DNC - Women

President Obama’s Proclamation for Women’s Equality Day 2010

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Women’s suffrage in the United States, President Barack Obama proclaimed this day, August 26, 2010, Women’s Equality Day. While the President and the Nation celebrates this great milestone, we elevate wins for women equality in this Administration. President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act on his first day office. And for the first time in history, three women sit on the Supreme Court-- two of whom were nominated by the President. Though the gains have been great in the last 90 years, the President recognized in his proclamation our unfinished work: As we celebrate 90 years of progress on Women's Equality Day, we also recognize the realities of the present. Women comprise less than one-fifth of our Congress and account for a mere fraction of the chief executives at the helm of our biggest companies. Women hold only 27 percent of jobs in science and engineering, which are critical to our economic growth in a 21st-century economy. And, almost 50 years after the Equal Pay Act was enacted, American women still only earn 77 cents for every dollar men earn. This gap increases among minority women and those living with disabilities. These disparities remind us that our work remains unfinished. My Administration remains committed to advancing women's equality in all areas of our society and around the world. I was proud to create the White House Council on Women and Girls to help ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy. I also appointed the first White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, whose leadership will guide my Administration in confronting violence and sexual assault against women. Check out the “Open for Questions: 90th Anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote” with Tina Tchen of the White House Council on Women and Girls here.

The President stresses the importance of the fight for equality in American society:
Women's rights are ultimately human rights, and the march for equality will not end until full parity and equal opportunity are attained in every State and workplace across our Nation. It remains our responsibility to ensure that the principles of justice and equality apply to all Americans, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status. If we stay true to our founding ideals and the example of those who insisted upon nothing less than full equality, we can and will perpetuate the line of progress that runs throughout our Nation's history for generations to come.

Happy Women’s Equality Day-- you can read the President’s entire proclamation here.

Categories: Democratic Party News

Chairman Kaine on Women’s Equality Day

Today is Women’s Equality Day. In recognition of that occasion, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:

“Today marks the anniversary of the day, ninety years ago, when the U.S. Secretary of State certified the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote. In the nine decades since – and even in the four decades since Women’s Equality Day was officially declared – women have made tremendous progress. They have used their votes and their voices to press for equality not only in the voting booth but in every facet of American life – from the workplace to the sports field and everywhere in between.

“On this day, we celebrate that incredible progress and the ability of all American women to participate freely in public life on an equal basis with American men. But we must also acknowledge that the fight for full equality has not ended – the wage gap between women and men persists, the Glass Ceiling persists, and other challenges persist. President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress are working hard to help women overcome those challenges and to tear down the remaining barriers to equality. Through laws such as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first act signed by President Obama after he took office, and historic steps such as the nomination and confirmation of two incredibly qualified women to the Supreme Court – as many women as had previously served in the entire history of our country – we are making progress, but there is still much to be done.

“So this Women’s Equality Day, I join women and men across America in reaffirming the fundamental truth that a group of forward-looking women’s activists asserted more than 150 years ago: that all men and women are created equal, and recommitting to supporting our leaders as they work to ensure that our country recognizes and fosters that equality in every aspect of American life.”

Categories: Democratic Party News

Chairman Kaine and DNC Women’s Caucus Chair Celebrate the 90th Anniversary of Voting Rights for Women

On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing the Amendment’s place in the U.S. Constitution and securing women’s right to vote. In recognition of that occasion, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:

“The struggle to gain equal voting rights for women was not easy. As they worked to open the voting booth to women, suffragists were verbally abused, arrested, and beaten. They faced stiff odds not only against the approval by Congress of an Amendment guaranteeing women’s suffrage, but also against the ratification of such an Amendment by the states. But they succeeded against those odds. And ninety years ago today, a Tennessee legislator acting on the advice of his suffragist mother cast the decisive vote in favor of ratification – tipping the balance in the Tennessee legislature and giving suffragists the final state needed to certify the 19th Amendment.

“In the nine decades since, women have made incredible strides toward equality. Today, women play leading roles in the American government and they are a fixture of the American workforce, but unfortunately, inequality among the genders persists. That is why it is more important today than ever that women – and all Americans – exercise their hard-won right to vote.

“President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress have fought to level the playing field for women by enacting new laws upholding the principle of equal pay for equal work, by fighting for policies that make it easier for parents to balance work and family, by combating gender-based inequalities in our health system, and by making government more responsive to women’s concerns. But Republicans have opposed the progress enacted by Democrats, and they have pledged to defeat Democratic Congressional leaders who have been advocates for women’s equality in this fall’s elections. We cannot allow that to happen.

“On this 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, I urge women – and all Americans –not only to celebrate the history of women’s suffrage and the progress our country has made since its founding in extending civil and voting rights to all eligible Americans without regard for race or gender, but also to get out there and make use of their vote to ensure that women’s progress continues unabated.”

DNC Women’s Caucus Chair Mame Reiley also issued a statement in honor of the occasion:

“The 19th Amendment was born out of a near century-long struggle by American women to earn the right to make their voices heard alongside those of their fathers, sons, and husbands in the democratic process. Few of the courageous women who began the fight to earn the right to vote lived to cast a ballot, but their daughters and granddaughters – and millions of women across the country today – benefitted from their steadfast dedication to the cause of suffrage.

“Today, women not only have equal voting rights, they are a critical force in the democratic and electoral process. But despite women’s equality in the voting booth, they have not yet achieved full equality outside of it. So, President Obama has made it a priority to pursue greater equality for American women. To that end, he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, giving women in factories and office buildings across the country new tools to fight against unequal pay for equal work. He established the White House Council on Women and Girls, creating a new body tasked with helping American women to overcome challenges to equality of all kinds. And he has focused the resources of this White House to ensure that every piece of legislation he has enacted has opened doors of opportunity for women as well as men – through Recovery Act funding for quality child care and Affordable Care Act provisions prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender, among other things.

“On this 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, I join Democrats across the country in celebrating the tremendous strides made by women since our country’s founding, and we pledge to support the President as he continues to do the hard work necessary to ensure equality and opportunity for women and for all Americans.”

Categories: Democratic Party News

Recognizing the 90th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment

To commemorate today’s 90th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, DNC Secretary Alice Germond published an op-ed in Politico celebrating women’s suffrage and recognizing how far we as a country have come in the struggle for gender equality. She writes:

“And so, on Aug. 18, 1920 — 90 years ago today — women won the right to vote and make our voices heard in government. In the nine decades since, women have made great strides in America. A higher percentage of us vote than men and a majority of us vote Democratic. Approximately three-fourths of the women in the U.S. Senate, House, and state legislatures are Democrats, as well. And, as we all know, the speaker of the House, third in line to the presidency, is Nancy Pelosi. Our college attendance is equal to men and we are now presidents of great universities, we have joined the work force in record numbers, and we work as doctors, soldiers, and plumbers as well as teachers, nurses and owners of our own small businesses — and so do our husbands and brothers. We have closed many of the gaps between women and men.” Germond goes on to note that the work continues, and that President Obama and the Democratic Party are continuing to fight to level the playing field for women:

“Although women continue to earn less than men — just 78 cents on the dollar, on average — President Barack Obama took immediate action to close that gap. The very first bill the president signed after taking office was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which protects women against pay discrimination and helps to ensure women receive equal pay for equal work. In addition, President Obama has championed flexible work policies like paid sick leave, because he believes women should not have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for loved ones…. At the same time, the president and his Democratic partners in the Congress have enacted broad-based legislation that is not only helping America overall, but is also giving particular benefits to women. The Recovery Act, which has saved or created more than 2.5 million jobs across America, also contains provisions that are specifically targeted to help working women and families. For example, the act authorizes billions of dollars in new funding for Head Start and other child care programs and calls for unemployment insurance reforms that encourage states to cover part-time workers and individuals who have recently reentered the work force, categories which include millions of women. Similarly, the Affordable Care Act is an historic leap forward — for every American, but particularly for women. Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies will be prevented from imposing lifetime limits on coverage for women. They will no longer be able to drop coverage for women when they get sick, or pregnant. They will no longer be able to charge women exorbitant out-of-pocket deductibles or co-payments. And they will no longer be able to charge women more simply because of their gender.” Germond concludes by reminding us of the historic significance of this day, and urging us to continue to support leaders and policies that advance the rights of all people:

“On this 90th Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, it is important to give thanks for how far we have come, and to continue to move forward together. So I hope you’ll join me in offering your support for the president and Democrats in Congress as they to work to open new doors of opportunity for women and men alike. And, I hope you will open your hearts to the plight of so many of our sisters around the world who do not share the freedoms we enjoy because of the hard work of our foremothers, those heroic suffragists, almost a century ago.” Read DNC Secretary Alice Germond's entire Politico op-ed here.

Categories: Democratic Party News

"Suffrage"

From DNC Executive Director Jen O'Malley Dillon:

For the first 144 years of this country's existence, women were not guaranteed the right to vote -- and winning that right did not come easily.

Women's suffrage took a movement. It took organizers who worked tirelessly and allies who fought for the cause in the halls of power. On August 18th, 1920, when the legislature of the state of Tennessee voted to ratify the 19th Amendment and affirm its place in the Constitution, it passed by a single vote.

Because of the work of those who came before me, my right to cast a ballot was never in question. From the first time that I stepped into a voting booth to the day when I became the executive director of the Democratic Party, I've been deeply mindful of that fact.

Last week, President Obama asked us all to make a commitment to vote this fall. To me, that promise isn't just about choosing the direction I hope to see this country take -- it's an opportunity to honor those who didn't have the right to vote but fought so that their daughters and granddaughters would not be denied the full measure of citizenship.

Will you join me and commit to vote in this year's election?

The movement for suffrage began before the Civil War. Women faced prison sentences -- even beatings -- to cast ballots as a gesture of protest. Even before the right to vote was won, women like Victoria Woodhull and Belva Lockwood ran for office. States across the country began to grant suffrage, and on the eve of the First World War, Woodrow Wilson -- a Democrat -- became the first president to take up the call.

Susan B. Anthony devoted her life to the cause of equality, and in 1897, decades before her fight was won, she wrote "Suffrage is the pivotal right." In the 90 years since the 19th Amendment became law, that statement has borne out.

Today, in the United States, there are more women registered to vote than men, and the gap stands at nearly 10 million. From House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, women hold office at every level of government.

But the fight for full equality is not finished. In 2008, a woman in the United States earned only 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man. For women of color, the disparity is even greater.

We have a choice with this election about whether we want to continue the fight to bring down barriers -- whether we want to move forward or backward. We'll decide whether we want to honor the legacy of those who couldn't vote but reached for that right. But all those decisions begin with the promise that you will participate in the fall elections.

Commit to vote:

http://my.democrats.org/Suffrage

Thanks,

Jen

Jen O'Malley Dillon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee

Categories: Democratic Party News

VIDEO: First Lady Addresses Women's Leadership Forum

First Lady Michelle Obama addresses the DNC's Women's Leadership Forum in Washington, DC on May 7, 2010.

Categories: Democratic Party News

DNC AAPI Caucus Chair Commends Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan

For Immediate Release
May 18, 2010

Contact: DNC Press – 202-863-8148

DNC AAPI Caucus Chair Commends Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan

Washington, DC – Last week, President Obama announced his nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. In response, DNC Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus Chair, Bel Leong-Hong, issued the following statement:

“President Obama’s nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court is welcome news. Elena Kagan would bring to the bench a formidable understanding of the law, a brilliant legal mind, and a lifelong commitment to justice.

“Already, she has received plaudits from legal scholars, academicians, and leaders across the political spectrum. To that not inconsiderable praise, I add my own – Elena Kagan understands how the law will affect ordinary Americans and, in keeping with the Constitution and the laws of our nation, she would do everything possible to ensure every American has the opportunity to build his or her life on equal footing.

“Her confirmation as America’s fourth female Justice, and the third sitting Justice, would represent an historic step forward for all Americans – symbolic of a new era in which an individual’s gender, race, and religion do not determine how high he or she can aspire. I believe we can all embrace the coming of such an era, and I hope all Americans will join me in embracing the nomination of Solicitor General Kagan.”

Categories: Democratic Party News