The President Ignores Women in Poverty

The President’s State of the Union Address sorely ignored one of our country’s most shameful problems, our growing State of Poverty. Poverty is our country’s largest state with a population of 37 million people, three million more people than the state of California.  Of those, a disproportionate number of its residents are women and their children.

The Census Bureau has released data showing that a difference in the poverty rates between men and women has persisted for the last 40 years, even when factors such as work experience, education, and family structure are taken into account.  Women needlessly live in poverty due primarily to inequality in numerous social and economic realms such as education and jobs.

Nancy Pelosi's rise to power forced Bush to recognize the progress of a woman in this country. While he seemed happy to recognize the new Madam Speaker, he still chose to ignore the 14.3 million women in the State of Poverty.  And what is the President’s response to this state in the Union?  Unfortunately in the last year President Bush has supported policy strategies that will exacerbate the rising tide of women and girls living in abject poverty.

He amended Title IX regulations that will undermine the promise of equal opportunity for women and girls throughout our nation’s educational institutions.

He amended the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program that will retard states’ efforts to help women transition from welfare to family-sustaining employment.

And now he has subjected the Family and Medical Leave Act to a review process that appears to serve no purpose other than to collect information to justify damaging amendments.

The fact is the State of the Union is very bad when it comes to America’s poor and near-poor women.  But Bush can lead the change in the State of Poverty by enforcing the Equal Pay Act; expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act to reach more low-income working women and to provide leave with pay; adopting policies that address the work/family tension that is magnified for low-income women; and by protecting victims of domestic and sexual violence so that they can stay safely in their schools, jobs and homes.

There are more women living in the State of Poverty than in the states of Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa combined.  To make the State of the Union stronger and healthier the rising tide of women in poverty must be reversed.  It’s time for our national leaders to make the elimination of poverty a priority.

Wendy Pollack, Director
Women’s Law and Policy Project
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
50 E. Washington St. Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60602
312.263.3830 ext. 238
wendypollack@povertylaw.org