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Pay equity for women is a hot topic in Congress these days. Cynics say it is because Democrats are eager to stir up female voters who, according to the Associated Press, comprised 53 percent of all voters in 2012 and preferred Democrats by 11 percentage points.

The Associated Press points out that the voting rate for women drops in non-presidential elections like the one coming up in November, so Democrats are doing their best to get women interested in the election so they’ll go to the polls.

Thursday, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Connecticut) co-hosted a press conference with advocacy group Social Security Works to release new research that says closing the gender pay gap would strengthen Social Security’s finances and improve women’s benefits over their retirement. DeLauro said that currently women earn 77 cents for every $1 that men earn, and if women made more, they would pay more into Social Security. “Closing the gender pay gap would provide greater Social Security benefits for women and it would reduce the long-term Social Security shortfall by one-third,” DeLauro says.

Editor’s Note: This article is part of a Wisconsin Public Radio year-long series tracking all gun-related homicides in Wisconsin.

A candlelight vigil took place Monday night for a 10-year-old girl who has become the state’s 55th gun homicide victim of the year.

Sierra Guyton died on Sunday, nearly two months after being hit by crossfire while playing outside a Milwaukee school. Her death was front-page news, as she’s one of about 30 young people in the city shot this year.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said Guyton’s death should prompt a number of measures, including more laws discouraging felons from using guns.

Each year, I am so proud to host the annual Congressional Art Competition, “An Artistic Discovery,” for high school students from the 4th Congressional District. Since 1982, this nationwide visual arts contest has been fostering artistic talent, among our youth, in each participating congressional district. Winners from my district are recognized, both in Wisconsin and at an awards ceremony in our nation’s capital.

Throughout my years as a community leader, I have been an avid supporter of the arts and the vibrancy that they bring to our community and our culture. Student participation in the arts encourages creativity and an exploration of many unique modes of expression. The work presented by this year’s artists beautifully reflected the realities of their lives and the larger world, and I am thankful to all who participated in this year’s competition.

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The House late Wednesday night adopted a proposal to increase funding for the Justice Department’s Executive Office of Immigration Review.

Adopted by voice vote after five minutes of debate, Rep. Gwen Moore’s (D-Wis.) amendment to the 2015 Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill would increase funding for the Executive Office of Immigration Review by $1 million. It would be offset by reducing the same amount from the budget for the Justice Department’s salaries and expenses account.

The Executive Office of Immigration Review handles immigration court proceedings and administrative hearings. 

Moore said that the court system was unable to keep up with the record-high level of deportations.

Rosario Socope, a Guatemalan immigrant in the country illegally, had an unwelcome surprise waiting for her when she attended a pretrial hearing on a felony charge at a courthouse in Brooklyn this month. As she stepped out of the courtroom into a public hallway, she was approached by immigration agents seeking to deport her.

As her husband, her social worker and one of her lawyers looked on aghast, the agents hauled her away.

The encounter was only the most recent in a long series of such cases across the country that immigrant advocates and politicians say have spread fear of courthouses among immigrants and eroded their willingness to participate in the judicial system, with profound civil rights implications.

MILWAUKEE (WITI) — It’s one of Milwaukee’s darkest secrets: Women and children being trafficked for sex. Experts say it’s a lucrative business — and Milwaukee is a major hub. A tough new bill would make it easier for human trafficking victims to break free.

Last year, ten human trafficking victims between the ages of 13 and 17 were recovered in Milwaukee.

That’s believed to be only a fraction of the kids being sold for sex.

A new bill would make sure sex trafficking victims get treatment — instead of jail time.

“It is a huge issue in this city. We’re hearing that if you want to be a pimp, this is where they train them, if you will,” Debbie Zwicky said.