AAUW Action Network

AAUW Report Assesses President Obama’s Second Year,

AAUW Action Fund Measures 111th Congress’ Support for Pay Equity

WASHINGTON – The American Association of University Women (AAUW) today released a report on the Obama administration’s progress on AAUW issues, and the AAUW Action Fund issued a voting record that rates legislators on their support for pay equity in the 111th Congress. 

 Halfway through President Barack Obama’s first term, there are plenty of reasons to applaud the administration’s progress, as well as reminders of the work that remains. Today’s report demonstrates why AAUW has been impressed with the administration’s leadership on school bullying and harassment; its focus on promoting the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math; its dedication to equal pay efforts; and its reinstatement of federal Title IX guidelines that give women and girls better access to school sports. AAUW also applauded Obama’s appointment of Justice Elena Kagan, whose addition to the U.S. Supreme Court means that three women are serving concurrently—a first for the court.

The AAUW Action Fund Congressional Voting Record Equal Pay Supplement, also released today, documents Senate and House of Representatives votes on the two major equal pay bills to see action in the 111th Congress. Just two years ago, on January 29, 2009, President Obama signed his very first bill into law—the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. AAUW was pleased to play a major role in that historic victory. The Senate’s derailment of the complementary Paycheck Fairness Act on a procedural vote was a serious disappointment, however, especially since the bill had majority support in both chambers. In November 2010, almost two years after the House passed the bill for a second time, the Senate voted 58-41 on the motion to proceed, narrowly missing the 60 votes needed to continue the debate on the merits of the bill. Every Republican member of the Senate, including the GOP women, voted against moving the bill forward.

 “The sore point from the past two years is really the Paycheck Fairness Act,” said AAUW Public Policy and Government Relations Director Lisa Maatz. “AAUW commends President Obama’s administration and Congress for getting down to business and passing many critical pieces of legislation, but we also want to hold lawmakers accountable for missing a prime opportunity to improve the economic well-being of women, their families, and the nation as a whole. Such opportunities don’t come around very often.”

 AAUW has long been on the front line of the fight for pay equity. The organization released its first equal pay report in 1913, and AAUW members were in the Oval Office when President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963 into law. Today, AAUW leads a coalition for pay equity and continues to be a strong voice for women and their economic security.

“We’ve been in the thick of this fight since the beginning,” said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE. “For 130 years, AAUW has been a leading voice for positive social change affecting women and girls. The anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act reminds us of that progress, even in the face of obstacles to the Paycheck Fairness Act. Two votes stopped us short this time, but we’re in this for the long haul. Sooner or later, policy makers will get on the right side of history again, and AAUW will be there.”

 Join the AAUW Action Network!

AAUW’s Action Network makes it easy for advocates to influence Congress to act on issues critical for equity for women and girls. Help Action Network grow and be even more of a force in our nation’s capital. Urge your friends and family to join AAUW’s Action Network today. 

The grassroots liaisons in AAUW's Leadership Corps program will be reaching out to AAUW branch leaders to provide mentoring and assistance. Whether you are a member of an AAUW branch (an officer or not) or a national member interested in becoming involved with other AAUW members, please fill out the online form here to indicate areas of branch programming or administration for which you would like assistance.

Washington Update, a weekly e-mail bulletin for AAUW members, offers an insider's view on the public policy process, the latest policy news, resources for advocates, programming ideas, and updates from the Public Policy and Government Relations Department. Subscribe today!

Read the 2009-2011 AAUW Public Policy Program.

Become part of the AAUW national community and break through barriers for women and girls.  Join now. 

Anyone with an e-mail address can subscribe to the AAUW Action Network a group of AAUW members and supporters committed to mobilizing citizens on issues affecting women.  Discover what's happening in Washington and what you can do to influence the outcome.  Action Network sends subscribers urgent e-mail notices to contact their members of Congress.  With our online system, you can make your voice heard in just minutes.  AAUW members and supporters can also find detailed information on legislation currently under consideration in Congress and write letters to the editor of their local paper.

For more than a century, AAUW has influenced legislative debate on critical issues such as education, social security, sex discrimination, civil rights, reproductive choice, affirmative action, Title IX, welfare reform, vocational education, pay equity, family and medical leave, and health care reform. 

 ***********************************************

Title IX, the federal legislation that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities, is one of the country's greatest success stories.  AAUW was instrumental in the passage of Title IX in 1972, which has since led to a 400 percent increase in the rate of female participation in college sports and a more than 800 percent increase in participation at the high school level.  Female athletes are more likely to develop positive school and lifestyle habits.  High school girls who participate in sports are less likely to experience an unintended pregnancy or to smoke or use illicit drugs, while they are more likely to have a positive body image than girls who don't play sports.

Despite the significant gains girls and women have made since the enactment of Title IX, a significant drawback to the law's enforcement at the high school level involves the lack of data reporting. While it is estimated that female students receive 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school sports than do male students, the U.S. Department of Education does not require high schools to make athletic opportunity, participation, and funding statistics publicly available, even though they already collect this data.  Colleges are required to report this data, it's time our high schools are too.

Take Action!

It's time we know the score of Title IX in America's high schools. To urge your senators to cosponsor the High School Sports Information Collection Act, just  copy and paste the following URL into your Internet browser.  Then follow the instructions to compose and send your message. 

http://capwiz.com/aauw/issues/alert/?alertid=13561506

Find out if the high schools in your area are in compliance with Title IX.  The AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund's new Program in a Box, Title IX Compliance: Know the Score, provides AAUW members with the tools you need to find out if your local high schools are Title IX compliant -- and what you can do if they are not. See all the tools available on AAUW's new Know the Score web page.

For more information, read AAUW's position paper on equity in school athletics.