Rep. Jackie Speier

Today is Equal Pay Day, a national misnomer dedicated to the sad reality that in 2012 women in modern day America have to work an extra 3.5 months -- April 17th to be exact -- for their 2011 earnings to match what men were paid on average in 2011.

Less than three percent of rape and sexual assault cases in our military result in punishment.

The vast majority of service members who sexually assault other service members end up going free, in fact, the victims, not the perpetrators often end up being punished after they report the assault...

The ten-year anniversary of the war in Afghanistan is a somber moment. We must honor the ultimate sacrifice made by nearly 2,000 brave Americans. Congress authorized this war with good intentions -- to respond to the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001. We went after Osama bin Laden -- who...

Why are Congressional Republicans failing to negotiate when economists of all political stripes warn default would be catastrophic? The answer is both clear and sad. They are putting party above country. They realize President Obama's reelection is staked in the condition of the economy. The chaos of default would surely...

In our nation's political dictionary "abortion" is a word employed by intolerant people to cast shame on women who choose it. When one of my colleagues on the House floor trivialized a woman's decision to have a second trimester abortion, I stood to correct his mischaracterization by giving my own...

The last time I was this angry I was sitting in front of the TV in my bathrobe and slippers, watching the confirmation hearing for Clarence Thomas and listening to Senators interrogating Anita Hill as if she were a criminal. I vividly remember kicking a slipper off and throwing it...

Next time you're at the mall, supporting your hometown merchants with holiday purchases, I would like you to consider something. Every store owner must comply with a list of regulations that govern their building, signs, how they treat employees, product safety and the veracity of their advertising.

While...

Before investing, you likely research the rating the financial product holds from one of the major credit rating agencies. But how would you feel if you discovered that a highly-rated bond received its grade, not because the company is strong, but because the rating agency:

1. assumed the government would...