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THE WOMEN'S NEWSLETTER

NUMBER: 5
THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE FOR WOMEN'S INITIATIVES AND OUTREACH
FEBRUARY 12, 1996

"Women entrepreneurs are a dynamic force in our nation's current economic expansion...My Administration will continue to aggressively pursue forward-looking initiatives that will foster the success of these women-owned businesses, which contribute well over $1 trillion in receipts to our nation's economy." --President Clinton, January 29, 1996
At the Table -- Giving Women Across the Nation a Voice in the Administration Women throughout the Administration are signing up to hold At the Table roundtables to help bring local women to the policy table. All the participants agree that the At the Table initiative is a good way to communicate women's concerns.

Carol Rasco, President Clinton's top domestic policy advisor, hosted two At the Table roundtables in January with New York child advocacy and juvenile justice women leaders. While in New York, Ms. Rasco also visited new children centers in two of New York City's court buildings. The centers provide safe, supervised environments for children while their parents are in court and connect the parents and children with social services that they may need such as Head Start and WIC. Said Ms. Rasco: "Bringing these very special day care centers to the courts provides the help parents and children need during very difficult times."

Mary Ellen Withrow, Treasurer of the United States, held At the Table roundtables in L.A. in early February and in Dallas in December. In Dallas, she met with 13 women and among the topics discussed included reproductive rights and eliminating taxes on savings.

Suzanne Morrell with the State Department hosted a roundtable for 26 women on January 3 in Maitland, Florida. A majority of the women worked outside the home and most were mothers. The main topics discussed were education, health care, welfare reform, the environment, choice and immigration. Said Ms. Morrell in her report: "All the issues discussed seemed to boil down to one concern -- the economy."

Kathie Klass with the Department of Transportation has held several roundtables. At a roundtable in Encino, California, on December 20, Ms. Klass wrote that the main topics were crime and how it affects women, health care reform and education. On December 10, Ms. Klass held another roundtable in Milwaukee Wisconsin, where women discussed education, immigration customer service, block grants and affordable housing and health insurance. We are asking all women Presidential appointees to host an At the Table roundtable. When you join the initiative you give women an opportunity to speak their minds about government and policy. Call us and we can hook you up around the nation: 202-456-7300.

President Clinton's State of the Union Message: Good for Women and Families
President Clinton's State of the Union challenged the American people to come together as a nation and face the future. He listed several challenges: to strengthen the family, to increase educational opportunities, to achieve economic security, to reduce crime, to safeguard our environment, to maintain our leadership in the world and to renew our democracy.

Some of the Administration's accomplishments the President addressed included

Women's Office and Treasury Department Host State of the Union Watch Party
Nearly 300 women Presidential appointees and representatives from women's groups gathered to cheer on the President during a State of the Union watch party at the Treasury Department's elegant Cash Room. The President, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vice President Gore, Mrs. Gore and the Cabinet Secretaries all received huge applause from the energized group. Warming up the group before the President's address were: Alexis Herman, Director of White House Public Liaison; Betsy Myers, Director of the Women's Office; Sylvia Mathews, Chief of Staff at Treasury; and Clara Apodaca, Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Management/CFO at Treasury.

President Names Evelyn S. Lieberman White House Deputy Chief of Staff
On January 10, the President made history by naming Evelyn S. Lieberman as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff. In her new assignment, Ms. Lieberman will report directly to Chief of Staff Leon Panetta. She is responsible for overseeing the Office of Scheduling and Advance, the Office of Management and Administration, the Office of Presidential Personnel, and the Office of the Staff Secretary, as well as the Director of the Oval Office Operations.

Clinton Administration Continues Support for Women Entrepreneurs
On January 29, President Clinton received a report from the Administration's Interagency Committee on Women's Business Enterprise, in coordination with the National Women's Business Council. The report describes the growing economic impact of women entrepreneurs and the efforts by the Administration to foster their success. In addition, a Census Bureau report was released by the Administration which underscores for the first time that women-owned businesses are a principal driving force behind economic growth and job creation in our nation today. Performance of women-owned businesses in recent years has surpassed that of other U.S. businesses in major dimensions, including rates of new business start-ups, revenue growth, and employment growth. At a luncheon, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton also met with more than 100 women entrepreneurs to discuss the impact women-owned businesses have on the economy.

President and Vice President Honor Barbara Jordan

"Barbara Jordan's life was a monument to the three great threads that run constantly throughout the fabric of American history -- our love of liberty, our belief in progress, our search for common ground. Wherever she could and whenever she stood to speak, she jolted the nation's attention with her artful and articulate defense of the Constitution, the American dream, and the common heritage and destiny we share..." President Clinton at the funeral of former Congresswoman Jordan, Houston, Texas, January 20, 1996.
The Vice President said upon Congresswoman Jordan's death:
"...what made her truly unique was that whatever forum she chose, she set the keynote for all that is just. She fought for equal rights, for economic opportunity, for a safe environment, and for honest government. Barbara Jordan touched the nation's soul and left America a better place."
Vice President Unveils New White House Internet Service for Kids
Reinforcing the Administration's commitment to providing America's schoolchildren with a world-class education, Vice President Gore reported that efforts are underway to connect California schools to the internet and unveiled a new White House service on the World Wide Web geared specifically to elementary school students. White House for Kids is reached through the main Welcome to the White House World Wide Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov.

Working Women Honor Roll: Picking Up Steam
The Labor Department's Women's Bureau's Working Women Count Honor Roll program continues to pick up steam. Through the Honor Roll, which was launched in September 1995, more than 700 businesses and organizations have already pledged to make work better for women in new and meaningful ways. The Bureau is working hard to involve even more employers and communities. The goal for the Honor Roll is to generate real change in the lives of more than a million working women and their families. Pledge materials are available at: http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/welcome.html. or by calling the Honor Roll Hotline at 800-827-5335.

Shalala Announces Record IRS Collections for Delinquent Child Support
Secretary Shalala reported on February 5, 1996, that a record of more than $828 million in delinquent child support was collected by the federal government from federal income tax refunds for tax year 1994. Overall, federal child support collections increased from $7 billion in 1991 to an estimated $11 billion in 1995.

Call Us: The White House Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach: Betsy Myers, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director; Lisa Ross, Deputy Director. Staff: Peggy Lussier, Carrie Wofford, Judy Gold, Beth Newburger, Ashley Oliver, Mary Dixon.

Office of Women's Initiatives and Outreach. Phone: 202 456-7300; Fax: 202 456-7311
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