We are here today with the Women's Equality Summit, as a combined force of over 50 national women's organizations, knocking again on the door of Congress.
For almost five years now, Congressional leaders have ignored women's voices. They have let good bills die in committee . . . bills that would increase women's income through pay equity . . . bills that would assure child care for those who need it . . . bills that would make our homes and streets safer for women. These are the issues that the vast majority of women -- Republican and Democrat, older and younger -- all want to see passed.
Why hasn't Congress acted? Aren't they listening to women?
Not only have they ignored women's demand for child care, domestic violence programs, pay equity and health care. They have passed bills that actually restrict women's equality and opportunity. The last two Congresses passed 88 bills that limit women's access to reproductive health services.
Now the Republican leadership wants to pass a meaningless bill they call the Patients' Bill of Rights Plus (S.300) -- B.S. Plus for short. Senate leaders want to fool the public into thinking that health care consumers will now have assurances to vital health services from their Health Maintenance Organizations. But women won't be fooled.
Women want real protections in our health care plans. We want comprehensive legislation which guarantees and enforces patients' access to services. There is a true Patients' Bill of Rights, introduced as S.6. It would ensure that treatment decisions are in the hands of doctors -- not insurance companies. It would require insurance companies to pay for emergency services, and would prevent health care professionals from being financially rewarded for limiting a patient's care. S. 6 allows patients to appeal denials of care and gives women direct access to OB/GYN services without going through a primary care doctor. None of these key provisions are in the Republican bill that will come to the Senate floor next week and we intend to defeat it.
For several years now, women's groups have called for expansion of programs and protections under the Violence Against Women Act. The Senate last year let a bill die that would have continued very effective programs under that act and authorized other new ones.
Opponents of women's rights argue that the only government intervention necessary to curb violence is more jails. They even go so far as to question whether there really is a problem. Feminists know that you just have to talk to women to know that violence against women has reached epidemic proportions.
This year, most of those effective programs which have saved so many lives will expire, and more women's lives will be in danger. Even if the Senate acts to re-authorize programs, they may well slash funding. The National Domestic Violence Hotline gets 10,000 calls for help each month and battered women's shelters must turn away desperate women and their children every day. Yet Congress is turning its back. Shame!
Women demand that Congress pass new legislation to bring effective anti-violence programs to every community, urban and rural, serving women of color, older women, lesbians, and other groups that have been under-served. We must fully support shelters so that no woman is turned away when she tries to escape an abusive relationship. The new Violence Against Women Act will authorize a billion dollars for more space and services at battered women's shelters.
Perhaps most importantly, the Violence
Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1998 proposes a host of workplace initiatives
that reflect the reality of women in danger where they are employed. Many
of the proposals are designed to encourage employers to take steps to reduce
that danger through heightened security measures and flexible job policies.
Women are telling Congressional leaders that they must also pass this
year the Hate Crimes Prevention
Act. This bill sets the pace and tone of our national effort
to combat hate violence based on gender, sexual orientation or disability.
Women demand that we be able live our lives without the fear of being assaulted,
beaten or murdered. The resources of the federal government must
be brought to bear against these hate crimes, including serial rape, serial
battering, mutilation and hate-motivated murder. They must be investigated
and their perpetrators prosecuted.
Hate crimes happen every day all across the nation. Often local law enforcement authorities do not have the necessary tools -- and sometimes lack the will -- to vigorously pursue them.
For 12 long years, the National Organization for Women and scores of other national groups have advocated for expanding the Hate Crimes statutes. Congress seems to be hard of hearing, but we will keep repeating it . . . and you can even read our lips:
We demand that a national policy to end hate crimes against women be
adopted now.
Congress, did you hear us?