Congress Moran’s News Commentary: Women’s Issue Conference

Since taking back control of the House in the 2010 midterm elections, House Republicans have carefully and purposefully tried to roll back laws protecting women’s rights that assure them equal opportunities for success.

From delays in passing the Violence Against Women Act to harmful attempts at undermining reproductive rights, the Republican “War on Women,” as its been branded by women’s groups, is full steam ahead. Arguably some of the most damaging actions have occurred due to the automatic cuts mandated by the Budget Control Act or “sequestration” on programs benefitting women. On Saturday, October 26, I will be hosting my annual Women’s Issues Conference, which will focus on the impact these cuts are having on women in our area and across the country.

This year’s keynote speaker will be my colleague, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, who is in a unique position to speak to the impact of the aforementioned budget cuts. As co-chair of the Democratic Policy Committee and Ranking Member on the influential Labor, Health, Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, she works day-in, day-out on programs impacted by sequestration and the government shutdown that assist women, families and children in need.

Because of sequestration, the Department of Health and Human Services saw its budget slashed by over $15 billion this year. These mindless cuts in federal investment dollars have blocked access to Head Start programs for thousands of students, rolled back funds for supplemental nutrition assistance, furloughed federal workers, and undermined our investment in medical research. The $1.7 billion cut to NIH alone is disrupting research across the country on chronic and infectious diseases, demoralizing some of our leading researcher teams and diminishing the benefits we have all gained from this public investment. A host of diseases, like breast and cervical cancer, disproportionately affect women. Cuts to NIH might save a few dollars today, but they come at the expense of potentially life-saving cures.

In addition to health screenings and information booths from a range of local non-profits who offer services to women, a series of breakout seminars on a range of topics impacting women will be held. These include:

• Leading at Work and in the Community;

• Making “Cents” of it All: Wealth Building for the 21st Century Woman;

• Women in the Military: Challenges Facing our Female Soldiers;

• Women in the Developing World – This session will review the challenges of women in developing countries and how we can support efforts for women’s equality around the world;

• Navigating the Affordable Care Act;

• Car Care 101;

I hope you can join me next Saturday morning, bagels, coffee and juice will be served in the morning, followed by a pizza lunch. Please register online through my website atwww.moran.house.gov.