Civil Rights

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ISSUES

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Civil Rights

Progress

The President

signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers.

President Obama recognizes that our civil rights laws and principles are at the core of our nation. He has spent much of his career fighting to strengthen civil rights – as a community organizer, civil rights lawyer, Illinois State Senator, U.S. Senator, and now as President. He knows that our country grows stronger when all Americans have access to opportunity and are able to participate fully in our economy.

Strengthen Anti-Discrimination Laws

On January 29, 2009, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act to ensure that all Americans receive equal pay for equal work. The President is committed to expanding funding for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to ensure that voting rights are protected and Americans do not suffer from increased discrimination during a time of economic distress. President Obama also continues to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. He supports full civil unions and federal rights for LGBT couples and opposes a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. marriage.  He supports changing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in a sensible way that strengthens our armed forces and our national security, and also believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Lead Criminal Justice Reform

The President will lead the fight to build a more fair and equitable criminal justice system. He will seek to strengthen federal hate crime legislation and will work to ensure that federal law enforcement agencies do not resort to racial profiling. He supports funding for drug courts, giving first-time, non-violent offenders a chance to serve their sentence, if appropriate, in drug rehabilitation programs that have proven to work better than prison terms in changing behavior. President Obama will also improve ex-offender employment and job retention strategies, substance abuse treatment, and mental health counseling so ex-offenders can successfully re-join society.

RELATED BLOG POSTS

FRI, MARCH 27, 5:39 PM EST

A Special Moment for Service

Last night the Senate passed the Edward M. Kennedy National Service Act, a bill close to the President’s heart. We asked Carlos Monje Jr., Senior Policy Advisor at the Domestic Policy Council to go explain what it meant a little more in-depth.

READ THIS POST

THU, FEBRUARY 12, 12:19 PM EST

Happy Birthday, Abe

The Great Emancipator would have been 200 years old today, and President Obama is marking the occasion in several ways.

READ THIS POST

THU, JANUARY 29, 12:00 PM EST

A Wonderful Day (Update: Video)

Surrounded by leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and with the new law’s namesake, Lilly Ledbetter, at his side, President Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- a powerful tool to fight discrimination.

READ THIS POST

OTHER RELATED ITEMS

THU, APRIL 30, 8:39 AM EST

News Conference by the President, 4/29/2009

WED, APRIL 29, 1:41 PM EST

Spanish-Language Media Outlets Document Obama Administration Outreach to Hispanics

TUE, APRIL 28, 7:55 PM EST

Statement by the President on H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009

 

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THE BRIEFING ROOM

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ISSUES

Civil Rights

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ISSUES

Civil Rights

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Economy

Education

Energy & Environment

Ethics

Family

Fiscal Responsibility

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Health Care

Homeland Security

Immigration

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Rural

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Service

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Veterans

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Service

Taxes

Technology

Urban Policy

Veterans

Women

Additional Issues



THE ADMINISTRATION

President Barack Obama

Vice President Joe Biden

First Lady Michelle Obama

Dr. Jill Biden

The Cabinet

White House Staff



THE ADMINISTRATION

President Barack Obama

Vice President Joe Biden

First Lady Michelle Obama

Dr. Jill Biden

The Cabinet

White House Staff

Executive Office of the President



ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE

History

Presidents

First Ladies



ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE

History

Presidents

First Ladies

Vice President's Residence & Office





Eisenhower Executive Office Building



The Oval Office

Camp David

Air Force One

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White House 101



The Oval Office

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Air Force One

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OUR GOVERNMENT

The Executive Branch

The Legislative Branch

The Judicial Branch

The Constitution



OUR GOVERNMENT

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The Constitution

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