VOTER EDUCATION: Issues Updates
Candidate Responses to Aurora Shooting
After the devastating Aurora shooting last Friday, out of respect to the victims and all those affected, both presidential candidates temporarily halted negative campaigning and partisan bickering throughout the state of Colorado. President Obama traveled to Aurora on Sunday to meet with survivors and victim’s families. Romney recently began a fundraiser in San Francisco with a moment of silence for the victims, afterwards mentioning that the President did the “right thing” in response to the tragedy.
Women’s Health
NYC Activists Push City Council for Paid Sick Days Legislation
A bill requiring that businesses allow employees five paid sick days per year was recently proposed in the New York City Council. Both Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Speaker Christine Quinn, a Democrat running for mayor next year, have voiced opposition. Quinn stated , “with many businesses struggling to stay alive, I do not believe it would be wise to implement this policy, in this way, at this time.” After sending a passionate letter to Quinn, feminist author Gloria Steinem and 200 other influential women in politics continue efforts urging Quinn to support the bill and bring it to a vote.
Obama Extends Health Care Benefits to Children of Same-Sex Partners
Last Friday, the Obama administration extended the provision allowing children to stay on their parents’ health care until the age of 26 to children of same-sex partners of federal workers. These children now have federal employee dental and vision coverage as well. The rule extended the provision by altering the regulatory definition of “stepchild”, allowing children of same-sex partners to legally qualify as their parents’ children.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming 2012 Voter Guide! The AAUW Action Fund is compiling research on the positions and voting records of Senate candidates’ in the hottest races nationwide. Includes AAUW priority issues like paid sick days and health care benefits!
Education
New Report Finds Students Unaware of Loan Details, and More Women Borrowers
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently published a report exposing data about private student loans. The report found that many students receiving private loans may not fully understand the terms of the private loans, nor do they know about cheaper federal student loan programs. An analysis of the gender dynamics of loan usage revealed that a higher proportion of women receive both private and federal loans, although the difference is small (11 percent of women vs. 10 percent of men). There is no reported difference between the proportion of men and women using only private student loans. The report concluded, unsurprisingly, that many borrowers are struggling to repay private student loans. Be sure to ask your candidates what they will do to make college more affordable!
AAUW Pushes Congress for Legislation to Better Enforce Title IX
For the past two weeks, AAUW Action Fund Lobby Corps members have visited Congressional offices to garner support for the High School Athletics Accountability Act, H.R. 458. The Act would make data about high school athletic participation and resource allocation publicly available, so parents, educators and others can monitor local compliance with Title IX’s requirement not to discriminate on the basis of sex. This 40th anniversary year of Title IX is a great time to urge candidates to take the next step to improve enforcement of this critical civil rights law.
Fair Pay
AAUW Continues Fight for Equal Pay by Lobbying for New Legislation
AAUW Action Fund Lobby Corps members this week will visit the offices of Senators who have yet to support S. 3317, the Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act (EEORA). This bill would restore the ability of workers facing discriminatory employment practices to file class-action lawsuits.The EEORA would help fix the disastrous Wal-Mart v. Dukes Supreme Court decision. After AAUW members lobbied for the EEORA in the House a few weeks ago, the House version of the bill (H.R. 5978) picked up sixteen additional cosponsors. Be sure to ask candidates their position on this important legislation!
Larger Wage Gap Between Men and Women Staffers in Republican Offices
New data indicates the pay gap between female and male congressional staffers is wider in Republican congressional offices. In the House of Representatives, female Republican staff members made more than $10,000 less annually than male coworkers, which amounts to 84 cents to every male dollar. In the Senate, female Republican staffers made about $9,800 less, which amounts to 86 cents per every dollar made by a man. The gap is significantly lower in Democratic offices, since female Democratic staffers in the House made 97 cents to every male dollar, and in the Senate, 92 cents. The wages paid by your congressional delegations are public information, and can be found at www.legistorm.com. Any huge disparities may be cause for a question to your member of Congress!
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
Survivors of Campus Assault Urge Passage of Inclusive VAWA
More than 200 survivors of campus violence from 176 colleges across the nation signed a letter to Congress urging the passage of a Violence Against Women Act that includes the Campus SaVE provision, along with protection for LGBT and Native American survivors. The letter emphasizes the importance of the SaVE Act, which would improve victim assistance, response, and prevention efforts, while enhancing transparency of information about campus assaults. Read AAUW’s recent blog post about the Campus SaVE Act and VAWA reauthorization for more information.
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