Updated February 21, 2008
Both of your U.S. senators received a 100 percent score in this year's AAUW Congressional Voting Record. While the voting record is neither an endorsement nor a condemnation of any member of Congress, AAUW does encourage you to use this as a tool to hold your legislators accountable for their votes.
AAUW members have a long history of lobbying Congress and holding their legislators accountable for how they vote on AAUW priority issues. AAUW annually publishes a Congressional Voting Record as a way to hold members of Congress accountable. The AAUW Congressional Voting Record for the 110th Congress, First Session (2007) has been published on the AAUW website.
The AAUW Congressional Voting Record provides information about elected federal legislators through the votes they cast on critical issues. Legislation was selected on the basis of the AAUW Public Policy Program adopted by AAUW convention delegates in July 2007. These priorities include education, economic security, and civil rights. Send a message to your senators thanking her or him for consistent support of equity for women and girls.
AAUW Action Network for Feb. 21, 2008
Congress completed action on the FY2008 appropriations bills before adjourning for the year on December 19. Actions affecting women and families included reauthorizations of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection program and Head Start; an increase in the minimum wage; several bills to increase the number of women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; provisions in the Defense Authorization bill to address the physical and mental health problems of women veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan; and legislation to reduce college costs and provide increased student financial aid.
- From Womens Policy.org
Sweeping changes to AAUW’s organizational structure were approved on Sunday, July 1 at the National Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. Passed by a unanimous vote, the dramatic changes will move the organization forward.
The largest alteration is structural in nature—AAUW and the AAUW Educational Foundation will combine most their assets and programs to work effectively around a single mission. There will be one board of directors for this new conglomeration. Between now and 2009, a transitional board of directors will oversee the changeover. AAUW will be better positioned to proceed in a sustainable and successful way.
In other changes, online balloting was approved realizing a “one member, one vote” system for future elections. Maximum terms for elected officials, new procedures for filling vacancies, a new audit committee and restructured nominating committee also comprised the bylaw changes. Finally, all references to the International Federation of University Women have been struck from the bylaws except for the acknowledgement of international reciprocity.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for July 6, 2007.
Delegates approved the 2007-2009 Public Policy Program and passed two resolutions at the AAUW National Convention on Monday, July 2. Several proposals to adapt the program, which provides a basis for AAUW member actions at the local, national and international level, were considered during the convention session. Delegates voted to amend the Biennial Action Priorities by adding “pay equity” to the bullet on “Fairness in compensation,” as well as to restore the third section on equality, individual rights, and social justice to the Biennial Action Priorities. They voted further to amend the restored language to include support for family planning services to the health care bullet. After a motion to add stem cell research to the third section of the action priorities failed, the 2007-2009 Public Policy Program was adopted unanimously as amended by the delegates.
Delegates also passed two resolutions in the session. The first resolution reaffirms AAUW’s support of the ratification of The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The second directs the Association Membership Committee to examine extending student affiliate status to graduate students. For more information regarding the AAUW National Convention, please read Convention Today.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for July 6, 2007.
Briefings and talking points on priority legislation are now available online for AAUW members. These materials, which are also provided each week to members of the AAUW Capitol Hill Lobby Corps, are being posted on the website to give AAUW leaders and activists everywhere the information they need to lobby their members of Congress from their home districts. The synergy created when members of Congress hear consistent messages from their constituents and AAUW's representatives in Washington can be very powerful.
To find these informative briefings, go to the AAUW website and select "Lobby Corps" from the drop-down menu. These briefings are a members-only service-another example of the benefits of belonging to AAUW!
- from AAUW's Action Alert for March-April 2007
On March 3, digital images of artifacts used throughout the campaign to enfranchise women via the 19th Amendment went online. On display are images that reveal the struggle for voting rights often glossed over in U.S. history books. Hand-sewn banners used to picket the White House, Congressional score cards used to lobby members of Congress, original political cartoons challenging the reigning patriarchal establishment, suffrage newsletters that circulated the country, and black and white photographs of the women who fought for voting rights are all features of this online museum. The Sewall-Belmont House and Museum houses the artifacts.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for March 31, 2006
The public policy principles for action for the 2005 to 2007 biennium passed at national convention are now available online, and the public policy brochure is available in a PDF format to print out and distribute. There was an earlier problem with the PDF document that has now been resolved. Thanks for your patience.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for Sept. 1, 2005