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The women’s rights supporters are coming to town to carry the message that Congress must take action on a broad range of bills that would promote equality for women. Advocates from all across the country will discuss the need to strengthen Social Security, to pass a strong bill promoting pay equity, to assure quality child care programs for all and to address women’s health concerns. The visitors to the Hill will stress, especially, the need for Congress to stop restrictions on abortion services and to fund more effective measures against abortion clinic terrorism. 

Since 1995, there have been 102 votes on reproductive rights; all but 15 have limited access to abortion and family planning services. We expect that every effort that can be made to deny 
women reproductive health services through legislation will be attempted by right wing members this Congress. 

Feminist leaders, including NOW President Patricia Ireland, Eleanor Smeal from the Feminist Majority, Kathy Rodgers from NOW/LDEF, Heidi Hartmann of the Institute for Women’s 
Policy Research and Ms. Magazine founder Gloria Steinem will hold a press conference on Tuesday to talk about the critical issues confronting women. Breakfast with women members of 
Congress is also slated. 

The training anticipates Love Your Body Day, now set for Wednesday, September 22, when the we will call attention the onslaught of negative images that impact women’s health.  To help raise this concern, NOW Foundation is conducting a creative competition for a poster design. Chapters and school groups are encouraged to participate.  More information is available on the NOW Foundation Website at http://www.nowfoundation.org

At about the same time, Senators Paul Wellstone (D-MN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) are expected to introduce the Battered Women’s Economic Security Act (BWESA) that will complement Sen. Joe Biden’s (D-DE) Violence Against Women Act of 1999 (S. 51). BWESA will round out the Senate VAW package and then activists will push to gather 51 co-sponsors. The Biden bill currently has 21, including Sens. Boxer (CA), Dodd (CT), Feinstein (CA), Inouye (HI), Kennedy (MA), Kerry (MA), Landrieu (LA), Lautenberg (NJ), Lincoln (AR), Mikulski (MD), Murray (WA), Reed (RI), Reid (NV), Robb (VA), Rockefeller (WV), Sarbannes (MD), Schumer (NY). Snowe (ME), Specter (PA) and Wellstone (MN). 

We understand that Rep. Connie Morella (R-MD) will introduce Title I of the Violence Against Women Act of 1999 as a standalone bill.  This provision would re-authorize all of the programs which were established in 1994 by the first VAWA; these programs are due to expire in 2000. Among its many successful programs are those which operate the National Domestic Violence Hotline, provide grants for shelters, legal services counseling battered women, and for improving law enforcement agencies. 

Advocates had hoped that VAWA ‘98 would have assured the continued existence of these programs, but the Senate did not take up even that part of the legislation which passed the House last year. VAWA ‘99 extends the  commitment to fight violence against women, by moving into other realms such as limiting the effect of violence of children, sexual assault prevention, prevention of violence against women in the military, in traditionally underserved communities, in the workplace and in educational facilities. 

There are a few past House co-sponsors of VAWA ‘98 who have not yet signed on as co-sponsors of VAWA ‘99.  A round of calls by activists to their members would help sign up those folks and others.  Our goal is to enlist at least 51% of the House membership or 218 Representatives; only 143 have become co-sponsors to date.  Part of the message should be a request of Congress to hold hearings soon on the legislation.  The House Judiciary Committee has added VAWA ‘99 to its priority list -- thanks to Rep. John Conyers, the ranking minority member of that important committee. 

Action Needed:

Also, we are looking for NOW activists to help write and place letters and guest editorials in local newspapers in support of both the Violence Against Women Act of 1999 and the related Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999.  Please let us know if you are interested in helping by sending an e-mail to govtrel@now.org or by calling NOW at (202) 628-8669 and asking for Intern Michelle Greenberg. We’ll provide you with sample letters and background information. 

In support of the measure, Sen. Wellstone noted that violence against women in the U.S. armed forces is prevalent and that military dependents are especially vulnerable due to the isolation, the mobile lifestyle and financial insecurity of military service. The Senator said that in the military privacy of medical and other records is not maintained for personnel and that because many 
violence survivors are dependents -- not servicemembers -- their records should be private. 

Adoption of the amendment followed a briefing, held earlier in February by Rep. Carolyn Maloney and other members of Congress, on the extent and nature of violence in the U.S. military.  Related policies and programs within the military were explored by a panel of experts.. Numerous studies in recent years have detailed the problem and highlighted needed changes in military procedure.  Legislation is being drafted by Rep. Maloney’s office. 

The grant programs includes S.T.O.P Violence Against Women Formula Grants and Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies.  S.T.O.P. (Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors) grant programs are administered by the Justice Department, giving 56 States and Territories a portion of over $138 million to develop and strengthen the criminal justice systems’ response to violence against women and to support and enhance services for victims.  One quarter of the funds must be allocated to law enforcement, another 25 percent to prosecution, and 25 percent to victims services.  Under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies, the Justice Department will award thirty-two States and five Territories a portion of $23 million to help coordinate involvement of their entire criminal justice system in the fight to end domestic violence. 

In addition, funds were released for a federal grant to help protect victims of domestic violence.  The Department of Health and Human Services’ Battered Women’s Shelter Grants will dispense over $62 million, which is distributed by States to local domestic violence agencies and service providers, providing shelter for women and children. Other uses for these grants include: counseling to victims of domestic violence; legal advocacy and assistance services; information and referral services; community education; and services to men who batter. 

The push to get the 106th Congress to enact the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999 is well underway. The legislation would broaden federal jurisdiction to investigate any crime which causes serious bodily injury or death, regardless of whether or not the victim was exercising a federally protected right, and defines "hate crime" as a violent act causing death or bodily injury 
"because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability" of the victim.  Many states lack comprehensive hate crimes laws, and FBI statistics show the incidence of hate crimes reported continues to be extremely high, although rates of most violent crimes are actually decreasing. 

Soon, a bill will be introduced Congress that is similar to the Hate Crimes bill introduced in the 105th Congress.  The legislation is supported by NOW, as well as by President Clinton, the Department of Justice, law enforcement groups and dozens of major civil rights, women’s rights, religious, gay and lesbian organizations. 

Action Needed:

Also, keep in mind the upcoming NOW Lesbian Rights Summit, slated for April 23 - 25th, in Washington, D.C. which will explore political strategies and build a powerful coalition to work on lesbian rights issues, including hate crimes.

The legislation would establish an Independent Social Security Investment Oversight Board, which would oversee, on an independent level, the investment of no more than 30% of the trust fund monies into the stock market.  And Nadler’s bill would increase, and then index, the cap on taxable wages, starting in the year 2000.  These two factors, alone, would greatly enhance revenues to the Trust Fund.  By Rep. Nadler’s estimates, these changes would bring the system into long-term actuarial balance for the next 75 years. 

The Social Security Trust Fund is projected by conservative estimates to experience a shortfall by 2032. Many proposals for reforming the current system involve some combination of benefit reductions, tax increases, or additional federal borrowing  -- options that are economically disastrous or politically unpalatable. 

Women have a great deal to lose under any radical re-structuring of Social Security. Because women generally earn less and live longer than men, elderly women are more likely to become impoverished and face financial strains during their retirement years. Social Security has done much in the last 30 years to increase incomes for older women and there is still more than can be done to improve the system -- without having women risk their earnings in private investments. 

The Nadler bill is the first of what is expected to be numerous measures introduced on the subject. Hearings in the House Ways and Means Committee have been proceeding on a regular basis. Testimony has been heavily weighted by the Republican majority to favor privatization and to portray a picture of financial collapse of the current system early in the next century. Democratis efforts have been limited by the Republican leadership to propose alternatives that would preserve Social Security, while generating revenues sufficient to meet the retirement needs of the Baby Boom generation. 

Action Needed:

The intention of the legislation is to prevent companies from requiring employees or prospective employees to agree in advance not to sue the company in the event of a discrimination claim, but to submit to an process of arbitration. NOW opposes these requirements -- which appear to be spreading to many companies -- because the arbitration process is often biased in favor of the employer.  Brokers and other employees in the securities industry, especially, have been compelled to sign such agreements. 

Action Needed:

UNFPA supports reproductive health care and family planning services to millions of people worldwide, but the U.S. contribution was zeroed out in the fiscal year 1999 budget. Abortion and family planning opponents in the House led the effort to delete the funds because of their objections to population control policies in China. There have been a number of reports of coerced abortions in that country. The proposed legislation would authorize a $25 million U.S. contribution to UNFPA in fiscal 2000 and $35 million in fiscal 2001. 

Reportedly, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) told United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in late February when he visited Washington that the Republican leadership would continue to work against international population assistance programs. Lott indicated that limitations on international population assistance would be tied to legislation providing payment of U.S. arrears to the U.N.  Such efforts in the past have prevented authorization of the U.S. share for the U.N.  -- actions which have caused considerable consternation in the administration as well as at the United Nations. 

In essence, UNFPA seeks to stabilize population growth as well as improve the status of women worldwide. Over one-half of the funding goes towards maternal and child health care programs such as family planning services; supplying modern contraception; and prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS. UNFPA does not fund abortions, rather it seeks to reduce the need for them through education and other preventive methods. UNFPA upholds the principle that all couples/individuals have the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of children, and to have information, education and the means to do so. 

Action Alert:

-- modernize public schools 
-- Patients’ Bill of Rights
-- Targeted tax cuts for retirement savings, child care, long-term care 
-- 50,000 more police with 21st century tools
-- raise the minimum wage and enforce fair pay
-- protect pensions
-- protect the environment and improve livability
-- crackdown on crime against seniors
-- protect individuals’ privacy

Most notable is the appearance of “fair pay” on the list for the first time in many years and the 
higher priority being given to child care. 

Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) said that the House Judiciary Committee will take up bankruptcy soon, along with juvenile justice legislation and an oversight examination of the U.S. Department of Justice and a revamping of civil asset forfeiture laws. d the power of credit card companies and did little to discourage agressive marketing of credit cards to young people and other consumer abuses. 

Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) said that the House Judiciary Committee will take up bankruptcy soon, along with juvenile justice legislation and an oversight examination of the U.S. Department of Justice and a revamping of civil asset forfeiture laws.