Presidential politics

Vice President Biden Holds Middle Class Task Force Event on Work and Family

Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force Releases Recommendations;

White House Council on Women and Girls Launches Work-Flex Event Starter Kit

WASHINGTON – Today, Vice President Joe Biden held a Middle Class Task Force event on solutions for families balancing the dual demands of work and caring for family.  The Vice President and members of the White House Middle Class Task Force and Council on Women and Girls announced recommendations from the Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force and discussed the Administration’s ongoing commitment to improving work-family balance for all Americans.

Chair of the White House Middle Class Task Force, Vice President Biden said: “Women make up nearly half of all workers on U.S. payrolls, and two-thirds of families with children are headed either by two working parents or by a single parent who works. Yet, the workplace has, for the most part, not changed to reflect these realities – and it must.  Closing the gender pay gap, helping parents keep their jobs while balancing family responsibilities, and increasing workplace flexibility – these are not only women’s issues, they are issues of middle class economic security.”

To implement President Obama’s pledge in the State of the Union address to crack down on violations of equal pay laws, the Administration created the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force, bringing together the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), the Department of Labor (“DOL”), and the Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”). 

Although a number of laws exist to address equal pay enforcement, the Task Force has identified five persistent challenges in this area, made recommendations to address each challenge, and developed an action plan to implement those recommendations.  The recommendations from the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force are as follows:

1.      Improve interagency coordination and enforcement efforts to maximize effectiveness of existing authorities. 
2.      Collect data on the private workforce to better understand the scope of the pay gap and target enforcement efforts. 
3.      Undertake a public education campaign to educate employers on their obligations and employees on their rights. 
4.      Implement a strategy to improve the federal government’s role as a model employer.
5.      Work with Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.
To read more about this set of recommendations and action plan, please click here. 

The White House Council on Women and Girls also announced the White House’s launch of a Work-Flex Event Starter Kit to encourage greater dialogue around workplace flexibility at the community level and bring people together to start making changes. Employees, businesses, and universities are encouraged to use the Event Starter Kit to host a discussion in their own community about how innovative workplace flexibility policies can help employees balance work and family responsibilities, while simultaneously improving employers’ bottom lines.  To view the White House’s Work-Flex Event Starter Kit, please click here. 

At the event, the Vice President was joined by Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett, White House Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes, and Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Jacqueline Berrien.  Lilly Ledbetter, the namesake of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act signed by President Obama to fight pay discrimination and ensure fundamental fairness to American workers, introduced the Vice President.

The Department of Justice:  Attorney General Eric Holder pledged that the Department of Justice and other enforcement agencies will coordinate and collaborate through investigations, litigation, policy guidance, data analysis, and public education efforts to make meaningful progress in closing the wage gap.  Already, the Justice Department, in conjunction with the EEOC and four of its district offices, has launched a robust and intensive pilot program to coordinate the investigation and litigation of charges against state and local government employers.  The Department is also coordinating with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to better enforce the laws that protect the civil rights of employees of federal contractors.  The Attorney General recommitted the Department of Justice to these critical efforts and to ensuring equal opportunity and equal treatment in the workplace. For more information, please visit:  http://www.justice.gov/.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:  The EEOC committed to engage in increased outreach and education to improve awareness of wage discrimination laws; evaluate wage data collection needs and current capabilities, working in concert with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to avoid duplicative data collection efforts; work with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to improve the federal government’s status as a model employer; and work with the Department of Labor and the Department of Justice to improve interagency coordination toward enforcement of our nation’s wage discrimination laws.  For more information, please visit:  http://www.eeoc.gov/. 

The Department of Labor:  Through a collaborative effort between the Departments of Labor, Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Administration will ensure strategic enforcement of pay discrimination cases. In addition to hiring nearly 200 more enforcement staff, DOL will publish an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking early next year.  The ANPRM will seek input from stakeholders on how the Equal Opportunity survey can be improved.  The Labor Department will also launch new public education efforts, including an Equal Pay Checklist, a revamping of the Equal Pay Employer Self-Audit tool, and hosting an Equal Pay Research Summit.

To address issues related to work/family balance, the Labor Department will conduct a new Family and Medical Leave Act survey in 2011.  The survey will provide needed insights into how families use leave. In addition to baseline data collection, the survey will also provide information on regulatory changes including a recent administrative interpretation of the FMLA. In 2011, DOL intends to sponsor a supplement to the American Time Use Survey.  The data collection will be designed to gather more information on parental leave, child care responsibilities, family leave insurance program usage, and other issues related to the intersection of work and family responsibilities.  Building on the White House’s Flexibility Forum, the Department will also host a series of “National Dialogue on Workplace Flexibility” forums across the country.  For more information about the U.S. Labor Department’s pay equity and workplace flexibility initiatives, please visit:  http://www.dol.gov/.

Statement by the President on Equal Pay

In America today, women make up half of the workforce, and two-thirds of American families with children rely on a woman’s wages as a significant portion of their families’ income. 

Yet, even in 2010, women make only 77 cents for every dollar that men earn. The gap is even more significant for working women of color, and it affects women across all education levels.  As Vice President Biden and the Middle Class Task Force will discuss today, this is not just a question of fairness for hard-working women.  Paycheck discrimination hurts families who lose out on badly needed income.  And with so many families depending on women's wages, it hurts the American economy as a whole.  In difficult economic times like these, we simply cannot afford this discriminatory burden.

My Administration has already begun to address this problem. In my first week in office, I signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which helps women who face wage discrimination recover their lost wages, and in my State of the Union Address, I promised to crack down on violations of equal pay laws. Today the Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force will present its recommendations, which include ways to better coordinate among enforcement agencies and inform employees about their rights.  These steps support women, and they also support businesses that are doing the right thing and paying their employees what they deserve.

We cannot do this work alone. So today, I thank the House for its work on this issue and encourage the Senate to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, a common-sense bill that will help ensure that men and women who do equal work receive the equal pay that they and their families deserve.  Passing this bill is one of the Task Force’s key recommendations, and I hope Congress will act swiftly so that I can sign it into law.
 

Remarks by the First Lady at Women’s Bureau 90th Anniversary Event

3:23 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you all so much.  (Applause.)  The sit sign.

Well, good afternoon! 

AUDIENCE:  Good afternoon!

MRS. OBAMA:  This is exciting.  It is a pleasure to be with all of you to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Women’s Bureau here at the Department of Labor.  This is very exciting.  A wonderful turnout.

I want to thank our Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis.  She is not only an outstanding Secretary and a tremendous asset to this administration, but she has become a personal friend of mine.  She is always there, flying around with me, showing up to stuff that I ask her to.  Yeah, she does, all the time.  (Laughter.)  She is a gift to all of us, and she has been just an amazing supporter of this Bureau.  So let’s give Hilda a round of applause.  (Applause.)

And I also want to thank Representative Lynn Woolsey for her terrific work and for joining us here today.  Let’s give her a round of applause.  (Applause.)

I also have to recognize the current director, Sara, for all that you’re doing for this Bureau and for representing women across this country in such a tremendous way. 

But in addition to Sara, we also have the former Women’s Bureau directors who have taken the time to join us today.  And I want those women to stand if they haven’t already done so.  (Applause.)  Sara, you stand, too.  This is for you, as well.  (Applause.)  We have women going back nearly four decades, and we’re thrilled that you all could be here and grateful for your service.  It was an honor for me to get a moment to say hello to each of you backstage.

Now, as you all know, back when this Bureau was founded, women had yet to earn the right to vote.  There wasn’t a single woman serving in Congress or in the Cabinet.  Women were less than one-fifth of our nation’s workforce, and they often worked in dangerous and deplorable conditions. 

And back then, the establishment of this Bureau actually caused a lot of controversy.  And some people even argued that what you all were trying to do here was somehow “un-American.”

Well, for 90 years, whether fighting for workplace safety or equal pay, child care or family leave, the work of this Bureau has been driven by a simple truth.  It’s a sentiment that was articulated in an early bulletin from the bulletin -- from the Bureau which read, simply –- and this is a quote: “America will be as strong as her women.”  (Applause.)

“America will be as strong as her women” –- something that’s true -- just as true today in 2010 as it was back when this Bureau was founded in 1920. 

Today, women make up the majority of students in our colleges.  Women make up roughly half of our workforce, and mothers are the primary or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of American families. 

But despite all the progress that we’ve seen since this Bureau was founded, as you all know, there are still certain stubborn inequalities that still persist. 

Women in this country still earn just 77 cents for every dollar men earn.  There are still only 3 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs that are women. 

And to this day, too many women still face that daily juggling act to manage the needs of their families with the demands of their jobs.  They’re unable to take sick days to care for ailing children or aging parents.  They struggle to find affordable child care.  They feel like they’re burning the candle at both ends –- and in the middle. 

And this reflects a larger problem –- that for too long, policies that help people balance work and family responsibilities have been seen as niceties for women, rather than as the necessity that can benefit all of us, men and women alike.  So we still have our work cut out for us.  We've got a lot to do.

That’s why I am proud that the very first bill that my husband signed into law when he became President of the United States was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- (applause) -- because as he put it then, here in America, “there are no second-class citizens in our workplaces,” and there is no reason why women shouldn’t get equal pay for equal work. 

And I’m proud of what we’re doing to make the federal government more of a model for the kind of change that we’ve talking about, whether it’s expanding tele-work options to providing emergency child care and affordable day care.  There’s a lot that the federal government can do to model what is good and right in the workplace.

My husband has also proposed helping states that want to set up paid leave funds, and we’ve worked to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to more of our military families, which is something that should have happened a long time ago -- (applause) -- because the truth is, ultimately, these issues aren’t just women’s issues.  We all know that when women make less than men for the same work, that doesn’t just hurt women; that hurts families who find themselves with less income and have to work harder just to get by. 

When women don’t have the flexibility they need to fulfill their responsibilities as both employees and breadwinners and mothers and daughters, that doesn’t just hurt women; that hurts their children and their parents, it hurts their spouses and their partners, and it puts a strain on the entire household and ultimately on all of our communities.

Ultimately, as the proclamation my husband signed honoring this Bureau said, and this is a quote, “Equal economic opportunity and wage parity are not simply women’s issues –- they are Americans’ issues.”  And even after 90 years of hard work, we’ve still got a way to go. 

But let’s also never lose sight of how far we’ve come.  Just imagine what the first members of this Bureau would think if they could see us all here today.  Just look at this room, look at this country! 

Imagine the faces on their -- the looks on their faces if they could see a Madam speaker in the House of Representatives and so many brilliant women like Secretary Solis serving in our Cabinet.  That's amazing.  (Applause.)

Imagine what those founding members would think of the prospect of three women serving on our nation’s highest court and how proud they would be to see women -- (applause) -- to see women taking their places at the top of so many fields –- from science and business, to politics and the armed forces.

So much has happened in these 90 years –- so many barriers broken, so many glass ceilings cracked and shattered, so many dreams realized and goals fulfilled. 

And it’s really because of people like all of you and the folks who came before you, those folks who organized and mobilized and stood up and spoke out, determined to give their daughters and granddaughters opportunities they never dreamed of themselves.

And I stand before you today not just as a woman who has walked through so many of those doors that have been opened, but as a mother of two beautiful little women -- and they are becoming little women -- (laughter) -- who, because of their efforts, view the world truly as a place with limitless possibilities, who believe that nothing is beyond their reach, nothing is off-limits, and there’s nothing that girls like them can’t do.  And that is beautiful.
 
So I’m here today to thank you, and to honor this Bureau for all it’s done over these past years, not just for women, but for all of us –- and for this country that we love.  This is truly a cause for celebration.  Everyone should be proud.

Thank you so much.  God bless.  And Hilda and I will come down and say hello.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)

END
3:34 P.M. EDT

Presidential Proclamation– 90th Anniversary of the Department of Labor Women’s Bureau

Throughout our history, American women have played a vital role in the growth and vitality of our Nation's economy.  They have tirelessly balanced responsibilities to work, family, and community, strengthening our economic leadership and enriching our national life.  Today, there are more women in America's workforce than ever before, yet they still face significant obstacles to equal economic opportunity and advancement.

Recognizing the challenges women confronted in the workforce, the Congress established the Women's Bureau in the Department of Labor on June 5, 1920, 2 months before women gained the right to vote.  For the past 90 years, the Women's Bureau has been a champion for working women nationwide through its commitment to advancing employment opportunities, improving their working conditions, and helping them achieve economic security.

As women surged into the labor force, the Women's Bureau tackled the barriers to their economic advancement.  Early in its history, the Women's Bureau advocated for the successful inclusion of women under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, establishing minimum wages and maximum working hours.  The Bureau also played an instrumental role in the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963.  And the first law that I signed as President -- the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act --builds upon these vital protections to ensure people subjected to discrimination have better access to a remedy.

Equal economic opportunity and wage parity are not simply women's issues -- they are American issues.  As a Nation, we must recommit to the enduring vision of the Women's Bureau and work to support all wage-earning women.  With the hard-fought progress of the past as a foundation, we can build a better and brighter tomorrow, one in which our daughters have an equal right and opportunity to pursue the American Dream.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 11, 2010, as the 90th Anniversary of the Department of Labor Women's Bureau.  I call upon all Americans to observe this anniversary with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the Bureau's history, accomplishments, and contributions to working women.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Statement by the President on the Anniversary of the Equal Pay Act

On June 10, 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Equal Pay Act, which sought to end wage discrimination on the basis of sex. At the time, women were paid 59 cents for every dollar earned by men. 47 years later, pay parity remains far from reality, as women in the United States still only earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. For women of color, this gap is even wider.  This remains unacceptable, as it was when the Act was signed.  All women – and their families – deserve equal pay. Women now make up nearly half of the nation’s workforce, most homes have two working parents, and 60 percent of all women work full-time. As we emerge from one of the worst recessions in American history, when families are struggling to pay their bills and save for the future, pay inequity only deepens that struggle and hampers our economy’s ability to fully recover.
 
But we have taken some important steps to address this inequality.  I am proud that the first bill I signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which restored the right to seek a remedy for women who, like the law’s namesake, face wage discrimination during their careers.  In my State of the Union address, I pledged to crack down on violations of equal pay laws, and I’ve created the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force, bringing together federal agencies to improve the enforcement of equal pay laws.  We’ve also increased funding for federal agencies charged with enforcing equal pay laws and other civil rights statutes.  The agencies themselves have taken steps to address disparities. For instance, the Department of Labor Women's Bureau is conducting research and analysis, providing technical assistance, and building partnerships to increase women's incomes, narrow the wage gap, and reduce income inequality.  And the White House Council on Women and Girls is actively working to close the wage gap.

More needs to be done.  I appreciate the House acting on the Paycheck Fairness Act early last year, and I renew my call to the Senate to modernize and strengthen the Equal Pay Act by closing loopholes, providing incentives for compliance, and barring certain types of retaliation against workers by employers.  On this anniversary of the Equal Pay Act, let us all renew and redouble our efforts.

Remarks by the First Lady at Women’s Summit with Senator Harry Reid

11:47 A.M. PDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  Thank you all so much.  Thank you.  That’s so sweet of you all -- please.  Thank you so much.

First, let me begin by apologizing because I have a cold that I caught from this wonderful husband of mine.  (Laughter.)  So forgive my voice and my dryness and all that good stuff.  And when I come around to shake hands, there will be somebody following with Purell.  (Laughter.)  Because you all have a lot of work to do and we can’t afford for any of you to be sick.  (Laughter.)

But I am so thrilled to be here with all of you today.  It is an honor to be a part of this summit and to be with so many wonderful women who are doing such amazing things here in Nevada and across the country.  So I am thrilled -- and it’s really pretty nice here, too.  (Laughter.)

I want to start by thanking a few people.  First of all, Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa -- (applause) -- as well as State Treasurer Kate Marshall.  (Applause.)  And your Speaker of the Assembly Barbara Buckley.  (Applause.)  I want to thank them for their service, for their dedication to the people of this state.  (Applause.)  They are terrific.  I got a chance to see them in the back.

And of course I have to thank one of my favorite people in the world -- Senator Reid.  (Applause.)  That was such a kind introduction and so generous, and all I can say is the same thing to him -- the same thing.  Over the years, he has been a tireless advocate on behalf of women -- from helping pass health care reform, to supporting legislation to help prevent domestic violence, to helping women get equal pay for equal work.  (Applause.)  This state is -- and this country -- is lucky to have Harry Reid and Landra working on our behalf in Washington.  And I want to thank him for everything -- both of them -- for their friendship, for their hard work, for their kindness.  And let’s give him one more round of applause.  (Applause.)

So I have to tell you, as much as I love living in Washington, it is always nice to get out of town every once in a while.  (Laughter.)  Especially when that means spending time with so many terrific women.

This summit is about bringing a diverse group of women together from different cities and different towns, different generations and backgrounds and walks of life, to talk about the issues that impact our lives as women and as Americans.  And I think it’s especially fitting that we’re here in Nevada, a state that has always been home to so many strong, pioneering women.

As you all know, this state started out as a pretty forbidding place to live.  It was part of the vast, unexplored West -- a land of sweeping deserts and dense wilderness and mountains so high that they’ll just take your breath away.

The nearest town was sometimes hundreds of miles away, but those who were brave enough to venture out here often had to struggle just to survive.  Many of these women worked as prospectors and teachers and nurses and entrepreneurs.  They ran cattle ranches and they worked long days in the mines and they started their own businesses, braving coyotes and rattlesnakes along the way.  (Laughter.)

They were fiercely independent -- many of them with a wonderful stubborn streak a mile wide, and a strong sense of their place in the world.  In fact, due to their tireless activism and leadership, these women here in Nevada gained themselves the right to vote in 1914 -- a full six years before the 19th Amendment was passed.  And that’s pretty incredible.  (Applause.)

So today, all of you are really heirs to that legacy of those tough, trailblazing, visionary women leaders, because you know the same thing that they knew:  that in the end, the success of our communities, of our country, depends on the success of our women.

Now, obviously the challenges that we face today are a little different from the ones Nevadans faced 150 years ago.  And I’m pretty sure none of you had to deal with an angry rattlesnake on your way here.  (Laughter.)  But the -- maybe you did.  (Laughter.)  But the problems are no less daunting today and no less important for the success of our nation.  You know that.  They’re issues that touch the lives of every single American.

And health care is a perfect example.  Today, as you all know, women play a unique and increasingly significant role when it comes to keeping our families healthy.

Eight in 10 mothers report that they’re the ones responsible for choosing their children’s doctors, taking them to the appointments, managing follow-up care.  And many women are making the same decisions for their spouses.  And more than 10 percent of women in this country are currently taking care of a sick or elderly relative, often a parent, and making critical health care decisions for them as well.

But women aren’t just disproportionately affected because of the role we play in our family, we’re also affected because the jobs we do are more likely to be part-time or in small businesses, jobs that are -- less likely provide health insurance.  Women are more likely to be denied coverage because of so called preexisting conditions like having a C-section or a previous pregnancy.  In some cases, insurance plans don’t cover basis women’s health services like maternity care or preventative care for mammograms and Pap smears.  And a recent study showed that 25-year-old women are charged up to 84 percent more than 25-year-old men for the same coverage.  And at age 40, it’s 40 percent more -- for the exact same coverage.

Now, we know this is unacceptable.  It is unacceptable for women.  It’s unacceptable for families.  And it is unacceptable for our country.  (Applause.)

And that's part of the reason why so many people fought so hard to pass health reform this year.  Under the new law, starting this year, insurance companies will never again be allowed to deny children coverage because of preexisting conditions.  (Applause.)

And in the coming years, no one with a preexisting condition will be banned from coverage.  (Applause.)  Insurance companies won’t be able to drop your coverage when you get sick, deny you the care you need because you’ve reached your annual or lifetime limit, or charge you more because you’re a woman.

And soon, if you don't have insurance or are looking for a more affordable option, you’ll be able to compare prices and purchase coverage through an insurance exchange, which is the same way members of Congress will get their insurance.  (Applause.)

So we’ve done some great things, but as much progress as we’ve made, health care is really only one of the issues affecting women in this country, which brings us to a second challenge that we face, and that's securing an equal place in today’s economy.

Right now women make up nearly half of our workforce, and mothers are the primary or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of American families.  The majority of our students in our colleges are female.  So we play an increasingly important role in setting the family’s budget, keeping food on the table.  And across the country, women are breaking barriers in every field -- from science and business, to politics and the armed forces.  So there’s no question that we have come a long way.  But the fact remains that women still earn 77 cents for every dollar men earn.

And only 3 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are female.  And inequality, as many of you know, still exists in small and very stubborn ways in the lives of too many women.  That’s why the first bill that my husband signed into law after taking office was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.  (Applause.)

As he put it, he said, here in America, “There are no second-class citizens in our workplaces,” and there is no reason why women shouldn’t get equal pay for equal work.

But as you all know, the success of women in the workplace isn’t just about a paycheck.  It’s also about being able to juggle the needs of our families with the demands of our jobs.  You all know that constant struggle to meet our responsibilities both as employees and breadwinners and as mothers and daughters and wives and everything else we do.

And as the mother of two beautiful girls -- and they're not little any more, they’re getting big.  Malia is here, so don't be shocked.  It’s still her.  (Laughter.)  This is an issue that is particularly close to my heart as I know it is for so many of you.  Now, as I’ve said before, in our current life in the White House, we are incredibly blessed.  We have more resources and support than I could have ever imagined that I would have, including a grandmother who lives upstairs.  And let me tell you that is priceless.  (Applause.)

But the truth is, we didn’t always live in the White House.  And for many years, before coming to Washington, I was a working mom, doing my best to juggle soccer and ballet with meetings and conference calls.  And when I was at work, I was feeling like I was shortchanging my kids.  And when I was with my girls, I worried that I was falling behind at work.  And there was just a lot of stress and a lot of guilt.  And I was one of the lucky ones.  I had understanding bosses and accommodating jobs.

In fact, I remember being on maternity leave with Sasha.  She was about four months old, and I was still trying to figure out my next career move.  And I got a call to do an interview for a senior position at the University of Chicago hospitals.  So I frantically called every babysitter I knew and none of them were available.  So guess what I did.  (Laughter.)  I packed her up -- still nursing -- put her in the stroller, and I took her with me.  And I prayed that she wouldn’t need to do anything -- (laughter) -- while we were there, and that would automatically disqualify me.  But, fortunately, she slept through the entire interview.  And it was fortunate, because the man I was interviewing with, he and his wife had just had a baby.  So he knew what I was going through, and I ended up getting the job.    
But I know most folks are nowhere near as lucky as I was, especially in this economy.  So many people struggle every day to find affordable childcare or to take time off to care for a child or an aging parent.  Often they have to scramble to figure out that backup plan when the usual arrangements fall through.  And that is the most destabilizing thing that can happen in the course of your day. 

Our military families have it even tougher than most, with women serving in uniform themselves or struggling to provide a stable home while facing long deployments and loved ones who are stationed in harm’s way.  To me, this reflects a larger problem -- that for too long, policies that help people balance work and family responsibilities have been viewed as niceties for women rather than as a necessity that can benefit all of us, men and women.
There is still this perception out there that employees who want more flexible schedules, so that they can pick up a child after school or take care of an elderly parent, are somehow less committed, and that businesses who accommodate them are destined to be less profitable.  But we all know that that’s simply not true.  We know that these kinds of policies that support family balance can actually make employees more productive, because they allow them to focus on work rather than worrying about what’s going on at home.

And that’s one of the reasons why my husband has proposed helping states that want to set up paid leave funds, and recognized companies that are adopting innovative polices that focus on work output rather than hours and face time.  And that’s why we’re working to make the federal government a model for the kind of change that we’re talking about -- things like expanding telework options and providing emergency childcare and affordable day care.
That’s why we’ve worked to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to have it go to more of our military families.  And that’s also why Jill Biden and I are encouraging everyone in this country, including employers, to do everything in their power to support our men and women in uniform and their loved ones.  (Applause.)

But in the end, whether we’re talking about health care or the economy or caring for our families, we need to remember that while these issues may affect women in particular, they aren’t just women’s issues.  When insurance companies deny coverage to women for preexisting conditions or refuse to cover treatment, it can devastate an entire family.  When women make less than men for the same work, that hurts families who find themselves with less income and have to work harder just to get by.  And when employers don’t allow employees the flexibility to care for their family, that hurts children, it hurts grandparents, it hurts husbands, and it puts a strain on an entire household.

But the good news is that thanks to so many extraordinary women who came before us, we’ve really come a long way.  We know that all of us are here today because of all those generations who put in that time, who packed up their things, and staked their claims in places here, and who cracked and shattered those glass ceilings so that we could have opportunities that they never dreamed of.

And we know that it will be up to all of you -- the leaders, the activists, the visionaries, the organizers, the everyday women, to carry that work forward, because what we’re working towards -- all of us -- is to ensure that our daughters and our granddaughters can dream just a little bigger and reach just a little higher than we did.  That’s really why I’m here.  (Applause.)

So what I can promise is that if you keep the discussion going, and if all of you keep fighting and organizing and standing up for the causes that we all share, then I know that together -- together -- we will keep moving forward, not just as women, but as Americans.

So I really, truly, can’t express to you how grateful we are for your leadership.  We look to you for that energy, so don’t ever stop.  Keep it up.  And thank you.  Thank you for all your support and your hard work.
Thank you so much.  (Applause.)

END
12:05 P.M. PDT
 

Presidential Proclamation–National Women’s Health Week

A PROCLAMATION

In recent decades, our Nation has made extraordinary progress in promoting women's health issues.  However, far too many women remain underserved and we must continue working to ensure all women can access medical services, receive fair treatment, and make healthy choices.  During National Women's Health Week, we recommit to breaking existing barriers and improving the health of American women for generations to come.

 Many American women face significant obstacles in caring for themselves and their families.  That is why my Administration fought tirelessly to pass the Affordable Care Act, which I recently signed into law.  This landmark legislation gives Americans greater control over their health care decisions and access to affordable and equitable insurance.  It lowers costs for women and prohibits insurance companies from overcharging because of gender or denying coverage due to a pre existing condition.  The Affordable Care Act also requires that new health care plans cover preventive care, routine screenings, and regular checkups, as well as basic pediatric services for children.  These services are vital to maintaining individual well being, and empower women when making choices for themselves and their families.  Visit HealthReform.gov to learn more about how the Affordable Care Act benefits Americans across the country.

 We have taken steps to provide access to high-quality, affordable health care, but individuals must also lead healthy lives and set a good example for their children.  From scheduling regular medical examinations to applying sunscreen, simple, everyday activities can make a positive impact on the lives of women.  Regular exercise, coupled with a nutritious diet, helps prevent heart disease, obesity, and other chronic conditions.  Visit WomensHealth.gov and GirlsHealth.gov for more information and resources on women's health issues.  I also encourage Americans to visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/Administration/EOP/CWG to learn about the White House Council on Women and Girls    a body I created to bring women's issues to the forefront, and to emphasize women's roles as full partners in shaping and implementing our Nation's policies.

 The health of American women and girls is not just a women's issue; all Americans have a vested interest.  Women are the foundation of many families, and by encouraging their wellness, we also promote the vitality of our children and our communities.  By standing firm in our commitment to improve women's health, we can give our daughters and granddaughters    and all Americans    a brighter future.

 NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 9-15, 2010, as National Women's Health Week.  I encourage all Americans to celebrate the progress we have made in protecting women's health and promote prevention, awareness, and educational activities that improve the health of all women.

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Remarks by The First Lady and Dr. Biden to the Women’s Leadership Forum Issues Conference

Washington Hilton
Washington, D.C.

1:05 P.M. EDT

DR. BIDEN:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  Thank you, Denise, for that warm introduction.  And thank you to the Women’s Leadership Forum conference hosts and organizers who have worked so hard to make this event possible.  It’s great to be with you here today. 

It’s been an incredible journey since the last time Michelle and I were with you in Chicago.  (Applause.)  I remember being so inspired by the tremendous spirit of the amazing women in that room -- women who played a critical role in the 2008 election.  There’s no question that we would not be here today without each of your efforts.  (Applause.)  No, I should thank you.  (Applause.)

No doubt, many things have changed since October of 2008.  But what brings us back here together today is our collective commitment to improving the lives of all Americans.

And I can tell you, all over this country, every day, women are making extraordinary efforts to improve their lives and the lives of others.
 
Last week, I met Carla Mannes at a community college meeting I was hosting in Arizona.  Carla is a single mom who spent the last 25-plus years raising four children, working around the clock and successfully putting them through school.  Over the years Carla tried to return to school herself, but the timing was never quite right.

She confessed to me that she thought of herself as -- she didn’t think of herself as very smart because she didn’t have a degree, and the last 10 years have really been a difficult financial struggle for her and her family. 

Last summer, Carla gave it another shot and enrolled in classes at her local community college, this time with an undeniable passion and commitment to finish.

Carla is on the path towards a degree in Social Work, and her goal is to mentor young women who feel unloved and discarded.

Last semester, Carla earned a 4.0.  (Applause.)

I also recently met two young women from California, Kaylei Deakin and Moranda Hern.  Both are high school seniors and daughters of National Guardsmen. 

Together, they formed the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Battle Dress Uniforms” -- (laughter) -- I know, it’s cute -- a support network for young women going through similar experiences of sadness and loss while their fathers and mothers are deployed.  But that wasn’t enough.  They went on to organize a conference for daughters of military members, focusing on issues ranging from self-esteem, self-image, career plans, and relationships.

I am profoundly moved by the women I meet, whether in my travels or in my classroom each day, by their determination to learn, and their quest to make a better life for themselves and their families.

And, I know we are all here today because we believe in the efforts of this administration, along with the dedication of groups like WLF, will support these women and their families.

And, speaking of incredible women, I am here to introduce a woman whom I am fortunate enough to call my friend, Michelle Obama.  (Applause.)

I really believe that fate brought the two of us together, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to partner with Michelle on many of the critical issues facing this country today.

We all know that Michelle is a dedicated and devoted mother, wife, a brilliant lawyer, and a groundbreaking First Lady.  In the short time we have been in office, she has opened up the White House to tens of thousands of Americans and given new meaning to the phrase: “the People’s House.”

Both domestically and on the world stage, she is a role model and mentor to women and men alike.

Please join me in welcoming my dear friend, the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Wow.  (Applause.)  Well, hello!  (Applause.)  Thank you all so much.  Please.  (Applause.)  Thanks so much.  It is so good to see you all.  Thank you so much.  It is a pleasure to be here with all of you today. 

Let me begin by thanking Jill for that extremely kind introduction.  Jill has been such an extraordinary partner in our work to support military families.  More importantly she has been just a terrific friend in this journey.  It’s just been truly a thrill for me to have her by my side, sometimes in front.  So let’s give Jill another round of applause.  (Applause.)

I want to recognize a few more people.  I want to recognize our DNC Chair, Governor Tim Kaine.  Tim.  (Applause.)  And on this Mother’s Day he is here with his lovely wife and my dear friend, Ann, and his mom, Kathy.  (Applause.)  

And I also want to thank Senators Gillibrand and our DNC Vice Chair, Representative Wasserman-Schultz.  (Applause.)  Also to the outstanding Congresswoman Carol Maloney.  It’s good to see you, have you here.  (Applause.)  I don’t know where everyone is sitting, but they’re here.  And to the founding members and co-chairs of the Women’s Leadership Forum, I get a chance to hug and see all of you.  You are doing tremendous work.  We are grateful and proud of everything you’re doing.

So, now, some of you may remember that the last time we were together, as Jill said, it was back in late October of 2008.  You remember that?  (Applause.)  And you were all meeting in my hometown, Chicago.  And it was just -- (applause) -- it was good, it was really good!  (Applause.)  It was just a couple of weeks before the election, and Barack and I had been traveling, flying all over the country, everywhere, every corner, talking to folks and doing everything that we could to do to persuade people to get out the vote, and to vote for who?  Barack Obama.  (Laughter.)

But we were very eager to get back to home for the National Issues Conference, because we knew then about the critical work that you all were doing -- the organizing, raising money, making sure that people got to the polls on November the 4th.  Do you remember those times?  (Laughter.) 

Because of the tireless efforts of all you and folks like you all throughout the country, we saw people getting involved for the very first time.  Remember that?  We saw folks of all ages and backgrounds knocking on doors -- they had never done that before -- making calls, waiting hours in line on Election Day because they wanted to make history. 

And on November the 4th, 2008, that’s exactly what we did.  And my husband and I are so incredibly grateful for everything that you all did to make that possible.  We are truly proud of you for the work that you’ve done. 

But I think it’s fair to say that since that time a few things have happened to us.  (Laughter.)  As you know, our family moved from Chicago right here to Washington, our new hometown, although will never be not our hometown.  And we’ve spent the last year or so, as you know, just settling into our new lives here in this city.

So all of you know, the girls are doing great.  And Mom is doing well too.  She’s enjoying a very active life here in Washington.  And by the way, Bo is adjusting to his newfound celebrity -- (laughter) -- for those of you who care to ask.  He is probably the most important person in the household for kids who visit.

And after all that time on the campaign trail, I have to say that we’re enjoying living above the store -- (laughter) -- so that Dad can come home for nights -- for dinner.  And that’s something that we truly treasure.  It was something that we didn’t have for a long time on the campaign trail.

So a lot has changed since we last met.  But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed.  Back then I talked about the issues that we face -- from the economy, to health care, to education.  And I said that these issues aren’t and they still aren’t about politics.  They’re personal.  And they’re personal for every single one of us in this room, and they’re personal for every single one of us in this country. 

And it’s easy to lose sight of that fact with all the back and forth that goes on here in Washington -- folks yelling at each other on TV so that little things get blown out of proportion and sometimes big, important things don’t always get the attention that they deserve.

But I have to tell you that when Barack and I travel the country now and we spend time with ordinary folks, they don’t have much interest in the scorekeeping that goes on here in Washington.  They really don’t.  They don’t care much about anybody’s poll numbers.  And as my husband has pointed out, never -- not even once -- has someone asked him, “Who won the day?”

The questions they ask have nothing to do with the daily chatter that goes on here, and it has everything to do with the struggles, the real struggles they’re facing in their lives.  They tell us about insurance companies that refuse to pay for the treatment that they need, and they ask us, “What do I do now?”  Or they tell us, “I’ve been out of a job for months.”  And they ask, “What are you going to do to help folks like me?” 

They tell us about factories that are shutting their doors, schools that are failing their kids, and their struggles to try to afford their mortgages, tuition bills, a decent retirement.

And I know that a lot of folks are cynical about whether change is possible.  I know it’s hard.  A lot of folks think that everything that’s said out on the campaign trail is just talk.  They’re skeptical about whether the people they send to Washington will actually stand up for their interests and fight for their hopes and dreams.

But as all of you know, that is exactly what Barack Obama has done every single day since he’s been the President of the United States.  (Applause.) 

You all know that those folks that he met in Iowa and New Hampshire and across this country, they’re the folks that he thinks about when he wakes up every single morning.  They’re the ones that he fights for nearly every waking hour.  This man is working hard.

They are the basis for every decision he makes -- not whether it’s good politics, not whether it’s going to make good headlines, but whether it’s good for them and for their families.

During his campaign, he said clearly that he’d work to get our economy back on track so that businesses could start creating jobs again and families could get ahead. 

And that’s exactly what he’s doing.  During his first months in office, he worked to pass the Recovery Act and rescue our financial system from the brink of collapse. 

And while a lot of folks are still hurting, and they are, and we still have a long way to go, we are finally heading in the right direction. 

Our economy is growing again instead of shrinking.  (Applause.)  And because of the steps that were taken, 2 million Americans are working today who otherwise wouldn’t be. 
    
And about 95 percent of working folks in this country have received a tax cut –- money that they’re using to pay off their bills, and to pay down their mortgages, and to put food on the table for their families. 

Throughout this campaign, Barack promised that he would take on health care reform, because, as he said, it’s just plain wrong that so many folks have been dropped from their coverage when they got sick, or excluded because of pre-existing conditions, or crushed by outrageous costs. 

And guess what, that’s exactly what he did.  (Applause.)  Now, it wasn’t easy.  (Laughter.)  And it certainly wasn’t quick.  But because he stuck with it, and because you all stuck with him, we are finally able to pass a reform that’s going to offer families and small businesses the quality, affordable care that they deserve and they need.  

This reform doesn’t increase our deficits –- it actually helps shrink them.  It ends some of the worst abuses of the insurance industry.  It helps seniors pay for their prescriptions, and lets young people stay on their parents’ insurance until they’re 26. 

And it will give people the peace of mind of no longer having to worry that with just one accident, with just one illness, they’ll lose everything they have.  That’s what health reform is all about.  (Applause.)

My husband said he would fight to ensure that women got equal pay for equal work.  And as you may all remember, the very first bill he signed into law, just nine days after taking office -- I was there -– was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act -- (applause) -- because, as he put it, and I quote, “There are no second class citizens in our workplaces.” 

My husband said that he would appoint judges to our courts who have a record of excellence, integrity, and independence, and who grasp not just the letter of the law, but its impact on our daily lives. 

And that is why Sonia Sotomayor is now making history as Justice Sotomayor in our nation’s highest court.  (Applause.)   

My husband said he’d fight to give every child in this country the education they need to thrive in today’s economy.  And that’s exactly what he’s doing.  He’s working to make college more affordable, to fix student loan systems so that it helps students, and not just banks. 

And his administration has launched a program, you may have heard of it, Race to the Top –- a nationwide challenge where states compete to transform their school and give our kids the chance in life that they deserve.

My husband said he would set a timetable for ending the War in Iraq, and step up the fight against terrorism. He said he’d work to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, and lead the way on climate change, and begin restoring America’s standing in the world.  And let me tell you something, he’s done every single one of those things.  (Applause.)  Every single one of them.  (Applause.)

And I have seen the results first-hand.  I’ve seen it as I’ve traveled around the world, I’ve seen for myself the excitement and the enthusiasm that people are feeling towards our country.  It’s been a truly amazing and humbling experience.

Even with all the challenges that we’ve faced over the past year or so, and all the obstacles that we’ve had to overcome, we have achieved all of this –- and more –- in just the first 15 months.  It’s 15 months, all right?  (Applause.)

So if this is what we can do in 15 months -- did I say 15 months?  (Laughter.)  So just imagine what we can achieve in the next 15 months.  Just imagine what we can do in the next few years.  (Applause.)  See, it’s that kind of determination, that sense of possibility, that keeps Barack Obama going every day. 

And it’s why I’ve been inspired, as well, to use my platform as First Lady to work on issues that I care about that are near and dear to my heart.

That’s why I started our “Let’s Move” initiative to address the epidemic of childhood obesity that we’re seeing all across our country.  (Applause.)

No matter how many times I talk about the statistics, they never fail to take my breath away.  Right now, one in three children in this country is overweight or obese.  And one in three kids will suffer from diabetes at some point in their life. 

So if we’re spending $150 billion a year to treat obesity-related conditions today, just imagine how much we’ll be spending in 10, or 20, or 50 years if we don’t take action right now. 

Imagine the kind of lives our kids will be leading if so many of them are struggling with weight-related illnesses like diabetes and heart disease and cancer.

That’s why we’ve set such an ambitious goal for “Let’s Move”: to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation, so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight. 

We’re working with pediatricians, and food manufacturers, and the FDA to give parents the information they need to make healthy decisions for their kids. 

We’re making critical investments to get healthier food into our schools.  We’re working to eliminate “food deserts” by bringing grocery stores into underserved areas, so that all our families have access to healthy, affordable food right in their own community.  (Applause.)   

And to get kids moving, we’re revamping the President’s Physical Fitness Challenge and we're working with professional athletes to inspire kids to stay physically active not just in school but at home.

I know it’s an ambitious agenda, but we’re already starting to make progress.  Already school food suppliers have agreed to decrease sugar, fat and salt in school meals, and increase fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  (Applause.)  Schools across the country are meeting our challenge to help kids eat right and exercise and make healthier decisions for themselves. 

State and local officials are sponsoring farmers markets and working to get more fresh foods into their communities.   

And we’re going to keep on working with folks from every part of this society -– mayors, governors, parents, educators, health care professionals -- you name it, because we're going to need every single one of them to help our kids lead active, healthy lives right from the beginning.

Young people are also the focus of my international agenda as well.  And last month, I made my first solo international trip.  Jill and I first went to Haiti, as you know, to offer support and encouragement for the ongoing relief efforts there.  And then I traveled to Mexico to urge young people to engage with their communities and help us meet the pressing challenges of our time. 

And I’ll never forget about a young woman that I met there named Maricela, who I met at a roundtable discussion with young leaders in Mexico City.  She was from a tiny town in Oaxaca.  Her father had passed away, and her mother -- she told a story of how she worked tirelessly to support her and her four siblings; said her mom was always the first one to wake up in the morning, and the last one to go to bed at night.  But she told us about the fact that despite their hardships, her mother was determined to build a better life for her daughter. 

She talked about something her mother told her -- said her mom told her, “It doesn’t matter…whether I sleep or not, but you have to be able to go to school.  That is the only way.  You have to be able to get an education.”

And the thing is, is that this is a story that is told every day all around the world, and right here in America -- a story about the strength and determination of women.  Women who haven’t had much in their own lives, but who know exactly what they want for their children.  Women who work those extra shifts, and make those sacrifices, so their daughters –- and their sons –- can have opportunities they never imagined for themselves.

I’m talking about women like Lilly Ledbetter, who I love, who you know she kept on fighting for equal pay even when she knew that it was too late for herself.  Why?  Because she wanted something more for the women who came after her.  That's the only reason she did it.  (Applause.) 

I’m talking about women like Dr. Dorothy Height, one of my heroes -- (applause) -- who kept up the fight for civil and economic rights up through the final months of her life.  She once said, and I quote, it’s a beautiful quote:  She said, “I want to be remembered as someone who used herself and anything she could touch to work for justice and freedom...I want to be remembered as someone who tried.”

And every day, across this country, so many women wake up every day and try -– using everything they have –- to make life a little better for others. 

And that’s what all of you all are doing with your work for our party -– using what you have to help build a better world for our kids and our grandkids.  And let me tell you something.  We desperately need all of you to stay involved in this work.  You cannot stop -- because we all know that when you need something done, and you ask women to do it, it gets done.  End of story.  (Applause.)   

And in the months leading up to this November and beyond, we’re going to need you to get out there and get it done, because we know that change -- we do know that change doesn’t happen overnight.  We know that progress doesn’t happen without struggle and sacrifice.  This stuff is supposed to be hard.  It takes folks like you, folks who are constantly rejecting the cynicism, casting aside the doubts, and working day after day to continue what we’ve already started. 

And that brings me back to something else that we talked about when we were together back in 2008.  Back then, and all throughout the campaign, I talked about my girls and how they’re the heart of my heart, and the center of my world, how they’re the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night.  It’s still true.  And because of the work that all of you are doing, let me tell you something, when I tuck them into bed at night, I feel so hopeful about the future we’re leaving for them, and for kids like them all across this country. 

I feel hopeful.  I feel like we’re on our way to leaving them a safer, healthier, freer, and more just world, one where they’ll have the opportunities more than ever before to fulfill their dreams. 

So I want to end by just saying thank you.  Thank you for everything you’ve done, for everything that you’re doing, and for everything we're going to need you to do in the months and years ahead.  We are proud of you.  So let’s get it done.

Thank you all so much.  (Applause.) 

END
1:33 P.M. EDT

Vice President Biden Announces Strengthening of Title IX

Washington, D.C. - Today, Vice President Biden announced that the Administration has issued a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter that withdraws a 2005 interpretation of Title IX policy. Enacted in 1972, Title IX mandates that any educational institution receiving federal funding for programs and activities cannot discriminate on the basis of sex.  The 2005 policy issued compliance standards that were widely criticized for being inadequate and inconsistent with Title IX's nondiscrimination goals. Today’s announcement reverses this interpretation, and returns to a more thorough test for assessing compliance with Title IX.  Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, joined the Vice President at George Washington University for this announcement.

“Making Title IX as strong as possible is a no-brainer,” said Vice President Biden. “What we’re doing here today will better ensure equal opportunity in athletics, and allow women to realize their potential - so this nation can realize its potential.”

“There is no doubt that Title IX has dramatically increased athletic, academic, and employment opportunities for women and girls, and educational institutions have made big strides in providing equal opportunities in sports,” said Secretary Duncan. “Yet discrimination continues to exist in college athletic programs--and we should be vigilant in enforcing the law and protecting this important civil right.”
 
For more than three decades, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has provided three options to determine whether athletic programs at colleges, universities and secondary schools provide equal opportunities for athletic participation. Under one of these three options, OCR policy evaluated multiple indicators to determine the athletic interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex at educational institutions. The new ‘Dear Colleague’ letter clarifies that OCR does not consider survey results alone to be sufficient evidence of a lack of student interest or ability in sports.
 
Today’s event at George Washington University also provided sports activities for youth.

“Title IX has helped women to compete at all levels in athletics, which today’s event showcased,” said Valerie Jarrett. “By working through the agencies, the White House Council on Women and Girls will continue to support laws such as Title IX that provide opportunities for young girls to get ahead in life.”

Today’s ‘Dear Colleague’ letter also provides recommendations for effective procedures for collecting, maintaining, and evaluating information on students’ interests and abilities, including technical assistance on the nondiscriminatory design and implementation of surveys as one indicator among others of student interests and abilities.
 
For more information about Title IX, or to review the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter, please visit:
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/publications.html#TitleIX-Docs
 

Readout of the President’s Call to University of Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma

President Obama called the University of Connecticut Huskies women’s basketball team today from the Oval Office to congratulate them on their second straight NCAA Championship and back-to-back undefeated seasons. The President commended Coach Geno Auriemma and the team on their achievement and said he was looking forward to seeing all of them at the White House again soon.