Womenstake

Senate Extends Jobless Benefits for the Year – But a Minority Blocks Targeted Job Creation

by Emily J. Martin, Vice President, 
and Joan Entmacher, Vice President for Family Economic Security,
National Women's Law Center

Yesterday, the Senate passed a bill that would give vital assistance, and a little peace of mind, to jobless workers and women who depend on Medicaid. The bill extends enhanced unemployment insurance benefits and COBRA assistance through the end of the year, and provides additional funding to states to protect Medicaid services. In addition to providing a necessary safety net, UI benefits are a very effective engine for stimulating the economy, so we hope Congress moves quickly to finalize the legislation.

Unfortunately, despite lawmakers’ repeated assertions that job creation is their top priority, a minority of Senators successfully blocked an amendment that would have funded well over half a million jobs for low-income parents and youth. Senator Judd Gregg objected that the provision wasn’t fully paid for—it was, but over ten years rather than over the five years required by Senate rules—which meant that 60 votes were necessary to add the provision to the Senate’s tax extenders and jobs bill. Only 55 Senators voted to create 500,000 summer jobs for low-income youth and to extend the TANF emergency fund for six months. 

End Salary Secrecy, Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act

By Fatima Goss Graves, Vice President for Education and Employment,
National Women's Law Center

Did you know that employers can penalize or even fire employees for talking about their salaries? This egregious practice leaves workers in the dark, preventing them from ever finding out about pay discrimination in the workplace.

Tell the Senate to quickly pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to make sure that this practice is banned.

Today, the Senate is holding a hearing on the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would update and strengthen laws against wage discrimination, create stronger incentives for employers to follow the law, and strengthen federal outreach and enforcement efforts. Additionally, the bill includes tougher penalties for equal pay violations.

The Paycheck Fairness Act already has passed the House, and today’s hearing brings us one step closer to finally having a vote on this important legislation in the Senate.

It could not have come sooner. In this economy, every cent counts. Unfair pay practices and the secrecy that surrounds wage discrimination can have serious economic consequences for women and their families.

Please stand with women and their families today and urge your Senators to quickly pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. 

Thanks again for all your support.

Weekly Round-Up

by Andrea Maruniak, Program Assistant,
National Women's Law Center

Our Bodies Our Blog posted on the conference being held by the National Institutes of Health on the topic of vaginal births after Caesarean sections (VBAC).

In light of Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar win for The Hurt Locker last night, Double X discussed the low percentage of women directing major motion pictures.

Heather Corinna of Scarleteen posted at RH Reality Check investigating the “typical use effectiveness” of abstinence as a method of birth control.

Lori at Feministing posted on why feminists should be excited about the meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

The Washington Post reported that Washington, D.C., will be the first U.S. city to distribute female condoms for free, as part of the city’s efforts to fight HIV/AIDS (via Feministing).

Robin Marty at RH Reality Check discussed an ABC News story that reported on a recent public hearing concerning Nebraska's proposed “Abortion Pain Prevention Act.”

You Still Have Time to Act – Vote on Jobs Bill Pending

By Melanie Ross Levin, Outreach Manager,
National Women's Law Center

The Senate could vote as early as tomorrow on a jobs bill that would extend unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits until the end of the year and extend state aid for Medicaid for 6 months.

We expect an important vote on an amendment to the bill tomorrow morning that would extend and expand the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families emergency fund, as we described last week. Unfortunately, the TANF emergency fund is not currently included in the jobs bill—even though the unemployment rate among single mothers with children is currently more than 12 percent, making this program, with its focus on low-income parents, especially necessary.

With everything on the line, it’s important to raise your voice and make sure your Senators know how important it is to pass a comprehensive jobs bill. Please take action today and urge your Senators to support the TANF emergency fund amendment and this bill as the first steps in a comprehensive jobs agenda. 

Jobs Picture Improving Slowly, But Surely?

Valerie Norton, Public Policy Fellow,
National Women's Law Center

Unemployment data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics tell what is becoming a familiar story: the unemployment rate held steady at 9.7 percent, and the pace of job loss continued at a slower pace than last year, with 36,000 jobs lost in February, compared to hundreds of thousands per month during the worst months of the recession.

The unemployment rate for women continued to hover around 8 percent, and unemployment among women who maintain families declined from 12.3 percent to 11.6 percent—welcome news for this particularly vulnerable group, 37.2 percent of whom were poor in 2008, the most recent year for which poverty data is available. The stabilization of these employment indicators offers the prospect of economic conditions improving—but the pace, surely, will be painfully slow.

Tell Congress to Pass a Real Jobs Bill

by Joan Entmacher, Vice President for Family Economic Security,
National Women's Law Center

Things are already bad for struggling families in this country. Let’s not let them get worse.

Last week, because of a single Senator’s objection, the extended unemployment insurance program expired. And 200,000 people were immediately put at risk of losing benefits.

We aren’t out of the woods yet. Tell the Senate to act now.

Congress temporarily remedied last week’s catastrophe, extending benefits for another 30 days. But it’s time for Congress to stop playing games and start looking for real solutions for the unemployed.

Tell your Senators enough is enough. It’s time to pass a long-term, comprehensive jobs agenda.

To provide real help to struggling Americans, Congress needs to extend unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits until the end of the year. It also needs to give states the assistance they need to protect Medicaid and other vital services, prevent layoffs, and create jobs. As part of this effort, Congress has to extend the TANF Emergency Fund, which states across the country are using to create jobs for low-income parents. To deal with this jobs crisis, our families and communities need a comprehensive jobs bill.

And we all need to stand up for our neighbors, friends and family who are struggling in this economy.

Thank you for all you do for women and their families.

Baby Steps: Unemployment Insurance Temporarily Extended Again

By Melanie Ross Levin, Outreach Manager,
National Women's Law Center

Late last night Senator Jim Bunning loosened his grip on struggling Americans, allowing the Senate to finally approve a 30-day extension of unemployment insurance, COBRA health benefits, highway funding and other key programs. This means that states can gear up (once again) to administer these benefits.

With a 30-day extension in place, Congress must focus on passing a longer term, comprehensive jobs agenda, instead of further short-term fixes that keep unemployed workers perpetually at the brink of crisis. We need to stop playing games with struggling Americans and start looking for real solutions for the unemployed.

Our hope is that Congress uses this time to come up with a comprehensive response to the continuing unemployment crisis that includes extending unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits until the end of the year, providing meaningful fiscal relief to states in order to protect Medicaid and other vital services and prevent layoffs, extending emergency funding for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and creating public service jobs, among other things.

This is the worst recession since the Great Depression and unemployment is expected to remain above 9% well into next year.  Let’s hope that Congress’s next move gets us a little further along. 

Instead of baby steps, let’s go for a full leap!

Now Is the Time for States to Make Unemployment Insurance Work Better for Women

by Rachel Peck, Fellow, 
National Women's Law Center 

We’re relieved that the Senate finally ended Senator Bunning’s filibuster and restored unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for workers whose benefits had run out – at least for another month. But while we continue to urge Congress to provide jobless workers with help they can count on through the end of the year, we can’t forget the many jobless workers, especially women, who are still waiting for their states to reform antiquated UI laws that prevent them from qualifying for unemployment benefits in the first place. 

Saving Unemployment Benefits – There’s No Time to Waste

by Emily J. Martin, Vice President, 
National Women's Law Center

Yesterday, Senators Baucus and Reid introduced a new bill that would provide crucial assistance to women and families who are struggling to make ends meet in the face of continuing high unemployment rates. 

First, it would provide extended and enhanced unemployment benefits through the end of 2010. The bill would also provide retroactive unemployment insurance benefits for the hundreds of thousands of who lost this lifeline as of Sunday as a result of Senator Bunning’s continued objections to an emergency extension. 

Second, it would provide COBRA subsidies to individuals who have lost their jobs through the end of 2010, helping families keep their health insurance in the face of unemployment. Again, this assistance would be retroactive, and would reimburse those individuals who lost these subsidies as of Sunday as a result of Senator Bunning’s continued objections.  

Bunning Does It Again - A Block on Unemployment Insurance Benefits

by Melanie Ross Levin, Outreach Manager, 
National Women’s Law Center 

Today, Senator Jim Bunning once again blocked passage of extending unemployment insurance benefits, COBRA subsidies and other key programs.   

As we mentioned on Friday, last week Senator Jim Bunning successfully blocked these key programs.

Unfortunately, as of midnight on Sunday, state programs for extended unemployment insurance have already started shutting down –- so workers who can’t find jobs will have nothing to live on. And today, 2,000 federal transportation workers were furloughed without pay, forcing a delay in construction projects around the country. All thanks to Senator Bunning. 

Who says one person can’t make a difference?