Schakowsky, Moore Launch Democratic Women's Working Group

Washington, DC (October 5, 2010) — Today, U.S. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI) announced the launch of the Democratic Women's Working Group, which promotes equality and opportunity for women.

Congresswoman Schakowsky, co-chair of the working group, said, "All the data suggests that when we attend to women, we attend to families. When our legislative priorities in Congress reflect that fact and when we prioritize the health, safety, education and equity of women and girls, our communities and our country–including men and boys–gain as a whole. The Democratic Women's Working Group is here to push the agenda of women and families for the benefit of all....

Congresswoman Moore, co-chair of the working group, said, "More women are serving in Congress today then ever before, and we're flexing our muscle.  Whether we're protecting our children from dangerous chemicals, giving victims of pay discrimination their day in court or fighting for our children's education, the debate wouldn't be the same without our voices....

Among other priorities, the Democratic Women's Working Group is committed to advancing policies to:

- Help ensure women's economic security and end workplace discrimination;

- Help women balance the demands of work and family — by providing access to quality child care and good schools for all of our children; and

- End all forms of violence against women.

Moore continued, "Under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democratic women in Congress have been empowered — rising as powerful committee chairs and important voices on every issue.  The Democratic Women's Working Group seizes our momentum and helps us play an even bigger role....

Schakowsky continued, "The House of Representatives has an unprecedented 56 Democratic women in office, including Nancy Pelosi as our unparalleled leader and the first female Speaker and others in positions of power like Nydia Velazquez as chair of the Small Business Committee and Louise Slaughter as chair of the Rules Committee. Though women make up slightly more than half of the population, we still represent less than a fifth of the members in the House and Senate. We have more work to do, and the Democratic Women's Working Group will lead the way....

More information and resources can be found on the Democratic Women's Working Group website.

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