March 8, 2025
Two Years Driving
Good morning, and happy International Women’s Day.
Those of you who have been with us since the beginning may remember that March 8th is also the anniversary of our founding — today marks two years of Drive US Forward.
What a two years it’s been. While we just shared a full recap of last year’s work and wins in January, we’ve got new updates to share.
On January 21st, Senators Deb Fischer, Patty Murray, Marsha Blackburn, and Tammy Duckworth reintroduced the bipartisan She DRIVES Act. And on February 5th, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation unanimously advanced the bill.
How big of a deal is this? Well, Politico’s Women Rule chose us for the quote of the week: “For decades, discriminatory car safety standards have put American women in danger. The Senate Commerce Committee’s unanimous advancement of the bipartisan She DRIVES Act represents a critical step towards ending this fatal disparity. Now, it’s up to the full Senate to finally put women in the driver's seat.”
The Commerce Committee’s passage is monumental, but the fight isn’t over. In our third year of Drive, we will continue to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to pass the She DRIVES Act through both chambers of Congress and on to the President’s desk.
It’s hard to believe that at this time last year, there was no She DRIVES Act at all. The progress we’ve made in one year — from an original bill introduction, to the recruitment of nine additional bipartisan Senate cosponsors, to reintroduction and unanimous Committee passage — is astounding.
On a personal aside, I want to thank you for your support. For years, this issue was one I worked on alone, and one that, no matter how hard I tried, didn’t seem to be going anywhere. In the two years since we’ve joined together, we have elevated this issue to a national level. We have made it important. We have shown survivors, families, friends, and loved ones that their stories matter. We are finally, together, making a difference. Thank you.
Lastly, I have returned from my South American sojourn, and my inbox is officially open again. Questions? Concerns? Ideas? Please feel free to drop me a line.
More soon.
Warmly,
Maria