Kay Joins Michelle Obama to Highlight Let’s Move!
On Friday, March 2, Hagan joined First Lady Michelle Obama for a Let’s Move! event in between Womens Semifinal games at the CIAA basketball tournament in Charlotte. Let’s Move! is the First Lady’s initiative to combat the obesity epidemic. Hagan thanked the First Lady for her focus on families, healthy eating and exercising and for bringing Let’s Move! to Charlotte. Hagan and Obama then got moving and led area elementary school students in an obstacle course relay-race.
Hagan Conducts Promotion Ceremony for LtCol. Kristin McCann
In February, Hagan was honored to conduct the promotion ceremony for her Congressional Military Fellow, Kristin McCann. McCann, who works in Hagan’s DC office, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps. LtCol. McCann has been stationed at Camp Lejeune for over 8 years throughout her career. LtCol. McCann’s parents are proud North Carolinians and live in Brunswick County.
“It was an honor to perform the promotion ceremony for LtCol. McCann,” said Hagan, Chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats. “Women are the fastest growing demographic in our military, making up 14.5 percent of active duty troops, and nearly 18 percent of the Reserve and National Guard population. We can all be proud of the brave women who work side-by-side with our men in defense of our country. North Carolina and the entire country are grateful for LtCol. McCann’s service.”
Kay Honors 100th Anniversary of
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the USA hosted a centennial event on Capitol Hill as a part of their yearlong anniversary celebration, and Hagan, a former Girl Scout troop leader, honored the organization.
“For a century now, the Girl Scouts of the USA have fostered important ideals in young women – from service to perseverance to leadership,” said Hagan. “As the mother of two daughters and a former Girl Scout troop leader, I am so proud of this outstanding organization’s commitment to helping all women reach their full potential. I am committed to standing with the Girl Scouts to help promote strong women and strong leaders in North Carolina and across the country, now and into the future.”
Hagan Includes Key Measure in Reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act
Nearly one in four women in the US has reported experiencing domestic violence at some point in her life. In 2007, there were 248,300 reported incidents of sexual assault in the United States. Senator Hagan applauded the Senate Judiciary Committee for approving the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011 (VAWA 2011). The Act included Hagan’s Violence Against Women Health Initiative, intended to raise awareness of domestic violence among health care providers, allowing them to better assess and treat survivors of domestic violence.
Hagan’s provision would consolidate the existing three health programs into a single program, while increasing evaluation and accountability. Hagan worked with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) on the research portion of her bill. Specifically, her bill would:
- Improve public health responses to intimate partner violence and sexual violence,
- Provide training and education of health professionals to help them better respond to violence and abuse, and
- Support research on effective public health approaches to end violence against women.
March is Women’s History Month, and as we take time to reflect on both the historic and everyday accomplishments of women in our country, I wanted to share with you some of my recent work to support women and girls.
As a mother of two daughters, I have long been invested in making sure our girls and young women have the support they need to fulfill their potential. This month and all year long we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Girls Scouts of the USA, an organization that is doing terrific work to encourage the next generation of strong female leaders.
At the end of February, I was honored to speak to the current generation of female leaders when I joined former state Sen. Margaret Dickson at a luncheon for the National Association of Women Business Owners in Raleigh.
I serve as Chair of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, and recently, I was proud to perform the promotion ceremony for a member of my staff, LtCol. Kristin McCann. North Carolina is the most military-friendly state in the nation, and as the number of women in our armed forces continues to grow, I will continue working to advocate for both our servicemen and servicewomen at the federal level.
Recently, women’s health has been left hanging in the balance as politicians in Washington use the issue as a political football. Please know that I will never let women’s health take a backseat to political grandstanding. Every woman, regardless of income or race or any other factor deserves access to preventive care such as mammograms and cervical cancer screenings that save lives and save families. I will continue working to ensure access to these basic services for women in North Carolina and across the country.