Women’s Rights and Opportunities

Representative Casten is committed to supporting and expanding women’s rights and opportunities — by protecting reproductive rights, fighting for equal pay for equal work, and supporting programs that aid women subjected to harassment and abuse.

We must ensure that women are treated equally – including in the workplace. For every dollar a man makes, a woman makes 80 cents, and the wage gap is even larger for women of color.

In the first few months as a Representative, Rep. Casten was proud to be a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work. This legislation strengthens and closes loopholes in the 1963 Equal Pay Act to secure justice for working women in Illinois and across the country by providing effective remedies for women subject to unfair and inequitable pay practices.   

Violence Against Women Act

Domestic violence and abuse is far too prevalent in our country. Rep. Casten is committed to combating domestic violence and advocating for victims of abuse.  He is proud to have cosponsored and helped to pass H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019, which has been absolutely vital to saving the lives of women and their families since its inception. This bill addresses gaps in current law, and does so in collaboration with victim service providers, law enforcement, and other experts in the field.   Rep. Casten also won approval of his amendment to the bill to include campus faculty in grant programs so they can be trained in recognizing and responding to domestic or sexual abuse.

Women's rights are human rights. Rep. Casten will continue to protect and advance women's rights here in the United States and around the world.