CPA White House Summit Conferees Frame New Economic Agenda

Eighty women leaders of grassroots groups, state, local and federal government, organized labor, the private sector and non-profit organizations across the country met in Washington, DC in April to build a new economic agenda. During the three-day meeting, participants in the Women’s Economic Leadership Summit, co-sponsored by CPA and the White House Office of Women’s Initiatives and Outreach, hammered out strategies for a new women-led national economic agenda. CPA is preparing a complete report of Summit recommendations for presentation to business, state and Congressional leaders, and President Clinton, who addressed the Summit. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton participated as the Summit’s Honorary Chair.
"To build an agenda that helps build a better America, we’ve got to start including the ideas and strategies of both halves of America’s population," said CPA President Linda Tarr-Whelan.
Specific recommendations sure to be present in the final report include:

• expand the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to guarantee paid leave, broader eligibility and mandatory posting of FMLA in the workplace
• enforce the rule that 5 percent of all federal government procurement contracts go to women-owned businesses; expand the 5 percent rule to include state governments
• increase access and availability to education and training at all levels.
• help families break out of poverty by allowing poor and low-income women to develop assets and move toward economic self-sufficiency.
• launch a Presidential Commission on Women, Men and Community to look at the changing roles of women and men, and the implications these changes have on building healthy communities with vibrant economies.
• design a Patient’s Bill of Rights that assures the delivery of comprehensive health benefits across the entire life cycle under managed care.
• develop and implement a Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection Package in all states in three years to end insurance "pink-lining" against victims of domestic violence and provide training for health workers.

A complete listing of draft recommendations from conferees is available from Anne Mosle at CPA (202-956-5127).

“I am eager to engage my colleagues and help push some of these proposals through the Senate.”
– Summit Program Chair Sen. Mary Landrieu

"If we women were able to speak with one clear, undeniable voice about [these] issues, think of the instant clout we would possess on Capitol Hill and with the Administration."
– Summit Participant Sherrye Henry, Office of Women’s Business Ownership, SBA

Women’s Economic Leadership Summit: Next Steps

Along with a series of policy recommendations, conferees at the Women’s Economic Leadership Summit outlined next steps to be taken to carry out a women-led economic agenda for America.
To accomplish this, Summit organizers plan to:

• hold briefings on Summit recommendations for President Clinton and Vice President Gore.
• hold Congressional briefings sponsored by Rep. Connie Morella (R-Md.) and Sen. Mary Landrieu about Summit recommendations.
• introduce a women’s economic agenda package in every state legislature the package will contain proven, pragmatic policies that address the core issues of women’s economic security.
• work with state elected leaders, the American Council on Education and university presidents to launch a series of leadership roundtables in major cities to define local agendas and action plans for implementation.
• capitalize on other convenings such as the Department of Labor Working Women’s Summit, the National Asian Women’s Health Summit and the Grassroots Retreat for State Economic Advocates to raise awareness and efficacy of women’s economic leadership.

For more information, contact Anne Mosle at CPA (202-956-5127).