Date: 2006-03-08
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. first I want to take this opportunity to thank House Democratic Leader NANCY PELOSI for the opportunity for the 30Something Working Group to talk for an hour about the things that we know are important to our generation. and also to explain and discuss our views on our generations perspective on a lot of the issues that are important and facing Americans today. Tonight I am really pleased to be joined during Womens History Month by two of my distinguished colleagues who are also members of Leader PELOSIs 30Something Working Group. Congresswoman STEPHANIE HERSETH from the great State of South Dakota and Congresswoman LINDA SANCHEZ of California. The three of us make up a very unique body in this group. We are three of only four women younger than 40 years old in the United States House of Representatives. We are here this evening to celebrate Womens History Month. to remember those who have contributed to our progress. tor recognize the women of our generation who are changing communities today. and to highlight the challenges that many women under 40 face as a result of the flawed and- failed policies of the Bush administration. This years theme. Mr. Speaker. for Womens History Month is Women: Builders of Communities and Dreams. This theme speaks to the legacy that women leaders have built over the generations. Mr. . Speaker. as advanced and pro�gressive as America has been on issues improving the lives of women. our country continues to lag far behind in terms of policies to assist women in their struggle to lead or achieve. Today women represent more than half the population and are among the most knowledgeable and important thinkers in every field of policy. from science to - education. to health care and national security. As the mother of two young daughters. it is so important to me to see that strong women walk in all walks of life. and I want them to see strong women in all walks of life. particularly so that we can see that those women join our ranks here as policymakers. I want them to understand that from Title IX to the Equal Pay Act. that they are standing on the shoulders. as we do here. of the courageous women who went before them. E 2000 None of the three of us would have had the opportunity that we did at our stage in life without our colleagues who came before us in this body. without their shoulders to stand on. and I want them and other young women and girls to have the same opportunities that we have been given. Unfortunately. the President apparently does not share those same views because in his 2007 budget proposal he slashes programs established to give young working mothers a leg up. like Medicare. Medicaid. housing. food stamps and child care. He cuts programs aimed at preventing domestic violence and programs that provide domestic violence victims with housing and legal assistance. I am saddened to say that domestic violence affects far too many women. and an even growing number of young women. Forty percent. Mr. Speaker. of teenage girls ages 14 to 17 report knowing someone their age that has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend. and 26 percent of girls in grades 9 through 12 have bedn the victim of abuse. . So tonight we are here because training. education. and employment statistics clearly indicate that women still face barriers in pursuing traditionally maledominated fields. For instance.. while the number of women pursuing degrees in higher education has increased dramatically. the rates of women pursuing engineering degrees lags far behind. Recent data shows that women account for only small percentages of students earning engineering degrees. including only 20 percent of .bachelors degrees. 21 percent of masters degrees. and only 17 percent of Ph.Ds. We are here. Mr. Speaker. because the Republicans prescription drug plan is a particularly bad deal for Americas women. Women are frustrated and confused. Mr. Speaker. And if you think government health and prescription drug care is only for the aged. you should know that 63 percent of Medicaid beneficiaries were between the ages of 18 and 44 in 2001. and 37 percent of women ages 18 to 44 report that they use at least one prescription drug on a regular basis. Those are not senior citizen statistics. We are here tonight because 36 percent of the 9.4 million women in executive. administrative. and managerial occupations are under 44 years old. and. on average. women are still making about 76 cents for every dollar that a man makes. We are here because opponents of the Family and Medical Leave Act are working to hamstring that -program. even though it is in its 12th successful year. and more than 50 million Americans have displayed their enthusiastic support by taking job protective leave to care for a new baby. a seriously ill family member. or to recuperate from their own serious illness. And the gentlewoman from California is going to be covering how the administrations policies have impacted working women and working families in particular. And we are here because there are not toomany of us to speak up. and we must make our voices heard. There are 26 men under 40 serving in the United States Congress. Mr. Speaker. They have several voices. More than several. We are here because if we do not stay late on this floor. if we do not stand up and try to make a difference on behalf of young women and young families and bring these issues that are important to them to the table. the three of us together. 3 versus 26. then who will? That is the question that we would like to answer tonight. I am happy to yield now to my good friend. -the gentlewoman from California.