Recently in the Policies Affecting Women Category

This photo was taken in the White House Situation Room as President Obama and his team of national security advisors monitored the Navy SEAL Team 6 mission that brought Obama Bin Laden, the world's most iniquitous terrorist and Al Qaida mastermind, to his final demise. It is important that we stop to recognize the importance of this historic moment that closes a chapter of fear and anxiety in our nation's history. But it is also important to take notice that this photo points to the progress we have made in this country with respect to women's equality. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is arguably one of the most powerful diplomats in the world, and she has a seat at table that historically has been occupied by men only. Secretary Clinton's prominent position in the foreground of this photo signals to the world that women do have a voice in international politics. Clinton is not the only woman in this photograph; Director of Counter Terrorism Audrey Tomason can also be seen in the photograph.

The fact that not one but two women are featured in this instantly infamous photograph is proof of how far we have come with respect to getting women a seat at the table, literally. And yet still, despite the tremendous progress made by female trailblazers such as Secretary Clinton, women are still denied opportunities at the most basic level in our military. For instance, in just a few short months, the Air Force will award a contract to build Light Air Support (LAS) and Light Attack and Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft.  Two companies have emerged as frontrunners for this contract. One is the American Hawker Beechcraft, which has proposed an aircraft designed to accommodate roughly 95 percent of the military's potential male and female pilot population. The competitor, Brazilian- based Embraer, has submitted an aircraft for consideration that relies on outdated standards and will fail to accommodate a large percentage of female pilots. It is perplexing as to why, after women have risen to the most powerful and influential positions in the country, our military officials would even consider building an aircraft that would exclude female pilots from piloting, and thus limiting their opportunities for career advancements.

How can we expect the next Hillary Clinton and the next Audrey Tomason to ascend to positions of power, when they are not even being given the same opportunities as their male counterparts in the armed services? We need to support opportunities for women at the most basic levels of leadership. Only then will Secretary Clinton and Ms. Tomason's successors be afforded the ability to follow the path that has been paved for them by the female leaders that came before them.

Mother's Day offers us an occasion to reflect upon the opportunities and advantages we would not have enjoyed without the hard work, care, and support of America's mothers. Children of enlisted and commissioned mothers find this an especially poignant holiday, as their mothers balance two heroic duties, raising a family and serving our country.  It is imperative that these brave women in uniform are appropriately honored not only this Mother's Day, but throughout the entire year. Despite the selfless courage displayed by so many women, the Department of Defense continues to consider procuring aircraft that does not accommodate many female pilots, thereby limiting their career advancement.
 
The Air Force is considering two planes to fill its request for a Light Air Support (LAS) and Light Attack and Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft. One of the planes is the American made Hawker Beechcraft AT-6. This plane was designed to accommodate roughly 95 percent of the military's potential male and female pilot population. The competitor, Embraer, has designed an aircraft using outdated standards, and it will fail to accommodate a large percentage of female pilots. Given the rigorous demands of military flight training, it would be reprehensible for our Air Force to choose an aircraft for the LAS and LAAR contract that will exclude so many qualified female pilots based on height and weight standards.

As Mother's Day approaches we should remind the Department of Defense how many honorable women have sacrificed so much to protect our country at home and abroad.  We should not punish them by selecting an aircraft that they cannot safely pilot. The women and mothers protecting our country deserve better.
 

On Wednesday, March 2nd, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) hosted a luncheon to celebrate a new program launched by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to assist women owned businesses get their fair share of federal government contracts.  We were celebrating a program that was ten years in the making.  This new program identifies 83 industries in which women owned businesses are underrepresented in federal contracting and allows contracting officers to restrict competition in those industries to women owned businesses.

Interestingly, this celebratory luncheon occurred just one day after the White House report on Women in America found that a wage gap between men and women still exists.  Despite the fact that younger women are now more likely than younger men to have an undergraduate or graduate education, women continue to earn less.  

Promoting entrepreneurship through programs like the federal women's contract program is a perfect example of how to end the wage gap.  Giving women small business owners a level playing field and allowing them to succeed is an example of a solution that works.  To learn more about the new contracting program, go to: http://www.giveme5.com/ and http://www.sba.gov/

Today, by request of the U.S. Department of State, WIPP President, Barbara Kasoff, joined by WIPP Board Member Dr. Ann Blackburn, met with the Honorable Katalin Csobor, a Member of Parliament for the Republic of Hungary.  Hon. Csobor, a former small business owner, was appointed to the Committee for Human Rights, Minority, Civil and Religious Affairs.

Kasoff, Dr. Blackburn and Hon. Csobor discussed women in politics and their impact on public policy. They focused on diversity issues, specifically concerning leadership and advocacy for minority and women business owners. Moving forward, Kasoff, Dr. Blackburn and Hon. Csobor will continue to collaborate for the wellbeing of women business owners.

Click here to view a picture.

We have never had information before that relected the overall economic impact of women-owned firms.  Today we have it and it reveals the magnitude of importance that small business plays in the overall economy.

Women-owned firms produce employment for more than 23 million people in the United states, or 16% of our 2008 workforce.*.   This means that approximately 8% of the total labor force work directly for a woman-owned firm.  This is astonishing news.

But what really is remarkable, is that that 80% of the women businesses are NOT employer firms.

What would this mean to our national economic recovery if we increased the number of "employer" firms to 25%? To 30%?  How many more people would join the ranks of the employed?   

It is time to start focusing on strategies and policies to make this happen.  WIPP is asking these questions and addressing these issues directly.

*US Department of Labor, November 2008 national employment figures.