In the News
Feminine products are having a moment. With some calling for a red wave to take the taboo out of menstruation, politicians across the country are trying to make tampons and sanitary pads as affordable and accessible as possible.
Five states have eliminated sales taxes on pads and tampons: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland and Minnesota. In New York, a bill awaits the governor's signature, and other efforts to improve access to sanitary products are underway.
The legislation now goes to President Obama for his signature. Representative Grace Meng, a Democrat from New York who proposed the changes, also previously led a successful initiative to ban the word “oriental” in government documents in the Empire State.
Months after a hearing on sexual harassment at the Environmental Protection Agency, one of the House’s top government watchdogs has delivered on his promise to protect the youngest members of the federal workforce.
The Federal Intern Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, unanimously passed the House on Monday.
New York Democrat Congresswoman Grace Meng has found a unique way to support Muslims in America and rebuff the Republican presidential front-runner and businessman Donald Trump’s vicious invective against Muslims: she has invited as her guest a Pakistani American New York Police Department (NYPD) officer, Lt. Adeel Rana, as her guest at president Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech, on Tuesday.
Queens Democrats came out in uniform support Tuesday for President Barack Obama’s executive actions to try and curb gun violence throughout the country.
Speaking at the East Room at the White House and flanked by victims of gun violence and their families, the president became visibly emotional as he spoke of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
“First graders,” the President said. “Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad.”
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) praised the passage of tax breaks that she said will benefit individuals and small businesses in Queens, including a commuter tax credit for mass transit commuters and increasing expense limits for businesses for equipment costs. These were part of a $1.1 trillion spending package approved in Washington last week.
The tax measures, passed by the House and Senate and signed into law by President Barack Obama Dec. 18, will make permanent several tax breaks that Congress has traditionally only renewed on a temporary basis.
The House of Representatives passed a bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) last week that removes the term "Oriental" from federal law.
The bill removes all references to "Orientals" in federal law and replaces the term with "Asian Americans." The legislation, which was approved unanimously Dec. 2 by voice vote, is included in the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act.
Just months after the start of yet another fashion trend for using models age 16 and under, Representative Grace Meng of New York introduced the Child Performers Protection Act of 2015, a bill intended to extend federal workplace safety regulations to young professionals, including models.
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) announced a $1.1 million, five-year federal grant for Queens College to continue a disability services initiative that seeks to help low-income students with disabilities.
The funds, allocated by the U.S. Department of Education's Student Services Program, will be used for the school to maintain its Disability Student Support Services project. The school will receive $220,000 every year for the next five years.