FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2015
Contact: Chris Schloesser/Marc Rehmann
Edwards Statement on the 2nd Anniversary of the Women’s Economic Agenda
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards released the following statement on the second anniversary of the launch of the Women’s Economic Agenda.
“In the two years since we launched the Women’s Economic Agenda, we have seen a national conversation begin around issues critical to our families,” Edwards said. “These issues are personal to me because I faced so many of them myself long before joining Congress.
“The Women’s Economic Agenda is designed to enable women to achieve greater economic security, raise wages for working women, and allow working parents to support and care for their families. When two-thirds of minimum wage earners are women and when women are increasingly the primary or co-breadwinners of American households, low wages and unfair employment practices impact not just women, but also their children and partners who depend on their income and on their retirement security.
“Like so many working women across this country, I know what it’s like working not just for the minimum wage, but the tipped minimum wage – a paltry $2.13 per hour – that hasn’t been raised in 20 years. I know what it’s like to struggle to find quality, affordable childcare that accommodated my work schedule. These issues are not only a burden for working women, but also for businesses across the country. Businesses benefit when they have a workforce that can remain productive and competitive.
“This isn’t just about politics, it’s about good public policy. It’s about making sure that women have a fair shot and an equal playing field upon which to be successful. Because we know that When Women Succeed, America Succeeds.”