Posted on 03/23/2009 5:58:58 PM PDT by Cindy
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Executive-Order-Creating-the-White-House-Council-on-Women-and-Girls/
THE BRIEFING ROOM
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary ____________________________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release March 11, 2009
EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - -
ESTABLISHING A WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL ON WOMEN AND GIRLS
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Over the past generation, our society has made tremendous progress in eradicating barriers to women's success. A record number of women are attending college and graduate school. Women make up a growing share of our workforce, and more women are corporate executives and business owners than ever before, helping boost the U.S. economy and foster U.S. competitiveness around the world. Today, women are serving at the highest levels of all branches of our Government.
Despite this progress, certain inequalities continue to persist. On average, American women continue to earn only about 78 cents for every dollar men make, and women are still significantly underrepresented in the science, engineering, and technology fields. Far too many women lack health insurance, and many are unable to take time off to care for a new baby or an ailing family member. Violence against women and girls remains a global epidemic. The challenge of ensuring equal educational opportunities for women and girls endures. As the current economic crisis has swept across our Nation, women have been seriously affected.
These issues do not concern just women. When jobs do not offer family leave, that affects men who wish to help care for their families. When women earn less than men for the same work, that affects families who have to work harder to make ends meet. When our daughters do not have the same educational and career opportunities as our sons, that affects entire communities, our economy, and our future as a Nation.
The purpose of this order is to establish a coordinated Federal response to issues that particularly impact the lives of women and girls and to ensure that Federal programs and policies address and take into account the distinctive concerns of women and girls, including women of color and those with disabilities.
Sec. 2. White House Council on Women and Girls. There is established within the Executive Office of the President a White House Council on Women and Girls (Council).
(a) Membership of the Council. The Council shall consist of the following members:
(1) the Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison, who shall serve as Chair of the Council;
(2) the Secretary of State; (3) the Secretary of the Treasury; (4) the Secretary of Defense; (5) the Attorney General; (6) the Secretary of the Interior; (7) the Secretary of Agriculture; (8) the Secretary of Commerce; (9) the Secretary of Labor; (10) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; (11) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; (12) the Secretary of Transportation; (13) the Secretary of Energy; (14) the Secretary of Education; (15) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; (16) the Secretary of Homeland Security; (17) the Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations; (18) the United States Trade Representative; (19) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; (20) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (21) the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers; (22) the Director of the Office of Personnel Management; (23) the Administrator of the Small Business Administration; (24) the Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council; (25) the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council; and (26) the heads of such other executive branch departments, agencies, and offices as the President may, from time to time, designate.
A member of the Council may designate, to perform the Council functions of the member, a senior-level official who is a part of the member's department, agency, or office, and who is a full-time officer or employee of the Federal Government. At the direction of the Chair, the Council may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Council members or their designees under this section, as appropriate.
(b) Administration of the Council. The Department of Commerce shall provide funding and administrative support for the Council to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. The Chair shall convene regular meetings of the Council, determine its agenda, and direct its work. The Chair shall designate an Executive Director of the Council, who shall coordinate the work of the Council and head any staff assigned to the Council.
Sec. 3. Mission and Functions of the Council. The Council shall work across executive departments and agencies to provide a coordinated Federal response to issues that have a distinct impact on the lives of women and girls, including assisting women-owned businesses to compete internationally and working to increase the participation of women in the science, engineering, and technology workforce, and to ensure that Federal programs and policies adequately take those impacts into account. The Council shall be responsible for providing recommendations to the President on the effects of pending legislation and executive branch policy proposals; for suggesting changes to Federal programs or policies to address issues of special importance to women and girls; for reviewing and recommending changes to policies that have a distinct impact on women in the Federal workforce; and for assisting in the development of legislative and policy proposals of special importance to women and girls. The functions of the Council are advisory only.
Sec. 4. Outreach. Consistent with the objectives set out in this order, the Council, in accordance with applicable law, in addition to regular meetings, shall conduct outreach with representatives of nonprofit organizations, State and local government agencies, elected officials, and other interested persons that will assist with the Council's development of a detailed set of recommendations.
Sec. 5. Federal Interagency Plan. The Council shall, within 150 days of the date of this order, develop and submit to the President a Federal interagency plan with recommendations for interagency action consistent with the goals of this order. The Federal interagency plan shall include an assessment by each member executive department, agency, or office of the status and scope of its efforts to further the progress and advancement of women and girls. Such an assessment shall include a report on the status of any offices or programs that have been created to develop, implement, or monitor targeted initiatives concerning women or girls. The Federal interagency plan shall also include recommendations for issues, programs, or initiatives that should be further evaluated or studied by the Council. The Council shall review and update the Federal interagency plan periodically, as appropriate, and shall present to the President any updated recommendations or findings.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies shall assist and provide information to the Council, consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Council. Each executive department and agency shall bear its own expense for participating in the Council.
(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(c) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
BARACK OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE, March 11, 2009.
WASTE
OF
SPACE.
OF
$$$$$$
Nope, knowledge is power.
Hiding our heads in the sand is being willfully ignorant and you and I both don’t want that.
Yep.
Clinton already did that.
OPINION:
That seems like an accurate assessment.
WASTE
OF
SKIN
Democrats.
So Zero’s getting ready to take on the muzzies and their enslavement of women?
That’s good news.
Michelle will soon be sporting an afro.
“Clinton already did that.”
My thought exactly!
Obama needs to create a Pander Czar
When he gets done there will be 350 million distinct special interest groups.
He has appointed some of the dumbest women ever to be in his cabinet so I guess this is more of the same. The former AZ and KS Governor’s not to mention Clinton are an insult to women IMO.
There will be more...I can't wait.
I agree.
What a HUGE waste of money...
Tinfoil/Sci-Fi, “Truth is Stranger than Fiction” break — The paranoid part of me wonders... Will this department eventually address issues like birth control, abortions, and family planning? I wonder if this is the seed group for the controlling authority to institute some kind of “Handmaid’s Tale” scenario???
Yes, I realize this is getting a little ahead of ourselves here, but you know what? With the other bills Obama has already proposed, and the liberals views on the above issues (like population control) it wouldn’t surprise me one bit...
This is STILL a waste of money... Obama wants to control EVERY single aspect of our lives.. EVERYTHING...
“Will this department eventually address issues like birth control, abortions, and family planning?”
OPINION: I’m sure that very same question crossed a lot of people’s mind. Obama’s administration seems to be NOT pro-life oriented.
The folks that are ridiculing this office should look at who’s running it - - Valerie Jarrett.
I don’t know what her charter is, but if Jarrett is running it, this is a big deal.
ON THE INTERNET:
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/valeriejarrett
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/jarrett
Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Hasn’t anyone figured out that government involvement beyond “everyone has the same rights to life/liberty/etc.” is actually *bad* for women?
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Women-in-the-White-House/
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Monday, May 11th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Women in the White House
Posted by Jenny Yeager, Special Assistant to the Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement
My name is Jenny Yeager and I am the Special Assistant to the Director of Public Liaison, Tina Tchen. That means that I help her and our whole team with a wide variety of events. Whether it’s organizing one of our complex Summits, directly reaching out to constituents, meeting with our legal team, or organizing special events in the White House, one thing’s for sure, being a part of the Public Engagement team is never dull!
My biggest single project so far was probably organizing Women’s History Month. In the White House and across the Administration, we have so many intelligent, energetic and passionate women (and men!) focused on improving the lives of women, children and families in the US and abroad. It’s an honor to be working among such amazing people. But coordinating all of these voices can be a big challenge.
Our office is the glue that pulls these people together for special projects like Women’s History Month. Over the course of a few weeks we held meetings with the Vice President’s office, the First Lady’s office, our Cabinet Affairs team, Intergovernmental Affairs, Legislative Affairs and several other key players. Together, we came up with several creative ways to highlight the many ways women contribute to our communities, our cities and states, to the country and to the world.
First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off the month by visiting the Women In Military Service For America Memorial in Arlington, VA. At the monument she honored the servicewomen who have served and continue to tirelessly serve our country. She followed up this visit with a trip to Miriam’s Kitchen, a facility in Washington that serves meals to the hungry. Not only did she serve food herself, she encouraged the whole White House staff to bring in fruit and fresh vegetables for the Kitchen. The staff here at the White House brought in enough fruit and vegetables to feed 200 families breakfast and dinner for 2 weeks.
The week after that, the State Department honored courageous actions of women all over the world in a ceremony with the First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
And the good news is that the work to help women and girls will not stop after Women’s History Month! In mid-March, President Obama signed an Executive Order creating the White House Council on Women and Girls. This Council will be made up of Secretaries and Administrators throughout the Federal Government. Its overarching purpose is to improve the lives of women and girls by developing smart policy that takes the impact on that community into account.
The Council will be very busy, so look forward to more information on our activities soon!
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