photos by Rick Reinhard

This year, NCJW took four critical issues for women, children, and families to Capitol Hill. Whether you  attended WIX or followed the events from home, click the links below to take action on these issues today!

• Equal Pay for Women
• Paid Sick Days
• Permanent Repeal of the Global Gag Rule
• Repeal of the Discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy

This just in… Washington Institute 2010 (WIX) attendees will be taking four critical issues to Capitol Hill:

• Pay Equity for Women: In June 1963, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act. Now, almost 47 years later, women still make only 78 cents for every dollar made by their male counterparts. To remedy this injustice, the Paycheck Fairness Act (S 182) would strengthen our nation’s laws against wage discrimination, strengthen penalties for equal pay violations, and prohibit retaliation against workers who inquire about employers’ wage practices or disclose their own wages.
• Paid Sick Days: Nearly half of working women in the private sector are not able to take a paid sick day when they are ill. The Healthy Families Act (HR 2460/S 1152) would enable workers to earn up to seven paid sick days a year to recover from short-term illness; to care for a sick family member; for routine medical care; or to seek assistance related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
• Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: Since 1993, the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy has mandated that gay and lesbian individuals can serve in the military only if they hide their sexual orientation.  Since its implementation, more than 13,000 service members have been dishonorably discharged for an immutable characteristic. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (S 3065/HR 1283) would change this injustice by repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
• Permanent Repeal of the Global Gag Rule: In January 2009, President Obama rescinded the Global Gag Rule,  a policy that denied US government funding for family planning to agencies abroad that provided abortion services or information, even if they were paid for with funds from a different source. NCJW hailed this important step, but a permanent repeal is still needed to protect women’s access to family planning worldwide. The Global Democracy Promotion Act (S 311) would do just that.

Click here for more on NCJW’s work on these and other issues that impact women, children, & families.

Coming Soon: Learn about the important public policy issues that Washington Institute 2010 (WIX) attendees will take to the Hill. WIX attendees will be briefed by the experts before they head to Capitol Hill for meetings with their representative and senators.

In 2007, Washington Institute attendees advocated for federal hate crimes legislation, access to comprehensive sex education, and the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Click here to learn more about NCJW’s ongoing public policy work.