Posts Tagged ‘ working women ’

House Democrats Call on Nixon to Oppose Cuts to Shear Institute

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

Students who have participated in a UMSL Sue Shears Institute for Women program

Twenty-three Democrat women state representatives delivered a letter today to Governor Nixon governor asking him to veto SB 455, which includes an amendment abolishing the Sue Shear Institute for Women.

By Eli Yokley, Missouri News Network — May 9

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A $250,000 a year expenditure threatens to stall passage of the state’s $24 billion budget.

The issue is over whether the University of Missouri should continue to fund the Shear Institute, a public policy institute for women in politics based at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Legislation barring the funding passed the House as part of a larger education bill earlier this year and now returns to the state Senate.

On Wednesday, House Democratic women penned a letter to Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon calling on him to veto the bill if it makes it to his desk.

“It is not the responsibly of the state legislature to micro-manage higher education public institutions as to their programs,” said the letter, led by Rep. Stacey Newman, D-Clayton. “This sets a dangerous precedent.”

Some Republican lawmakers, in particular, state Sen. Jane Cunningham, have insisted their believe that the institute is nothing more than a partisan organization.

Several top Missouri Republican women have also participated in the Shear Institute, including U.S. Rep. JoAnn Emerson, former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, former U.S. Ambassador Ann Wagner, and former House Speaker Catherine Hanaway. Hanaway said Tuesday she supports effort to cut funding for the institute.

Read more here.

Study Shows Women Want More Women in Congress

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Yesterday April 24th, the Barbara Lee Family Foundation , through the Lake Research Partners, released a poll among 1000 likely voters in key states, with an oversample of 200 young(age 18-35) voters, which is the first in-depth look at younger women responding to messages about women candidates.

courtesy of blogs.longwood.edu

Designed to examine voters’ attitudes toward women candidates and elected officials on both sides of party lines, this poll explores whether voters agree with the President and their beliefs about the disparities in leadership between women and men.

The statistics are widely reported: Women make up only 17 percent of Congress but are over 50 percent of the U.S. population. Even President Barack Obama believes Congress would get more done if there were more women in Congress, saying, “I think it’s fair to say: That is almost guaranteed.”

Here, we give you a first look at our findings:

  • An overwhelming majority of voters believes it is important to support a qualified woman running for elected office (80% say this is very/somewhat important and 51% say very important).
  • To motivate voters to vote for women candidates, it is best to focus on how women elected officials are in touch with real life.
  • Among young women voters, it is also effective to highlight the gap between women’s representation in Congress in relation to proportion of the general population.
  • Voters sense that there are not enough women currently in office and the nation would be better governed if there were more women in office than there are today.

Click here to view the full report.

The Barbara Lee Family Foundation advances women’s equality and representation in American politics through non-partisan political research, strategic partnerships, and grants and endowments.To learn more  visit www.barbaraleefoundation.org.

Top of page