[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 48 (Thursday, March 25, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E588-E589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CELEBRATING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH STILL STRIVING FOR ECONOMIC EQUITY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 25, 1999

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in celebration of Women's History 
Month and in tribute to the many women who, through the ages, dared to 
challenge injustice and discrimination in the workplace. It is the 
tireless work of those leaders who came before us that allow women to 
enjoy the benefits of the 90s. However, as we all know, those long 
distance runners for equality and social justice have not completed 
their course. During Women's History Month, we pause to reflect what we 
have accomplished in the past, and the work we must do for the future.
  Women have made great strides in education and in the workforce. The 
majority of undergraduate and master's degrees are awarded to women, 
and 40 percent of all doctorates are earned by women. More than 7.7 
million businesses in the U.S. are owned and operated by women. These 
businesses employ 15.5 million people, about 35 percent more than the 
Fortune 500 companies worldwide. And women are running for elected 
offices in record numbers. When I first came to the House in 1987, 
there were 26 women in the House and two in the Senate. In 1999, there 
are 58 women serving in the House, and nine in the Senate.
  While many doors to employment and educational opportunity have 
opened for women, they still get paid less than men for the same work. 
Women who work full-time earn less than men who are employed full-time. 
The average woman college graduate earns little more than the average 
male high school graduate. Full-time, year-round working women earn 
only 74 cents for each dollar a man earns.
  Although women are and continue to be the majority of new entrants 
into the workplace, they continue to be clustered in low-skilled, low-
paying jobs. Part-time and temporary workers, the majority of whom are 
women, are among the most vulnerable of all workers. They receive lower 
pay, fewer or no benefits, and little if any job security.
  Women account for more than 45% of the workforce, yet they are 
underrepresented and face barriers in the fields of science, 
engineering and technology. Just this week, the Massachusetts Institute 
of Technology (MIT), the most prestigious science and engineering 
university in the country, issued a report revealing that female 
professors at the school suffer from pervasive discrimination.
  That is why I introduced the Commission on the Advancement of Women 
in Science, Engineering and Technology Development Act. I call it my 
WISE Tech bill, and it passed the 105th Congress and has been signed 
into law.
  This Act sets up a commission to find out what is keeping women out 
of technology at this critical time, and what we can do about it. The 
bill will help us ascertain what are effective and productive policies 
that can address the underrepresentation of women in the sciences and 
could help alleviate the increasing shortage of information technology 
workers and engineers. This legislation is a first step in countering 
the roadblocks for women in our rapidly-evolving high-tech society, and 
will help women break through the ``Glass Ceiling'' and the ``Silicon 
Ceiling'' in the fields of science, engineering, and technology.

  Last month, we introduced the third Violence Against Women Act, 
building on the commitment and success of our 1994 legislation. We are 
only beginning to understand the impact of domestic violence on 
American businesses. Domestic violence follows many women to work . . . 
13,000 attacks each year . . . threatening their lives and the lives of 
co-workers and resulting in lost productivity for their companies.
  The economic problems of the elderly affect women in disproportionate 
numbers because women tend to have lower pensions benefits than men. 
Pension policies have not accommodated women in their traditional role 
as family caregivers. Women move in and out of the workforce more 
frequently when family needs arise making it more difficult for them to 
accrue pension credit.
  Consequently, Social Security is especially important for women. 
Women are heavily reliant on Social Security, and since its inception, 
Social Security has often been the only income source keeping women 
from living out their days in poverty.
  Social Security has worked for women; it is a system where every 
worker pays in, and

[[Page E589]]

every retired worker receives a pension that she can count on. Social 
Security has worked for women because workers who earn less receive a 
larger proportion of their earnings in benefits than those who earn 
more.
  Women must play an important role in shaping Social Security for the 
future. Social Security reform must be assessed in terms of impact on 
women, the majority of Social Security recipients. A Social Security 
system that works well for women, will benefit all Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, celebrating Women's History Month highlights the 
accomplishments of women and the need to open new doors in the future. 
But this special month would be meaningless if women's needs are 
forgotten during the rest of the year. We must continue to increase the 
workplace opportunities for women, which will benefit Americans in 
every corner of every state, as we face the economic challenges of the 
21st century.

                          ____________________