Hillary Celebrates Women's History Month

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Hillary Celebrates Women's History Month

http://blog.hillaryclinton.com/blog/main/2008/03/06/155922

Hillary Celebrates Women's History Month
by Ann Lewis, Senior Advisor
3/6/2008 10:59:22 AM

"Women's History Month is a time to reflect on the progress that women have made in our country, and also recognize that the journey is not over," said Hillary Clinton. "During this campaign, I have renewed my commitment to addressing challenges that women and families face across the country. I am honored to have support from so many women in this election, and I will continue to work hard for their votes."

As a lawyer, advocate, First Lady, and senator, Hillary has fought for issues important to women here at home and around the world for decades. Hillary's historic statement at the United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 that "women's rights are human rights" still echoes worldwide. As Senator, she enacted legislation to designate the Kate Mullany House, home to one of America's first women labor leaders, a National Historic Site and introduced legislation to create a Women's History Trail in upstate New York, home of the first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, the launching site of the 72-year struggle for women's suffrage.

Hillary knows that women still earn less than men for doing the same work. That's why she has championed legislation to increase women's economic empowerment, such as the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would help close the pay gap that costs families an average of $4,000 a year. Hillary's legislation will increase penalties for violating the Equal Pay Act, provide women with more information about their rights, and create voluntary guidelines to show employers how to evaluate jobs and eliminate unfair disparities. As First Lady, Hillary worked to expand access to microcredit to help women in developing countries start their own businesses.

Hillary has also fought to ensure that women get to make the most personal of life decisions, and that they have access to the full range of reproductive health care. She spearheaded an effort to provide greater access to family planning, contraception, and full sex education, and waged a three-year, ultimately successful battle to convince the Food and Drug Administration to approve Plan B, emergency contraception, for over-the-counter use. She strongly opposed the nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito, calling them the greatest threat to Roe v. Wade in history.

As President, Hillary will continue to champion the causes that she has fought for her whole life, and that matter to women. She'll make a major commitment to early child development programs, including home visiting for all at-risk new moms, expanded quality child care, and guaranteed access to pre-K. She'll enact affordable health care for everyone that will put a priority on making sure families get access to the screenings and prevention initiatives they need to stay healthy, and catch disease early when it does strike. She'll launch a major campaign to recruit and retain excellent teachers, double the college tax credit, and require colleges to lock in tuition rates years in advance so families can plan. She'll set a big goal of making paid parental and caregiving leave available to every parent by 2016; expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to employees of business with 25 employees or more; and make 7 sick days a year available to every full-time worker. And she'll protect Social Security and create 401(k)s with a generous federal match for every worker to ensure that families have a secure retirement.