[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 146 (Monday, October 25, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E2167]]



                  EQUITY, EDUCATION, AND THE WORKFORCE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 25, 1999

  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, since its inception in 1974, the Women's 
Education Act has had a tremendous impact on gender equity issues 
throughout our nation. While women have progressively made gains in the 
classroom, they are still not properly represented in most Fortune 500 
companies. According to a report by Congressional Research Service, 
women in today's labor market typically earn between 73 cents and 76 
cents for every dollar earned by men. In addition, while the government 
has attempted to address the wage gap differential through various 
forms of legislation, it appears that women are still 
disproportionately hired for lower tier jobs with limited access and 
proper training for middle and upper management positions. In a nation 
where women now represent more than 46% of the workforce, (up from 33% 
in 1960) we must continue to close the wage gap by supporting the 
reauthorization of WEEA.
  As we move into the new millennium, this nation and a number of it's 
multi-national corporations are attempting to recruit workers from 
outside the United States to fill key Information Technology (IT) 
positions. This trend could be halted if more elementary and secondary 
schools would mentor and convince young women to take more math and 
science classes with a stronger emphasis on critical thinking and 
logical reasoning skills. Moreover, according to the American 
Association of University Women (AAUW) 65% of all jobs in the year 2000 
and beyond will require technological skills, yet women are still being 
encouraged to take data entry courses. These kinds of statistics are 
alarming considering that still only 17% of students who take advanced 
computer science tests are young women. As Americans, it is our 
responsibility to ensure that women throughout our nation are given 
every opportunity to strive for academic excellence. Gender equity in 
the workforce cannot be achieved if we don't continue to cultivate 
young minds by supporting female interests in jobs that have 
traditionally gone to males.
  Lastly, the impact WEEA has had in the private and public sector is 
quite evident. More women than ever are being encouraged to take 
challenging course work while attempting to shatter corporate America's 
glass ceiling. However, programs such as WEEA are now under attack from 
political pundits who believe women have caught up and even surpassed 
men. Clearly, nothing could be farther from the truth. The truth is 
that while women have made significant gains in corporate America they 
still trail men in the areas of science and technology. Although gender 
equity issues are now at the forefront of American politics, programs 
such as WEEA provide critical research that continues to identify 
important need areas. The WEEA Equity Resource Center, which serves as 
a depository for issues and programs deemed sensitive to the needs of 
women, provides companies, universities and athletic programs with 
information on recent policy briefs and studies which impact how women 
are treated in the workplace. For this reason, I encourage my 
colleagues to support the reauthorization of WEEA as we send a clear 
message across this nation that women are our most indispensable 
resource.

                          ____________________