Legislation to Establish a Presidential Commission on Women
From the Campaign for Gender Equality last Thursday -
We are very excited. Today Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA CD12 San Francisco/San Mateo County) announced that she will introduce a bill to establish a Presidential Commission on Women.
Congresswoman Speier said “I will be introducing this bill today… Today is a very significant day for women in America. April 2, 1917 was the date that Jeannette Rankin was sworn in as a member of congress, the first woman to serve in the House of Representatives… So far I already have generated 18 original co-sponsors and I am not done yet. I am hoping to double that number before the day is over… We are going to show how grass roots can move legislation.” More information will be avaliable on Congresswoman Speier’s website.
It is very important that we all unite behind this effort and you can help. Please contact your Congress member and ask them to sign on as a co-sponsor. CONTACT INFO
In September 2008, Campaign for Gender Equality met with WomenCount to discuss the idea of calling for the establishment of a Presidential Commission on Women. We worked together for three months to develop the plan of action that launched the Presidential Commission on Women petition drive. We thank WomenCount for all their work with Congresswoman Speier to make this bill a reality.
* The United States ranks 71st in the world in the number of women in elected office.
* Women earn 77 cents on the dollar compared to men. African American women earn 69 cents on the dollar compared to men. Latinas earn 59 cents compared to men.
* One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Eighty five percent of domestic violence victims are women. The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health services.
* Women of color are disproportionately affected by the inequalities women face.
* Gender bias and discrimination remain pervasive in almost all aspects of our culture, including but not limited to the media, family life, the workplace, sports, education, health care, the military, entertainment, and financial matters.
To read the complete Bill go to www.speier.house.gov.
A Presidential Commission on Women is a way to initiate a much needed national conversation about gender inequities and to make changes. We are pleased that President Obama created a White House Council on Women and Girls and believe that Council and the Commission can and should work together in collaboration – the Council working within the administration and the Commission working to bring stories of women to light and make policy recommendations.
It has been 48 years since the last and only Presidential Commission on Women was created by President Kennedy. Campaign for Gender Equality will be working on the grassroots level to ask individuals and organizations to support the creation of a Presidential Commission on Women.
It is very important that we all unite behind this effort and we are asking for your help. Please contact your Congress member and ask them to sign on as a co-sponsor.
