FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2007
CONTACT:
Kate Bedingfield
EDWARDS LAUNCHES “WOMEN FOR EDWARDS”
Receives Support from
Women Leaders from Across the Country; Announces Agenda to Address Issues
Facing Women
Des Moines, Iowa – At a town hall in Des Moines today, Senator John Edwards launched “Women for Edwards” and laid out his agenda to ensure fairness and equality for women. Edwards also received support from 140 national women leaders from across the country, and more than 1,500 women from Iowa. Edwards encouraged women to join Women for Edwards at http://johnedwards.com/women.
“We need to make the idea of America – equality of opportunity, regardless of race, gender or income – real for all Americans,” said Edwards. “Today, too many women are separated from the opportunities of our country because of their gender. We need to ensure fairness and equality for all women and work to lift up working mothers.”
“I believe in John's deep and profound commitment to the issues that matter most in women's lives,” said Kate Michelman, President Emeritus of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “From health care, to Iraq, to poverty, to our environment, I know John is the most effective national messenger for the values we share and I have complete confidence that -- with our help -- he will win the White House and improve the lives of women everywhere.”
Women still make only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men and they
are 45 percent more likely to live in poverty. Edwards believes we
need to make a commitment to helping working women and strengthening our
families. Today, he detailed his plans to improve the lives
of women at work and at home. Specifically, Edwards called for:
· Guaranteeing that every woman has
health insurance by providing universal health care.
· Ending poverty. Edwards has called for an end to poverty within 30 years, with policies rooted in the core American values of work, opportunity and responsibility.
· Helping women balance work and family by expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act to let parents take time off from work when they need it. Edwards also supports more resources for childcare and after-school programs to give children a safe place to learn while their parents are at work.
· Fighting discrimination by enacting the Paycheck Fairness Act to strengthen the remedies for sex discrimination and deter wrongdoing, and expanding resources for female entrepreneurs.
· Protecting a woman’s right to choose.
In addition to Michelman, prominent women leaders endorsing Edwards include Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and former New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid.
“Too many women are not getting the health care they need,” said Johnson. “John Edwards is the only candidate to outline a specific plan to provide universal coverage and I’m proud to be part of a campaign – the only campaign – with a detailed plan to cover all Americans.”
"John Edwards has laid out detailed proposals to strengthen families and help working women," said Herseth Sandlin. "John Edwards understands the need to prioritize families through good public policy that recognizes the contributions of America's women.
“I am proud to endorse my friend, Senator John Edwards,” said Madrid.
“He has always stood to fight for real change in women’s lives – working
tirelessly to raise the minimum wage, end poverty and guarantee universal
health care.”
The national women leaders endorsing Edwards for president are:
· Martha Alexander,
North Carolina State Representative
· Terri Austin, Indiana
State Representative
· Liz Martinez Baldick,
Clinton Whitehouse Liaison, Department of Labor
· Stephanie Stuckey
Benfield, Georgia State Representative
· Sue Berkowitz, South
Carolina Community Activist
· Beth Bernard, Oregon
Trial Lawyers Association Executive Director
· Linda Bilmes, Harvard
University, Kennedy School of Government, Professor of Public Policy (MA)
· Linda Byrne, Fairfax
County Providence Magisterial District Democratic Chair (VA)
· Emily Cain, Maine
State Senator
· Margaret Carter,
Oregon State Senate President Pro-Tem
· Mary Lee Cerillo,
Fairfax County Sully Magisterial District Democratic Chair (VA)
· Kimberly Chiapetto,
Floyd County Democratic Chair (VA)
· Judith Christensen,
California Democratic Party Executive Board Member
· Lori Church, Democratic
Women’s Council of Horry County Vice President (SC)
· Eva Clayton, Former
U.S. Representative (NC)
· Beverly Clyburn,
Aiken City Council Member (SC)
· Courtney Clyburn,
South Carolina Community Activist
· Lorene Coates, North
Carolina State Representative
· Cheryl Conway, San
Luis Obispo County Democratic Central Committee Vice Chair (CA)
· Sylvia Conwell,
South Carolina Community Activist
· Tricia Cotham, North
Carolina State Representative
· Meighan Davis, Lead
Organizer, Youth Activist, SEIU (IN)
· Carrie Rachel Dean,
South Carolina Young Democrats Former President
· Ann DeLaney, Former
Indiana Democratic Party Chair
· Chris Desser, Women
Donors Network Board Member (for identification purposes only)
· Margaret Dickson,
North Carolina State Representative
· Linda Dogan, Spartanburg
City Council Member (SC)
· Gail Dorfman, Hennepin
County Commissioner (MN)
· Jenny Durkan, Seattle
Lawyer, Democratic Activist, Executive Counsel to 2004 Gregoire Campaign
(WA)
· Gayatri Eassey,
Washington Young Democrats Former President
· Beth Edmonds, Maine
State Senate President
· Barbara Ehrenreich,
Author, Nickel & Dimed
· Linda Elliott, Human
Rights Committee Board of Directors Member (AZ)
· Susan Fisher, North
Carolina State Representative
· Linda Foster, New
Hampshire Deputy Speaker of the House
· Edna Frady, Falls
Church Democratic Committee Former Chair (VA)
· Libby Garvey, Arlington
County School Board Chair (VA)
· Keesha Gaskins,
Minneapolis DFL Chair (for identification purposes only)
· Lori Gramlich, Portland
School Committee Member, Maine Democratic State Committee Member
· Shirley Green, 1st
CD Women’s Council President (SC)
· Lisa Gruwell, Skyline
Public Works Chief Operating Officer (CA)
· Betty Hamby, South
Carolina Community Activist
· Kay Hagan, North
Carolina State Senator
· Pricey Harrison,
North Carolina State Representative; Energy & Energy Efficiency Committee
Chair
· Renee Haugerud,
Founder and Chief Investment Officer of the Galtere International Fund
(NY)
· Alice Hausman, Minnesota
State Representative
· Kiku Hayashi, Washington
Community Activist
· Michelle Henson,
Georgia State Representative
· Lyn Hilfenhaus,
California Democratic Party Women’s Caucus Chair
· Lucy Hodder, Former
Chair, New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Women (Commissioner 1998-2004,
Chair 2003-2004); Board Member, Women’s Policy Institute.
· Helen Honorow, New
Hampshire State Board of Education Member; Prominent Attorney & Activist.
· Margo Horner, 8th
CD Democratic Committee Chair & DPVA Steering Committee Member (VA)
· Sally Howard, Former
South Carolina Democratic Party Executive Committee Member
· Janet Howell, Virginia
State Senator
· Dee Hozel, Former
Humboldt County Chair (NV)
· Fern Hurst, Philanthropist
(NY)
· Mary Hynes, Former
Arlington County School Board Chair & Current Arlington School Board
Candidate (VA)
· Verla Insko, North
Carolina State Representative
· Jeanette Jamieson,
Georgia State Representative
· Anniebell Jeffcoat,
South Carolina Community Activist
· Maggie Jeffus, North
Carolina State Representative
· Connie Johnson,
Missouri General Assembly Democratic Minority Whip
· Eddie Bernice Johnson,
U.S. Representative (TX)
· Julie Johnson, Human
Rights Campaign Public Policy Committee Co-Chair (TX)
· Mary Jung, California
Democratic Party Executive Board Member
· Ellie Kinnaird,
North Carolina State Senator
· Susan Kitsu, Civil
Rights Attorney & Community Leader (HI)
· Sheila Klinker,
Indiana State Representative
· Stephanie Kornegay,
LGBT Community Activist; business owner
· Eileen Kotecki,
Managing Member of Juniper Capital; Finance Director for Al Gore's Presidential
Campaign (NY)
· Betsy Kenney Lack,
Board member, Channel 13 (NY)
· Sandra Lang, San
Mateo County Committee (CA)
· Amanda Lawson, Indiana
Political Activist
· Linda Lawson, Indiana
State Representative
· Malia Lazu, Boston
Votes Founder
· Dottie LeClair,
Wisconsin Democratic Party 2nd Vice Chair
· May Lee, Advertising
Executive (NY)
· Lucinda Abbott Letro,
Media Consultant (NY)
· Jen Little, Matthews
County Democratic Chair (VA)
· Becky Lourey, Former
Minnesota State Senator
· Ana Ma, Senior Counsel
to U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ)
· Blair MacInnes,
Philanthropist (NJ)
· Patricia Madrid,
Former New Mexico Attorney General
· Maureen Raiche Manning,
Founder & President of the New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association; Former
Vice Chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party; former Chair of the New
Hampshire Women’s Lobby.
· Karen Marchioro,
Democratic National Committeewoman, Former Chair, DNC Western Caucus
· Donna Dewitt Matthew,
South Carolina Community Activist
· Judy Eason McIntyre,
Oklahoma State Senator, Education Committee Co-Chair
· Marian McLawhorn,
North Carolina State Representative
· Gloria Negrete McLeod,
California State Senator, Committee on Local Government Chair
· Nancy Michael, Mayor
of Greencastle, Indiana
· Laura Michaels,
Local Businesswoman (IN)
· Kate Michelman,
President Emeritus of NARAL Pro-Choice America
· Erin Murphy, Minnesota
State Representative
· Lisa Naito, Multnomah
County Commissioner (OR)
· Laura Nevitt, Minnesota
Dean State Director 2004
· Cathy Newell, Oxford
County Democratic Committee Chair (ME)
· Katherine Newman,
Princeton University Professor of Sociology & Public Affairs
· Jadine Nielsen,
Clinton White House Liaison, FDIC & Small Business Administration (HI)
· Sharon Nordgren,
New Hampshire Former Deputy Minoryt Leader; Chair of House Finance Committee
– Div. III
· Lucy O’Brien, Economist
(NJ)
· Sarah O'Hagan, Board
Member, International Rescue Committee (NY)
· Arlene Oki, International
Examiner Board Member, Seattle Japanese American Citizens League Past President.
(WA)
· Kathleen Flynn Peterson,
American Association for Justice President
· Nancy Poole, Democratic
Women’s Council of Horry County Past President (SC)
· Sondy Pope-Roberts,
Wisconsin State Representative
· C.J. Prentiss, Former
Ohio State Senate Democratic Leader
· Ann Rest, Minnesota
State Senator
· Linden Rhoads, Chair
of Washington Women for Choice
· Dory Richards-Waxman,
Portland Democratic City Committee Former Chair & Former Member Portland
School Committee (ME)
· Amy Rosen, Chief
Operating Officer New Visions for Public Schools (NYC); Board Chair of
Kipp/TEAM Schools in Newark
· Mary Rosenthal,
Duluth AFL-CIO Former President
· Laura Ross, Attorney
and Political Activist (NY)
· Stephanie Herseth
Sandlin, U.S. Representative (SD)
· Dawn Marie Sass,
Wisconsin State Treasurer
· Donna Seidel, Wisconsin
State Representative
· Jennifer Shilling,
Wisconsin State Representative
· Susan Smith, President
of the Waccamaw Neck Democratic Club (SC)
· Mary Snider, Human
Rights Campaign Executive Committee Board of Directors
· Ginger Johnson Sotille,
Charleston County Democratic Party Executive Committee (SC)
· Peggy Stamey, Former
North Carolina State Representative
· Maureen Strafford,
Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Cardiologist; Tufts University Professor
(MA)
· Marsha Swails, Minnesota
State Representative
· Kate Sweeney-Bell,
Indiana Political Activist
· Leah Landrum Taylor,
Arizona State Senator, Chair, Arizona Legislative Black Caucus
· Mary Lou Terrell,
Former Indiana Democratic Party Vice Chair , 8th CD Vice Chair
· Donna Thompson,
Lancaster County Democratic Chair (VA)
· Jessy Tolkan, Campaign
Director, Energy Action Coalition (DC)
· Marian Van Landingham,
Former Virginia State Delegate
· Sarah Vogel, Former
North Dakota Agriculture Secretary
· Amy Sue Vruwink,
Wisconsin State Representative
· Molly Joseph Ward,
Hampton City Treasurer (VA)
· Marjorie Warnick,
3rd CD Vice Chair (IN)
· Edith Warren, North
Carolina State Representative
· Vivian Watts, Virginia
State Delegate
· Patti Wheeler, Television
Producer (NY)
· Elizabeth (Beth)
White, Marion County Clerk (IN)
· Lynne Wiggins, Gay,
Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) National Leadership Council
Member; Former Human Rights Campaign Board of Governors Member. (CA)
· Ruth Woo, Washington
Community Leader
· Krystal Wood, Washington
State Young Democrats President
· Patty Yount, Indiana Political
Activist
For more information about Edwards’ Agenda for Women, please see the
fact sheet below.
AN AGENDA FOR WOMEN
The reality of women’s lives in America today is that they still face greater challenges in the workplace and greater responsibilities at home. Women still make only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men and they are 45 percent more likely to live in poverty. More than 18 million adult women lack health insurance. Working women struggle to balance their jobs with the needs of their families. John Edwards believes that we must do more to strengthen families and help women succeed at work to build a larger, more secure middle class. He also supports stronger laws protecting women’s rights. [Census Bureau, 2007]
Guaranteeing Health Care for Every Woman in America: More
than 18 million adult women lack health insurance. Two-thirds of
uninsured women fail to get care they need because of its cost. While
more than 40,000 women die from breast cancer every year, more than half
of uninsured women have not had a mammogram for two years. John Edwards
has announced a specific plan to guarantee universal health care for every
man, woman and child in America. His plan requires employers to cover
their workers or help pay the cost; expands subsidies for insurance premiums;
creates Health Care Markets so families and businesses will have a choice
of competing plans, including a public plan; and, once insurance is affordable,
requires individuals to buy insurance for themselves and their families.
[Census Bureau, 2007; KFF, 2005; RWJF, 2006; ACS, 2007]
Ending Poverty for Women: The 37 million Americans living
in poverty include 21 million women. More than 4 million of those women
are single mothers, heading more than half of all poor American families.
John Edwards has called for an end to poverty within 30 years, with policies
rooted in the core American values of work, opportunity and responsibility.
He has proposed an ambitious set of goals, including new housing policies
to promote economic integration, 1 million stepping stone jobs, lower taxes
for low-income working families, and other initiatives to promote education,
savings, and strong families. [Census Bureau, 2006
and 2007]
Helping Women Balance Work and Families: Two-thirds of
mothers are working, most of them full time. Families are working
10 more hours a week than they did a generation ago. There are also
9 million senior citizens who need long-term care. Edwards will expand
the Family and Medical Leave Act to let parents take time off from work
when they need it. He supports more resources for childcare and after-school
programs to give children a safe place to learn while their parents are
at work. His health care plan will also strengthen Medicaid’s support for
long-term care and emphasize home- and community-based care to allow caregivers
to keep their parents nearby. [Gerson and Jacobs, 2004; New
America Foundation, 2005; KFF, 2006]
Raising the Minimum Wage: Women account for 61 percent
of minimum-wage workers in the United States. The minimum wage has
been stuck at $5.15 an hour for almost a decade. A full-time minimum-wage
worker earns only about $10,700 a year, barely more than the poverty line
even without any dependents. Since the minimum wage was last changed
in 1997, members of Congress have raised their own pay by more than $30,000.
In 2006, Edwards campaigned for six state ballot initiatives designed to
increase the minimum wage, all of which were successful. As president,
he will raise the national minimum wage to at least $7.50 an hour, giving
8 million women a raise. [BLS 2007, Lovell 2007]
Fighting Discrimination: Despite the progress we have made, women
still earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. Mothers
and particularly single mothers do even worse. Edwards supports the
Paycheck Fairness Act to strengthen the remedies for sex discrimination
and deter wrongdoing. He will expand resources for female entrepreneurs
through his new REACH Fund and by prioritizing the needs of women-owned
businesses in existing programs.
Protecting Women’s Right to Choose: The decision about
whether to become a parent is one of the most important life decisions
that a woman can face. Edwards believes that she should make it with
her family, her doctor, and in the context of her religious and ethical
values. As president, he will protect and defend the right to choose
and reverse the damage that has been done by President Bush’s anti-choice
agenda. The ban on abortion procedures recently upheld by the Supreme
Court without an adequate exception to protect a woman’s health is a stark
reminder of why Democrats cannot afford to lose the 2008 election. Edwards
supports a federal freedom of choice act codifying Roe v. Wade into
federal law so that the right to choose is protected, no matter what the
Supreme Court does, and supports access to family planning services.