"Feminists are optimistic that the change in Senate leadership following Sen. Jeffords' departure from the Republican party will help keep women's rights intact," said National Organization for Women (NOW) President Patricia Ireland." Although Jeffords' switch doesn't alter the vote count in favor of abortion rights, the change-over in leadership from ultraconservative clutches is monumental."

"One of the most crucial results of Jeffords' decision will be the ousting of Orrin Hatch from his position as Chair of the Judiciary Committee," Ireland said. "With Patrick Leahy as his likely successor, recommendations from this committee on judicial nominees are sure to be less conservative and more supportive of women's and other civil rights. You can bet that any recommendations coming out of Leahy's Judiciary Committee to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court will support Roe v. Wade, whereas under Hatch, they were sure not to."

"Sen. Jeffords' decision to depart from the Republican Party should be a wake-up call to right-wing members of Congress," Ireland said. "The game of rolling-back rights and disregarding public interest is not something that the formerly Republican lawmaker wanted to play. The days of ultraconservatives gloating over holding both houses of Congress are over."

"Jeffords' bold move highlights the importance of the 2002 elections and suggests that the political climate is right for moving beyond politics as usual," Ireland said. "NOW activists have already begun making plans to elect feminists to all levels of government and will fine tune these skills at NOW's upcoming Political Institute. This Institute, part of the National NOW Conference (June 29 to July 1 in Philadelphia), will train activists to select and elect women's rights supporters and wrest power from the ultraconservatives."

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