This week I made my first “official” visit to our Washington, DC office to meet with staff, learn more about our issues, and make a visit to the White House. I continue to be greatly impressed by the quality of NCJW’s staff and the dedication each one has to the mission and issues that we all care so deeply about. I spent two full days getting a crash course on our campaigns and learning about the DC advocacy landscape.

On the second day, I was joined by our incoming President, Linda Slucker. The highlight of our day was a very substantive and productive meeting at the White House with Tina Tchen, Executive Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls and Chief of Staff for Michelle Obama; Danielle Borrin, the Jewish Liaison; and Jenny Kaplan, the Women’s Community Liaison and Deputy Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls. We introduced ourselves as the “new leadership” of NCJW and shared with them our thanks for the close working relationship that there has been between this Administration and our DC office around issues of mutual concern.

More specifically, we shared our concerns about HR 3, known as the “Smith Bill,” which would prohibit taxpayer funding for abortions. We discussed the irony of this bill, which would put government in the position of telling private companies what they can and cannot offer for health benefits for women. The interference of government in the business of private corporations and the personal lives of women not only crosses the line of church/state separation, but also puts government in a role of dictating policies to the private sector. We also discussed HR 358, the “Pitts Bill,” which is very similar to the Stupak-Pitts Amendment and would further restrict coverage exceptions to “forcible rape” and incest if perpetrated on a minor. In addition it would attach restrictions to the Affordable Health Care Act. We shared concerns with one another about the efforts underway to repeal the Health Care Bill as well as the ongoing efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, a long-standing partner of NCJW and an important organization that protects choice and promotes education about the reproductive rights of women. The White House staff is well aware of NCJW’s work both nationally and locally to combat these efforts in conjunction with our national partners.

Another issue where we share a common interest is “paycheck fairness,” which failed in the last session of Congress despite our extensive advocacy and will probably not see much movement in 2011 but will become an issue in 2012. The Administration also shares our interest in work/life fit and flexible options for working women. The issue of violence against women continues to be a priority and they were quite interested in our Higher Ground campaign. Finally, we discussed the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign, USDA’s food stamp program and cutbacks, and other healthy food programs for women and children.

Perhaps the most exciting part of our visit to the East Wing was the chance to meet an important member of the Obama family who was lounging on the lawn outside the entrance to the East Wing. Bo was as beautiful in person as he is in his pictures!