations in 2006 to assist with the attainment of human rights and equality worldwide. Using the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a guide, the CRPD provides a foundation for countries to enact and enforce legislation that recognized the rights of all people with disabilities.  The Convention is highly compatible... 

Save Wednesday, November 14 for a VAWA day of ACTION Every national leader will call Congressional leaders Every organization’s state leaders will call their U.S. Senators Every local organization and all individuals will call their House members By the end of the day, every Member of Congress will hear a unified message: Work out the differences, pass VAWA before this Congress ends and you go home for the holidays. ... 

By Paul R. Pace, News staff A social worker in Congress announced she will lead the next Social Work Caucus after its founder and chairman, U.S. Rep. Edolphus “Ed” Towns, D-N.Y., retires this year. Rep. Barbara Lee Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., said she is honored that Towns asked her to continue the caucus’ important effort into the next term. “I look forward to building on his work and the work of the caucus,”... 

 NASW supports the Farley-Kluger Initiative to amend the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA).  As it currently stands, FMLA requires that employers provide eligible employees with up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave each year for the birth, adoption, or foster care of a child, for the care of an immediate family member with a serious health condition, for a serious health condition that makes the employee unable... 

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend an event at the White House to see President Obama make a statement about student loan debt.  My invitation to the White House occurred because I reached out to the organization, Campus Progress, and volunteered to work at their Student Debt Day.  By volunteering, I was given the opportunity, along with other student interns, to go to Capitol Hill and advocate on behalf of a... 

While women constitute 51 percent of the population of the United States, they experience disparate treatment.  There continues to be a gender gap in earnings between men and women.  Household income varies dramatically and women, and women-headed households, are more likely to live in poverty.  Social work is a female-majority profession and women are the majority of clients served by the profession.  Social workers...