Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
66328735
label
50 States Project (1)
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
66328735
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
50 States Project (1)
citationUrl
collections
Records of the Office of the Chief of Staff (Reagan Administration)
James Cicconi's Subject Files
thumbnailUrl
largeImageUrl
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
66328735
coverageEndDate
logicalDate
1985-12-31
year
1985
coverageStartDate
logicalDate
1981-01-01
year
1981
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
453be1722210a158
ocrText
\
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
TO: Jun Cicconi
FROM: FAITH R. WHITTLESEY
Assistant to the President
for Public Liaison
Information
Action
The letter sent
by the President
in 1981 on
the 50 States
Project as
we discussed.
May 29, 1981
Dear Governor Ariyoshi:
During the compaign I soid I would appoint a Special Assistant to
serve as liaison with the fifty Governors to assist in establishing
a procedure for the states to identify and correct state laws and
regulations which discriminate on the basis of sex. With your help
and cooperation, we can begin to address this important area of
concern.
To this end, I have designated Judy Peachee as the White House
representative to assume responsibility for this effort. Judy is
Special Assistant to the President in the Office of Intergovern-
mental Affairs, which has general responsibility for liaison with
the states.
I would appreciate It if you could designate someone from your
office to work with Judy to Identify sex-discriminatory state laws
and regulations in Hawaii, and if you would have that individual
contact Judy in the near future to discuss the best sources for this
information. A number of organizations already have provided
reports and summaries on this topic. Judy con be reached at the
White House, (202) 456-7700.
1 would like to personally thank you and your staff for this
assistance.
Sincerely,
RONALD REASAN
The Honorable George R. Ariyoshi
Governor of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawali 96813
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
ADC
WASHINGTON
Keep this or/ my
file on
August 1, 1984
(if d have one)
Thanks or
TO:
JAMES A. BAKER III
FROM:
FAITH RYAN WHITTLESEY 7RW
SUBJECT:
50 States Project
Eliza Paschall, at my request, prepared the attached
informal talking points on the 50 States Project. I
thought this might be useful to others if you wish
to distribute the information.
Attachment
CC: Lee Verstandig
Michael A. McManus
7/27/86
INFORMAL FACT SHEET ON 50 STATES PROJECT
1.
What is the 50 States Project?
It is a program of cooperation between the President and the
Governors in an effort to eliminate unfair sex different-
iation from states' laws and regulations.
2.
How does it work?
The President, early in his administration, requested each
Governor to name a Representative to work with the
President's representative in the White House to work out
a mutually agreeable way of establishing and maintaining
contact. There have been formal and informal meetings,
visits to the states by the 50 States Project Director,
visits of the State Representatives to the White House,
exchange of information and material, review of proposed
changes where requested and a report from each State to
the White House.
3.
Have all the States cooperated?
Yes. Some have had a more formal and extensive under-
taking than others. For example, some have undertaken
a review of the whole state code, whereas others have
done a review subject by subject. Many of course
had already completed such reviews before 1980. In those
instances, the Project has facilitated exchange of infor-
mation and experience among individual states who are at
different stages of this activity.
4.
Is this the President's alternative to the ERA?
The President has maintained that an amendment to the
federal constitution is not necessary in order for every
state to review its laws and eliminate unfair sex
differentiation. The 50 States Project has proved him
right.
5.
Isn't this more complicated than ratifying the ERA?
Not at all. Each state has proceeded at its own pace,
through its own elected officials, meeting its own
needs, in the way best suited to its own characteristics,
without any new federal bureaucracy.
6.
Where does this leave the federal government? What has it
done about federal laws that are sex discriminitory?
The President at the time he established the 50 States
Project also issued an Executive Order (#12336) establish-
ing the Task Force on Legal Equity for Women.
7.
What has that accomplished?
The U.S. Code has been reviewed by the Department of
Justice and legislation to eliminate unfair sex dis-
crimination from about 100 statutes has passed the
Senate and awaits action in the House. Federal agencies
have reviewed their employment and programs, to eliminate
and avoid unfair sex differentiation.
8.
Will the changes in the states be made public?
The 50 States Project Report, presently being prepared, will
give a state by state summary of relevant changes. States
are not compared with each other, each stands by itself.
The Report give 50 pictures rather than just one. It
illustrates the diversity which is one of the strengths
of our federal system. The file on each state will be
updated as events occur.
9.
Will there be a report on the work of the Task Force?
Yes. That Report and the 50 States Project Report will be
companion pieces and together will give us, for the first
time, a factual basis for evaluating, monitoring, and plan-
ning in these important areas.
10. Will the 50 States Project be continued?
It is an ongoing program. We need to note the impact
of the changes that have been made. We need to con-
tinue with the states and federal government working
together. It is a gratifying demonstration of our
best American tradition of federalism.
&
Hold for me =
I may need
THE WHITE HOUSE
(Keep w/ 50 states
WASHINGTON
stuff) AM
9/17
July 24, 1984
FVI.
MEMORANDUM FOR MIKE MCMANUS
we should discuss
JACK SVAHN
MIKE BAROODY
NANCY RISQUE
where the so States
PAM BAILEY
FROM:
TOM Survey GIBSON of Administration Accomplishments on be indided
Project should/shouldrob
SUBJECT:
Behalf of Women
in this
Attached is a survey of Administration initiatives on behalf of report.
women - a second draft submitted by Dorcas Hardy. Though some
editing may still be required in the introduction and
highlights sections, the sections on department and agency
program accomplishments appear solid. I have proceeded with
staffing of the highlights and program reports to relevant
agencies for final comment.
When the final draft is assembled, it may be useful to meet
briefly to plan the disposition of this report and follow-up on
the discussions of the July 13 meeting with Dorcas.
I'v talked
with Lee U. on
CC: Craig Fuller
the matter.
1 T.G.bso
Where sustates is states
COMPILATION
OF
ADMINISTRATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ON
BEHALF OF WOMEN
July 1984
Prepared by: President's Task
Force on Legal
Equity for Women
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION
1
PART I: HIGHLIGHTS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1
PART II: PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ACTION
8
Department of Agriculture
9
Agency for International Development
12
Department of Commerce
12
Department of Defense
15
Department of Education
18
Department of Energy
21
Environmental Protection Agency
22
Department of Health and Human Services
22
Department of Housing and Urban Development
26
Department of Interior
28
Department of Justice
30
Department of Labor
34
Office of Personnel Management
36
Small Business Administration
39
Department of State
40
Department of Transportation
42
Department of Treasury
45
United States Information Agency
47
Veterans Administration
48
INTRODUCTION
The elimination of unjust gender-based discrimination has been a
major priority of the Administration since its inception. Conse-
quently, there has been an abundance of activity at the Federal
level to ensure every American the opportunity to participate fully
in society, without regard to sex. This report is a compilation of
accomplishments achieved through these efforts.
The first part lists highlights of accomplishments with a brief
description of each. The remainder of the report consists of
summaries of significant program accomplishments for individual
departments and agencies.
This report is provided by the President's Task Force on Legal
Equity for Women. Executive Order 12336 of December 21, 1981
established the Task Force "to provide for the systematic elimi-
nation of regulatory and procedural barriers which have unfairly
precluded women from receiving equal treatment from Federal
activities."
The Task Force is composed of 21 members appointed by the President
who represent the major Federal departments and agencies. It is
chaired by Dorcas R. Hardy, Assistant Secretary for Human Develop-
ment Services, Department of Health and Human Services.
The reporting agencies listed in part two of this report are the
member agencies which constitute the President's Task Force on Legal
Equity for Women.
PART I: HIGHLIGHTS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1. Elimination of sex-based distinctions in Federal laws, regula-
tions and policies.
The Attorney General submitted four reports to the President
which comprehensively describe individual agency efforts to
review Federal laws, regulations, policies, field issuances,
and publications for sex discrimination. A fifth and sixth
(final) report is expected to complete the review of 42
Federal agencies. As a result of these reviews, agencies
have instituted internal mechanisms which ensure conformance
with a gender-neutral policy in:
- drafting legislation
- preparing and modifying regulations
- issuing policy directives
- publishing reports, manuals, and brochures
- preparing illustrations, publications, and tapes
The President proposed legislation to correct 121 out of 140
Federal statutes identified by the Attorney General as treat-
ing women differently from men. of the remaining 19, 6 are
still under study, and the others, which favor women, will
remain the same. As a result, Senator Robert Dole introduced
S.501, a bill designed to eliminate gender-based distinctions
in the United States Code. S.501 passed the Senate on
- 2 -
April 26, 1984, and Congressman Bill Green introduced H.R.
5569, an identical bill to S.501, on May 2, 1984.
These two bills would:
- correct family benefit provisions so that the various
benefits, rights, or privileges accorded to the "wives,
widows" or dependent children of male workers are also
available to similarly situated relatives of female workers.
- eliminate certain barriers to equal opportunity for women
by remedying provisions that discriminate against women
with regard to certain educational, training and employment
opportunities. An example includes using different ages
for boys and girls in setting employment standards for
Federal contractors.
- amend provisions dealing with family relationships where
men are viewed as the dominant or more important members of
a family. For example, homesteading laws still authorize
the husband to determine the family's residence.
- eliminate sex-based distinctions that exist in the defini-
tion of criminal sexual activity. "Rape" offenses are
still defined as those committed only by a man against a
woman, and statutes dealing with interstate commerce for
the purpose of prostitution are violated only if the
offense involves transporting "women or girls" across state
lines.
- make changes in provisions that were intended as protective
measures for women, such as those that make the citizenship
status of a woman dependent on that of her husband.
2. Implementation of economic recovery and tax reform programs that
positively affect the status of women in general.
o According to the Women's Bureau, Department of Labor (DOL),
44% of all workers are women and they are entering the work
force at a rate of one million per year. Women are doing
particularly well under the President's Economic Recovery
Program: the unemployment rate among adult women has
declined from 9.1% to 6.4%.
Inflation, which averaged 12.9% in 1979 and 1980, has been
cut to just 3.8%. These lower inflation rates mean that a
working single mother with two children earning $15,000 per
year has about $1,090 more in purchasing power than she would
have had if inflation had remained at the 1980 rate.
The "marriage tax" that unfairly penalized wage-earning women
was substantially reduced through the President's Economic
Recovery Tax Act of 1981 saving two-earner families about
$330 a year in 1984 (with each making $15,000).
- 3 -
The 25% reduction in personal income tax rates and the lower-
ing of the maximum personal income tax rate to 50% benefit
women business owners and professionals.
The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 liberalized individual-
ized retirement account (IRA) rules to let women who work
outside the home and homemakers with no earned income
contribute more. The Act established a $2,250 limit for
contributions to one-earner spousal IRAs. Subsequently, on
October 24, 1983, the President proposed to raise that limit
from $2,250 to $4,000, thus benefiting women not employed
outside the home and those with part-time earnings of less
than $2,000. This proposal, however, has not been enacted by
the Congress.
The Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 includes two Administration
supported tax changes that affect women: all alimony received
by a divorced spouse will now be treated as compensation for
purposes of the IRA deduction limit, and tax-exempt status
will be granted to qualified, nonprofit dependent care
organizations.
The maximum child care tax credits have almost doubled--from
$400 for one child to a maximum of $720, and the President
has proposed increasing the rate of credit for employment-
related child care expenses from 30% to 40% for lower income
families in FY 85. Also, employer contributions to child
care are now non-taxable to employees.
The "widow's tax," that is, the estate tax levied on the
surviving spouse, was virtually eliminated in 1981. The new
law permits unlimited property transfers between spouses and
raises the tax exemption on inherited property from $175,625
in 1981 to $600,000 by 1987.
3. Promotion of historic legislation on pension reform to eliminate
disadvantages faced by women. The Retirement Equity Act, which
passed both the Senate and House and now awaits Senate-House
conference action to resolve differences, addresses some harsh
problems faced by women. Many women who left their jobs to have
children are not entitled to pensions because their service was
interrupted. Others who never held jobs outside the home cannot
receive survivors' benefits because their late or former husbands
enrolled in pension plans that deny them benefits in the event
of divorce or the worker's early death. The President supports
legislation passed by the Senate that corrects these and other
inequities by doing several things.
This legislation would lower the minimum age for participation
in a pension plan from 25 to 21. This will particularly help
women, who experience their highest labor force participation
rate during the ages of 20 to 24. The legislation would protect
non-working spouses from losing their death benefits without
their knowledge; make it easier for divorced spouses to collect
- 4 -
court-awarded pension benefits; permit a break-in-service
without loss in pension credit so that parents can take
maternity or paternity leave; and require that pension plans
offer survivor's benefits to workers after they reach 45.
4. Advocacy of measures to strengthen the Child Support Enforce-
ment System. The Census Bureau reported last year that the
total amount of past due child support payments exceeds $4
billion. The Bureau reported that 8.4 million women in 1981
were living in households with a child under 21 and an absent
father. Only 22% of these women received the full child support
due them, 12% received some payments, 14% received nothing, and
the remaining 52% did not have child support orders. The
current law provides incentives to States to help collect
support payments but only in welfare cases, and only welfare
families have access to absent parents' tax refunds. Since
1980, the current program has increased collections from $1.5
billion to $2.4 billion.
The President introduced legislation and both houses of Congress
unanimously passed bills to greatly strengthen the program. Its
provisions include: mandatory wage deductions from delinquent
parents' paychecks, expedited processes for establishing and
enforcing child support orders, increased interception of income
tax refunds, and more Federal incentives to encourage States in
their collection efforts.
5. Participation in a National Initiatives Program for women in
business. President Reagan announced the National Initiatives
Program on Women's Business Ownership on June 22, 1983 to assist
present and potential women entrepreneurs. There are now more
than three million women owned businesses grossing more than $40
billion annually. In the last ten years, the number of self-
employed women has increased five times faster (69% increase)
than that of self-employed men. To further stimulate this surge
and raise public awareness of women as business owners, the
National Program does three things:
O establishes the President's Advisory Committee on Women's
Business Ownership to provide the President with a status
report on women owned businesses and stimulate private sector
activities that benefit women business owners;
reactivates the Interagency Committee on Women's Business
Enterprise, composed of high-level Federal officials, to
promote and monitor Federal efforts that impact women's
business enterprises; and
O directs the Small Business Administration (SBA) to convene a
series of conferences throughout the country that offer high
quality skills training and networking opportunities.
6. Promotion and dissemination of the training opportunities for
low-income women contained in the Job Training Partnership Act
of 1982. The Administration's replacement for the CETA program
- 5 -
specifically targets families receiving AFDC, the majority of
whom are women. This is the first time that a major training
program targets low-income women as a group that must be served.
The Women's Bureau immediately recognized that the new law could
benefit women and launched a successful promotion effort through
workshops held across the country. The Job Training Partnership
program has a goal of creating one million jobs per year, and
the Women's Bureau anticipates that women will get a significant
portion of these jobs.
7. Enhancement of social services programs that affect women most
in need of assistance. More families are now maintained by a
woman: one out of six in 1982 compared to one out of eight in
1972. Meanwhile, the number of female-headed families in poverty
increased from 11 million in 1960 to 15 million in 1980. Yet,
the poverty rate for female-headed families decreased--from 50%
in 1960 to 34% in 1980. A major reason for the increased number
of poor, female-headed families is the big rise in female-headed
families, whether or not in poverty. The divorce rate and the
out-of-wedlock birthrate, key factors that create female-headed
households, have increased dramatically. In 1980, there were 42
million female-headed families compared to 20 million in 1960.
This Administration recognizes that poor, female-headed families
are truly needy and continues to support and enhance programs
for them. Examples include:
O The Department of Agriculture spent over $19.4 billion in FY
'83 on a total of 13 feeding programs. The larger ones
include Food Stamps, School Lunches, and Women, Infants and
Children (WIC). Contrary to some perceptions that Federal
food assistance to the poor has been severely cut, there have
been increases in these programs since 1980. Food Stamps
increased from $8.3 billion to $11.9 billion, the number of
free lunches served in schools to the most needy is up 23%,
and spending for the WIC program has increased 60% from $708
million in 1980 to $1.13 billion in 1983.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has redi-
rected the AFDC program, in which 90% of the families are
headed by women, to serve more families who are below the
poverty line. In 1980, 3 million families below the poverty
line received benefits, while in 1984 the number is projected
at 3.2 million.
HHS' health programs significantly benefit women: almost 60%
of all Medicare recipients are women and about 67% of all
Medicaid payments are for services provided to women. These
two programs will spend $92 billion in FY '85, a 90% increase
from 1980. While there have been savings of almost $9
billion between 1982 and 1984 in Medicaid and Medicare
funding through statutory changes, these programs have
doubled since 1980, and are projected to serve 4 million more
beneficiaries in 1985 than in 1980.
- 6 -
Funding for HHS' Head Start program in 1984 will be up 20%
from 1980 to almost $1 billion. The program will serve about
450,000 children, most of whom live in families headed by
women.
8. Leadership in pursuing initiatives to significantly improve the
status of women in the Federal Government. There are numerous
examples throughout the Federal Government of special efforts to
reach out to women and address their concerns. Several of the
Federal agencies represented on the President's Task Force on
Legal Equity for Women stand out for their leadership role and
unique contributions.
The Veterans Administration (VA) places paramount importance
on the issue of women veterans. It is especially pleased
with the impact of the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans
in raising sensitivity and awareness and in starting a Women
Counselors' Program in each VA medical center. The VA has
made a concerted effort to inform women veterans of their
benefits; it sponsored a major event to honor women prisoners
of World War II in Bataan and Corregidor; it now reports
statistics on women veterans and has published several infor-
mative publications on the status of women veterans; and it
is conducting a major survey to determine the attitudes and
use of benefits by women veterans.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) established a
comprehensive program to improve opportunities for women
employees in DOT. The program consists of ten initiatives
that are tracked by Secretary Elizabeth Hanford Dole. The
program seeks to recruit more women into professional and
technical occupations and stresses skills development for
women to advance from mid-level to senior-level management
positions.
The Department of Commerce (DOC) has been very active in its
efforts to address issues of importance to women. It carried
out a major internal effort to: avoid sexual harassment,
stop sexual stereotyping in illustrations, and eliminate sex
bias in all correspondence, reports, procedures and policies.
DOC issued a number of reports dealing with the changing role
of women in America; it increased, for the first time, the
participation of women in international trade missions; and
it implemented new programs to increase employment opportuni-
ties for women in some highly specialized areas of need, such
as patent examiners and trademark attorneys.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) established the
Women's Executive Leadership Program to provide training and
other developmental experiences for Federal career women in
mid-level grades for eventual placement in managerial
positions. OPM determined that many women have not yet been
afforded sufficient visibility in assignments or provided
with training and education to make them competitive for
managerial opportunties. The program is designed to address
this need.
- 7 -
HHS established a Women's Management Training Initiative to
complement OPM's Women's Executive Leadership Program.
Secretary Margaret M. Heckler noted, in establishing the
program, that 65% of the total HHS work force are women, the
best record in any executive department of Government, but
only 23% of HHS employees in grades 13 thru 15 are women.
The program is designed to provide skills with which to
compete for managerial slots.
9. Appointment of women to serve in over 1600 high level policy-
making positions. The Administration has set precedents in pro-
viding women with the opportunity to take jobs that were tradi-
tionally male-dominated positions. For example: Sandra Day
'Connor is the first woman Supreme Court Justice; Jeanne
Kirkpatrick is the first woman to become U.S. Ambassador to the
United Nations; and Helenne Von Damm was the first woman
director of White House Personnel. Susan Meredith Phillips is
the first woman head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission;
Elizabeth Jones is the first woman Chief Engraver of the United
States Mint; Janet McCoy is the first woman High Commissioner of
the U.S. Trust Territories; Jane Restani is the first woman
Judge of the U.S. Court of International Trade; and the list
goes on.
The Administration has selected 75 women for full-time PAS
(Presidential Appointment with Senate confirmation) level
positions in the Washington, D.C. area alone.
For the first time in our history, there are three women at the
Cabinet level: Ambassador Kirkpatrick, Health and Human
Services Secretary Margaret M. Heckler, and Transportation
Secretary Elizabeth Hanford Dole. Women are well represented in
all areas of the Administration, serving in high-level positions
throughout the Federal Government.
10. Establishment of the 50 States Project to encourage the States
to review their laws and regulations and to work with the
Governors in efforts to identify and eliminate unfair dif-
ferentiation based on sex. The Project has provided technical
assistance to the States, has monitored the activity in each
state and has served as a clearinghouse for information in
matters relating to the elimination of unfair differentiation
based on sex. A Report of the 50 States Project will include a
state by state summary, which gives a picture of the extent to
which state laws contained unfair differentiation based on sex,
and the extent to which that has been eliminated. That Report,
which focuses on activity at the state level, will make available
for the first time an overall picture of State progress towards
our national goal of legal and economic equity for women and men.
- 8 -
PART II: PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ACTION
Member: Betty Brake
Deputy Director
Older American Volunteer Programs
ACTION'S Older American Volunteer Programs (OAVP) use over 350,000
volunteers 60 years of age or older, of whom the overwhelming ma-
jority are women. The three programs that comprise OAVP are the
Foster Grandparent Program (FGP), the Senior Companion Program
(SCP), and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).
The Foster Grandparent Program offers older persons, 85% of whom are
women, the opportunity to participate in and actively contribute to
community efforts to provide companionship and guidance to emotion-
ally, physically and mentally handicapped children. The volunteers
are low-income and are paid a stipend for their services.
The Senior Companions, 83% of whom are women, give individualized
care and assistance to older adults, especially the elderly living
at home or in institutions. The services given by Senior Companions
help prevent the premature institutionalization of homebound persons.
Senior Companions also contribute by helping older persons readjust
to community living. The volunteers are low-income and are paid a
stipend for their services.
The Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), 78% of whose volunteers
are women, offers older persons a meaningful life in retirement
through volunteer service that is responsive to community needs.
RSVP provides opportunities for retired persons to serve on a
regular basis in a variety of settings throughout their communities.
Domestic Violence Prevention
Of the three Older American Volunteer Programs at ACTION, two pro-
grams, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the Foster
Grandparent Program (FGP), have volunteers involved in activities
that help prevent recurrence of domestic violence or alleviate some
of the ill effects.
Examples of services provided by the RSVP program include:
O assistance provided to crisis nurseries and emergency shelters
where volunteers provide emotional support to abused children
while parents are undergoing therapy;
O assistance provided to young unwed mothers and their children by
teaching parenting skills. Volunteers also provide emotional
support, and act as a friend and role model to both the mother
and her children;
services to a Battered Women's Program by providing advice to
mothers on how to overcome difficulties related to child rearing;
serving as counselors on community hotlines where many of the
clients are abused spouses and children.
Examples of services provided by the FGP program include:
foster grandparents assigned to an army base that had 124
documented cases of child abuse involving sexual molestation,
neglect and physical violence in 1982;
volunteers assigned to Infant and Maternity Homes working with
children one week to four years old and single teenage mothers to
teach parenting skills and help groom and feed children;
volunteers working in a pediatric ward where battered and abused
children, ranging in age from two weeks to 16 years, are confined;
O
volunteers assigned to day care centers working with children
under protective services.
In addition, as of January 1, 1984, 60 VISTA volunteers were serving
on 27 Domestic Violence projects. Their activities include crisis
counseling; information dissemination; establishing mecha-
nisms for long-term volunteer and financial support; and providing
temporary shelter to victims of abuse.
Administrative Activities
ACTION is a member of a subcommittee of the Interagency Committee on
Women's Business Enterprise. ACTION is also participating in the
Office of Personnel Management's Women's Executive Leadership
Program.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Member: Mary Jarratt
Assistant Secretary
Food and Consumer Services
Women and Food Assistance Programs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) spent over $19.4 billion
in FY '83 on a total of 13 feeding programs. Contrary to some per-
ceptions that Federal food assistance to the poor has been severely
cut, there have been increases in these programs since 1980.
O
Spending for the Food Stamp Program in FY '83 was $3.6 billion
higher than in 1980 ($8.3 billion in 1980 versus $11.9 billion in
1983). In addition, benefits have risen faster than
- 10 -
inflation since 1980. An average family of four now receives 26%
more in benefits than in 1980. More needy people are receiving
food stamps than ever before. Participation in the program grew
from an average of 19.2 million per month in 1980 to a high of
21.6 million per month in 1983. Working, female-headed
households account for 70% of all food stamp households.
Program reforms for the Food Stamp Program have ensured that
benefits go to those who are needy--and not to those who are
not. This has been accomplished by setting the gross income
eligibility level at 130% of poverty (or $13,260 a year for a
family of four); initiating a number of legislative and
regulatory ways to curb fraud, waste and abuse; and protecting
benefits for the elderly and disabled.
The School Lunch Program provided free lunches for 10.4 million
low-income children every day last year. Administration reforms
have targeted the subsidies to children from needy families. In
fact, the subsidy level to the most needy (those receiving free
lunches) is up 23%. As a result, more needy children are getting
free lunches and fewer children who can pay are getting heavily
subsidized lunches at taxpayer expense.
O The Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) is designed
specifically for low-income pregnant women and children
determined by health-care professionals to be at nutritional
risk. Participants receive monthly vouchers which they exchange
at stores for specified nutritious foods to supplement their
dietary needs. One out of five babies born this year will
benefit from the WIC program. An average of 2.5 million women,
infants and children were served monthly by this program in 1983,
and participation grew to 3.1 million recipients monthly in the
first quarter of FY '84. Spending for the WIC program has
increased 60% from $708 million in 1980 to over $1.13 billion in
1983.
O The Food Distribution Program, initiated by President Reagan in
1981, distributes free USDA surplus commodities to needy house-
holds. Since that time, USDA has distributed more than one
billion pounds of cheese, butter, nonfat dry milk, honey, corn
meal and flour worth about $1.8 billion to needy families. USDA
commodities are also provided to a variety of institutions, such
as schools, hospitals, prisons, and charitable institutions
including soup kitchens.
Management Initiatives
USDA has initiated and continues to implement a number of management
initiatives that affect women.
USDA is correcting gender-specific statutory language through
legislative amendments and is closely monitoring directives,
policy statements and regulations related to civil rights
enforcement and personnel policies.
- 11 -
USDA is reviewing all forms and regulations for gender-specific
language. A form for loan applications was revised to remove
discriminatory references to sex and marital status. This form
has significant impact nationally. USDA is in the process of
reviewing exhibits to assure that there is no sex bias and that
they depict women in positive roles. These exhibits reach hund-
reds of thousands of people annually. Photographs in publica-
tions which depict women in stereotyped jobs have been revised to
show women in a more positive manner.
USDA reviews all vacancy announcements to assure that they do not
discriminate against women. Senior Executive Service (SES) an-
nouncements, in particular, are closely scrutinized. Special
efforts are made to include women's professional organizations in
mailing lists. In addition, USDA has expanded recruitment sources
to ensure that more women are included in the applicant pool, and
it has instituted policies to ensure that women applicants are
given equal consideration by the Executive Resources Board for
SES positions.
USDA provides EEO training to managers and supervisors and offers
formal training on their EEO responsibilities. Sexual harassment
is a major subject of this training as is providing an awareness
of using non-sexually discriminating language. In addition, USDA
promotes opportunities for women to receive management training.
Specifically-designed courses were provided during Federal
Women's Week and the Federally Employed Women's Training Program.
USDA encourages participation by more women on Departmental Task
Forces and Committees.
Eliminating Barriers to Procurement
USDA, in conjunction with the Small Business Administration, estab-
lished procurement goals for women-owned business concerns. USDA
was one of the first agencies to publish procurement regulations
that included setting goals for women-owned businesses. The latest
amendment to these regulations is dated May 25, 1982.
A Secretary's Memorandum was issued emphasizing and encouraging
efforts to improve government services to women business owners and
assuring equitable procurement opportunities. Training sessions
were conducted for USDA's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization Coordinators. Specially emphasized program goals are
reinforced at these sessions.
Procurement reviews are conducted at the headquarters level and in
the field to examine Agency contract files, conduct interviews with
contract and program personnel and to examine training records.
Contact is also made with appropriate personnel at the local Small
Business Administration office and the Minority Business Development
Agency, Department of Commerce. The purpose of these procedures is
to ensure that the policies affecting small businesses, including
women-owned businesses, are understoood and properly implemented.
- 12 -
Finally, an exit interview is held with the senior agency officials,
and recommendations are made based on findings. A report, with
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization recommenda-
tions, is submitted to the Agency Deputy Administrator for
Management.
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Member: W. Antoinette Ford
Assistant Administrator
Bureau for the Near East
Women in International Development
In 1973, Congress recognized that "women in developing countries
play a significant role in economic production, family support and
the overall development process. (Section 113 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, the "Percy Amendment." In
response to the "Percy Amendment," in September of 1974, the Agency
for International Development (AID) directed all of its bureaus and
overseas missions to incorporate a "conscious concern" for women in
all programming processes, from conception and design to implementa-
tion and evaluation of projects. In April of 1977, the Office of
Women in International Development was made a separate office under
the Bureau for Program and Policy Coordination.
This office provides overall policy and practical guidance for incor-
porating women into the total development process. It is AID's posi-
tion that if economic development is to be achieved, women must
actively participate and share in society's gains. Therefore, much
of AID's development policy is heavily biased in favor of women in
order to overcome longstanding inattention to women's issues and
needs within development projects.
Management Initiatives
AID has eliminated sex-biased references from its personnel hand-
books. Changes reflect deletion of gender-related pronouns and
terminology, such as "lawful wife" which was formerly used to
describe a dependent.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Member: Kay Bulow
Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Administration
Internal Efforts
The Department of Commerce (DOC) has initiated a number of internal
efforts to address issues of importance to women. Many of these
- 13 -
efforts involve non-substantive gender discrimination, i.e., the use
of gender-specific pronouns. All publications and documents emana-
ting from the DOC are screened for this language as well as all
other inadvertent forms of gender discrimination before they receive
approval.
DOC has also informed employees about sexual harassment, educated
them in handling such situations, and made it clear that such
behavior is unacceptable.
The Office of Personnel has targeted outreach efforts and recruit-
ment for women in both student employment programs and in profes-
sional positions at DOC. Personnel is currently conducting an
assessment of training opportunities for women in DOC at all
operating units.
Women in Business
DOC joined the Small Business Administration in co-sponsoring the
National Women's Business Ownership Conference '84 on March 9 and 10
in Washington, D.C. DOC produced the "Marketplace" which provided
an opportunity for women business owners to meet with the purchasing
representatives from the Federal Government, State and local
governments and private businesses.
At the Women's Business Ownership Conference, DOC made the first
distribution of its new publication, "Ask Us," a handbook for women
contractors that outlines methods for doing business with the DOC
and the Federal government in general. Over 20,000 copies of the
book have been distributed since its publication, and it has been
provided to the SBA for use at their conferences. "Ask Us" was
featured in an article in U.S. News and World Report.
At the direction of President Reagan, the Office of Business Liaison
(OBL) created the Roadmap Program. This program assists small and
medium-sized businesses in getting information they need from the
Federal Government. OBL targets women's groups according to the
nature of their respective professions for participation in all
seminars and orientation meetings. The Office of Small and Dis-
advantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) has hired a women-owned
business specialist to identify women-owned businesses and increase
their participation in DOC procurements.
Reports on Women
The Bureau of the Census has issued a number of reports dealing with
the changing role of women in America. These include reports on
wives who earn more than their husbands; fertility of American women;
marital status and living arrangements; household and family charac-
teristics; earnings for males and females by age and educational
attainment; child care arrangements of working mothers; women in
managerial positions; earnings of married couple families; child
spacing among American women; occupations of the civilian labor
force by sex; and effects of changes in family composition on income
and poverty levels.
- 14 -
Economic Development Administration Efforts
The Economic Development Administration's (EDA) FY '84 planning
budget of $27 million is used to support economic development
planning and policy-making activities of State and local governments
throughout the nation. The purpose of these efforts is to maintain
existing jobs and generate new jobs and income for the unemployed
and underemployed, many of whom are women.
Under its $3 million FY '84 university center budget, EDA is sup-
porting the work of approximately 40 colleges and universities
located in every region of the country. The centers are encouraged
to assist women business owners and are required to report on an
annual basis the number of women-owned firms they have assisted.
Past experience indicates that between five and ten percent of the
centers' clientele falls in this category.
Since the primary benefit of EDA assistance is long-term jobs, EDA
requires recipients and other parties not to discriminate on the
basis of sex and to take affirmative action to ensure that women are
adequately represented in many non-traditional jobs such as steve-
dores, coal miners, steel workers and executive sales. EDA requires
that each grantee and firm benefiting from EDA assistance analyze
its employment posture to determine if women are adequately repre-
sented in all major job categories and to take specific action and
set specific goals to rectify under utilization.
International Efforts
Under the Reagan Administration, the International Trade Admini-
stration has recruited women to participate in trade missions and
trade fairs/exhibits around the world. Women made up one third of
the delegation on the U.S. Special Trade Mission to Japan and
Korea. This active attempt to assist women in expanding into
exports is unique to this Administration.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Efforts
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administation (NOAA) has held
regularly scheduled activities designed to improve employment and
advancement opportunities for women by (1) informing managers and
supervisors about the status of women, sensitizing them to the
concerns of women employees, and helping them develop strategies to
achieve a better employment profile of women in the agency; and (2)
developing programs and activities designed to assist women in help-
ing themselves.
In addition, NOAA has provided workshops and seminars preceding the
annual Federal Employed Women (FEW) Training Program, has conducted
workshops at FEW, and has helped develop the educational programs
given by Women in Science and Engineering (WISE).
NOAA has conducted a pilot, in-house talent search designed to
inform managers of the talents and skills of minorities and women;
was instrumental in eliminating sexist language in NOAA publica-
- 15 -
tions; disseminated information on part-time and flexible employ-
ment; participated in the Office of Personnel Management Interagency
Minority Women's Task Force; and identified recruitment sources for
minorities and women.
Patent and Trademark Office Efforts
Since 1981, the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has undertaken an
intensive recruiting campaign to hire the patent examiners and
trademark attorneys necessary to overcome backlogs at the office and
reduce the time it takes to get a patent or register a trademark.
PTO has made special efforts to recruit women. Women constituted
20% and 17% of the new patent examiner hires, and 30% and 60% of the
new trademark attorney hires in 1982 and 1983, respectively.
PTO has recently implemented several new programs which will increase
employment opportunities for women. These include the Supervisory
Trainee Applicant Roster (STAR) Program which identifies and trains
high-potential employees for competitive selection to supervisory
positions, and the College Development Program which provides oppor-
tunities for employees in grades GS-2-9 to take college courses--
fully funded by the PTO--to develop knowledge and skills to improve
performance.
PTO participated in the 14th Annual Training Program sponsored by
Federally Employed Women in Honolulu, Hawaii, in July 1983. As a
result, the Office designed and presented three workshops for women
on "How to be a Winner" in April 1984. Also, PTO has established an
ad hoc committee to address the special concerns of its women
employees.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Member: Lawrence J. Korb
Assistant Secretary
Manpower, Reserve Affairs
and Logistics
Civilian Women
The employment of civilian women in the Department of Defense (DoD)
has advanced markedly under this Administration. From September
1980 to September 1983, the DoD civilian work force increased from
920,554 to 1,005,921, an increase of 85,367 personnel (9.3%).
Women's employment rose from 299,106 to 340,408, an increase of
41,302 (13.8%). Minority women rose by 21,013 (31.2%), from 67,331
to 88,344. In middle management positions (GS 9-12), civilian women
increased from 39,270 to 56,224 (43.2%); in senior management levels
(GS/GM 13-15), women increased from 2,389 to 3,746 (56.8%). In the
Senior Executive Service (SES), women increased from 20 to 46 (130%).
- TO -
Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger has initiated policies and awareness
heightening programs to increase the employment and advancement of
women in DOD. Numerical advances cited are due, in part, to
initiatives which include:
signing of the Department of Defense Human Goals Charter, which
pledges to strive for equal opportunity, on May 18, 1981 by the
highest ranking DOD officials;
policy on implementation of the Department of Defense Human Goals
Program signed on June 23, 1981, which stresses efforts to
increase the representation of qualified women and others in DoD;
policy on countering sexual harassment signed on July 17, which
requires annual reporting and prompt investigation of complaints;
policy on implementation of DoD Federal Women's Program (DoD
Directive 1450.1), which has been revitalized during the period
1981 to 1983. Two themes have been effective in advancing the
employment of women: (1) managerial commitment to apply resources
and to engineer jobs downward, temporarily, to allow for advance-
ment; (2) awareness training to actually prepare employees to
compete for higher level jobs; and
Executive Order 12362, Overseas Employment, which enables family
members of military or civilian personnel who are hired in
Federal jobs overseas to gain competitive Civil Service status
upon their return to the United States.
Examples of major conferences and training programs on women's
employment conducted during the period 1981 to 1983 include:
Awards Program to Honor Eight Defense Managers who had advanced
the employment of women, July 14, 1981, Indianapolis, Indiana;
Department of Defense Forum on Women's Issues, October 15, 1981,
The Pentagon, Washington, D.C.;
Program Initiatives for Women on the Defense Team, July 21, 1982,
San Antonio, Texas;
Department of Defense Support of the Federal Interagency Confer-
ence on Employment Issues Affecting Minority Women, November 17-
19, 1982, Washington, D.C.;
The National Training Program for Department of Defense Federal
Women's Program Managers was held July 1983 in Honolulu, Hawaii;
"Women in America's Defense," was published by the DoD in July
1982 and "Employment Issues Affecting Minority Women," published
by DOD, October 1982, was an interagency product of the Minority
Women's Task Force;
- 1/ -
o DoD plans to conduct a series of catalyst seminars to better
identify issues and concerns of minority, disabled, and older
women, as well as civilian spouses of military personnel, and
women veterans. A written report on the results of these
seminars, to include proposed strategies for action on given
gender issues, will be produced in October 1984.
Military Women
Military women in all Services are fulfilling vital military
requirements with the same high degree of competence as military
men. Today, over 197,000 officers and enlisted women account for
9.4% of the active force compared to 1972 when 45,000 women made up
1.5% of the active force.
DoD is committed to the elimination of artificial goals and barriers
to the full utilization of women in the military. This is reflected
in a memorandum sent to the Military Departments in 1982 in which
the Secretary of Defense directed the fullest possible use of women
in the military, directed the Service Secretaries to personally
review their policies to insure that women were not discriminated
against, and directed the Service Secretaries to eliminate any
institutional barriers that might still exist. This policy was
reaffirmed by Secretary Weinberger on July 19, 1983.
In career opportunity, the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act
(DOPMA), implemented on September 15, 1981, corrected gender bias in
many of the statutes affecting military personnel. One provision of
DOPMA, in particular, places men and women in competitiion with each
other for promotion in the same competitive categories in the Navy
and Marine Corps. DoD has reviewed the remaining statutes and has
provided an assessment to the Department of Justice.
The 1980's will see more clearly-defined requirements for women in
uniform being established in all Services. DoD has increased the
number of women in uniform from 150,000 to 190,000 over the last
three years and projections call for continued growth over the next
five years. Over the same period, DoD also expects greater numbers
of women to progress into supervisory positions. Specifically, by
1987, DoD projects a 24% increase in women officers and a 27%
increase in the top six enlisted grades.
Statistics which reflect the clustering of women in the mid-to-low
grades do not reflect discrimination, rather they reflect how far
women have come in their progress through the military personnel
system since entering the force in large numbers starting in 1972.
As a result of the rapid growth in military women strengths, 95% of
all military women have less than ten years of service and about 71%
have less than five years of service. Comparable figures for men
are 76% and 53% respectively. DoD's planned rate of increase over
the next five years will permit the experience and grade distribu-
bution of military women to closely approximate that of military men.
- 18 -
Contrary to prevalent misconceptions, women are being recruited for
service in the military. Assisting the Secretary in this continuing
effort is the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services
(DACOWITS) which was established in 1951. DACOWITS is composed of
civilian men and women appointed by the Secretary of Defense for a
three-year term. The purpose of the Committee is to assist and
advise the Secretary of Defense on policies and matters relating to
women in the Services. The Committee relates to the public the need
to accept military service as a citizenship responsibility and as a
career field for qualified women; recommends measures to insure
effective utilization of the capabilities of women in the Services;
and provides a vital link between the Armed Forces and civilian
communities.
"Military Women in the Department of Defense," was published in
April of this year. This publication outlines the current status of
women in the military.
In the international arena, women in the military continue to take a
leading role in the activities of the Committee on Women in the NATO
Armed Forces. Originally formed on an ad hoc basis in 1973, the
Committee received formal status under the NATO Military Committee
in 1977. Its delegates are, with rare exception, the senior women
officers in their forces. The Committee's purpose is to encourage
the most effective utilization of women in the NATO Armed Forces.
The U.S. has actively participated in the Committee's work since its
inception; it chaired the Committee for the period 1979-1981 and is
chairing it again from 1983-1985. The U.S. offer to host the 1984
Committee meeting was accepted by the 1983 Conference on Women in
the NATO Armed Forces in plenary session, and it was held May 29 -
June 1 in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Finally, both the Army and the Navy have announced recent changes
which have opened up more opportunities for women to serve in
additional career fields. The Navy has broadened its Surface
Warfare opportunities for women and the Army has revised its Direct
Combat Probability Coding System.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Member: Madeleine Will
Assistant Secretary for
Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services
Overview
The Department of Education (ED) administers Title IX of the Educa-
tion Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis
of sex in education programs; the Women's Educational Equity Act,
which authorizes grants and contracts designed to provide educa-
tional equity for women; and a host of other programs that signi-
ficantly affect women.
- 19 -
About 50% of financial aid funded through ED is awarded to women
(Pell Grant National Direct Student Loan, Supplemental Educational
Opportunity Grant, Guaranteed Student Loan and WAK Study). More
than half of the grants awarded under the Graduate and Professional
Opportunity Fellowships Program have been to women.
Almost $1 million was awarded in 1984 to projects that directly
affect women through the Funds for the Improvement of Postsecondary
Education (FIPSE) program.
Women's Educational Equity Act Program
The Women's Educational Equity Act (WEEA) awards grants and con-
tracts to provide educational equity for women in the U.S. and to
assist educational agencies and institutions in implementing Title
IX. More than $60 million have been awarded to help women and girls
overcome inequities and to increase education and employment oppor-
tunities for adult women. From FY '80, the fifth year of its fun-
ding, through the present time, the WEEA program has targeted its
resources on model projects in five priority areas of greatest need:
- Title IX compliance;
- educational equity for racial and ethnic minority women and
girls;
- educational equity for disabled women and girls;
- influencing leaders in educational policy and administration;
and,
- eliminating persistent barriers to educational equity for
women.
National Advisory Council on Women's Educational Programs
The National Advisory Council on Women's Educational Programs was
authorized by Congress as a part of the Women's Educational Equity
Act Program (WEEAP) to make policy recommendations to Federal educa-
tion officials and to promote educational equity for women and girls.
It also evaluates the WEEAP program and reports annually to the
President, the Congress and the Secretary of ED. Examples of activi-
ties of the Council include:
o developed a 12-minute videotape, "Countdown To Success," to
encourage women and girls of all ages to take advantage of
educational opportunities available under existing legislation;
O maintains on-going liaison with the White House, Congressional
staffs, ED, and public and private organizations concerned with
women's education and equity; and
O disseminates information on Council activities and issues concern-
ing women.
- 20 -
The Council is currently completing a brochure about sexual harass-
ment and plans to hold a series of national forums during the next
year on women, education, and economic advancement. The first forum
is scheduled for late August in the Twin Cities, Minnesota; the
topic will be "Women in Agri-Business.'
Special Education and Rehabilitation Services
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS)
has been involved in activities that affect women. Examples include:
O It established a government-wide Interagency Committee on
Disability Research. A major quarterly agenda item on women who
are handicapped will result in an Interagency Task Force on this
subject.
O It supports Research and Training Centers. A recent product of
one of these Centers was a monograph, "Demography and Disability."
This monograph highlights demographics on the labor force and
disabled women. The same Center and author now has completed a
monograph on the progress of women's issues in rehabilitation.
O Assistant Secretary Madeleine Will assisted in a program to
identify the Woman of the Year in New York, sponsored by
Citicorp. Thus, she lent government/Administration support to
this national recognition of women in leadership positions.
O
The National Institute of Handicapped Research (NIHR) received a
report of the Task Force on Women's Concerns. There are plans to
resolve these issues.
Regulations Review
when ED was established in 1980, all of the Federal regulations
concerning matters over which it was to have jurisdiction had to be
recodified. During this recodification process, it was able to
ensure that none of its newly promulgated regulations and published
policy statements discriminated against persons on the basis of sex.
Pursuant to President Reagan's Executive Order on legal equity for
women, ED reviewed all of its regulations, policies and publica-
tions. It concluded that none of its regulations, policies or
publications unfairly discriminated against persons on the basis of
sex.
Research
During the last four years, the National Institute on Education has
completed over 100 projects on research and women. Examples include:
Teaching as an Occupation for Women: A Case Study of an Elementary
School Design Group, April 1983, New Paths Toward Research on Leader-
ship for Minorities and Women, Michigan State University, Final
Report, March 1983, Minority Females in High School Mathematics and
Science, December, 1982, and Women Students in Enigineering: A Case
Study, 1981.
- 21 -
Management Initiatives
ED will nominate five women for the Women's Executive Leader-
ship Training Program sponsored by OPM.
ED participated in a conference, sponsored by the Small Business
Administration/Department of Commerce, with Business Groups in
the Washington, D.C. area regarding business opportunties for
women. ED sent ten women to the Conference.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Member: Robert C. Odle, Jr.
Assistant Secretary for Congressional,
Intergovernmental and Public Affairs
Management Initiatives
At the direction of Secretary Donald Paul Hodel, the Department
of Energy (DOE) has initiated several projects of importance to
women. Beyond new programs that were established and others that
were broadened, the Secretary requested that the General Counsel
review DOE laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to
eliminate all gender-specific discrimination. DOE's Office of
Public Affairs has been instructed to review all non-scientific
documents, displays, public service announcements and other DOE
printed materials to ensure no gender discrimination.
DOE has increased the number of women in SES positions from 19 in
September, 1980 to 31 as of December 30, 1983, an increase of 30%.
women DOE employees represented an increased percentage of those
employed, totaling 34% on December 30, 1983.
The Secretary instructed DOE to develop and promulgate Orders
1600. 1 Federal Women's Program (FWP) and 1130.4 Federal Women's
Advisory Council. Activities have included 30 monthly meetings,
eight quarterly teleconference meetings with the FWP managers,
development of a FWP brochure and flyers, observance of Federal
Women's Week and initiation of on-site recruitment activities
during the Fall and Spring.
o
The Secretary participated in the Women's Executive Leadership
Program, sponsored seven workshops and seminars, published nine
editions of the FWP Women in Energy, and is currently reviewing a
proposal for a Headquarters Federal Women's Program "Woman of the
Year Award."
DOE participated in community outreach programs at workshops,
educational institutions, civic and social organizations, and
conferences.
- " -
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Member: Joseph A. Cannon
Assistant Administrator
Air and Radiation
Management Initiatives
O The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
William D. Ruckelshaus, signed a policy statement on April 23,
1984 on the prohibition of sexual harassment. Also, on that
date, Administrator Ruckelshaus signed an Agency affirmative
action plan that sets a hiring goal with respect to the number of
women and minorities.
o
The EPA Chapter of "Women in Science and Engineering" (WISE)
submitted a proposed career development plan for women scientists
and engineers to the Administrator and other senior officials.
EPA will review the plan as part of a large, comprehensive Agency
career development plan and expects to incorporate the recommen-
dations of WISE.
O A newly established Office of Human Resources, and particularly
the Work Force Management Unit, will look closely at women's
issues and the stature of women in the Agency.
Women's Business Enterprise
For FY 84, EPA established a goal for Women's Business Enterprise
utilization of 0.9 of 1% of the agency's total direct procurement in
excess of $10,000 to be won competitively by women. EPA projected
that it would award $400 million in contract funds. As of June 30,
1984, $335.4 million has been awarded and of this, $6 million has
been granted directly to women. This is 1.9% of the agency's total,
thus exceeding its original goal.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Chair: Dorcas R. Hardy
Assistant Secretary for
Human Development Services
Effects of HHS Programs on Women
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plays a major role
in supplementing individual, family, and private efforts to assure
the health and economic welfare of women. HHS programs will
directly assist one in every four women in this country in 1985, and
indirectly assist almost all women. HHS will spend about $177
billion directly benefiting women.
- 23 -
More than half of the 60 million beneficiaries of the Social
Security and Medicare programs are women.
Over 70% of the $40 billion budgeted in FY '85 for HHS means-
tested entitlement programs, such as AFDC and SSI, will assist
needy women.
HHS responsibilities for safe and effective health care directly
benefit virtually all women in the country. For example, drug
labeling regulations and immunization programs are of special
benefit to women.
Income Security
O Women have a huge stake in the health of the Social Security
system, and therefore have gained greatly from the solvency of
the system. Of the 36 million adult Social Security bene-
ficiaries, 54% are women.
O The Social Security Act Amendments of 1983 assisted women not
only by ensuring the soundness of the Social Security system, but
also by increasing benefits for older, divorced, and widowed
women and removing major gender-based distinctions from the law.
The change in the provision of survivors' benefits to disabled
widows will provide approximately $1.4 billion in increased
benefits between 1983 and 1989.
o The 1981 changes to the Child Support Enforcement program have
aided in the collection of support due families, especially
families headed by women. Total collections are up by two-thirds
from $1.5 billion in 1980 to an estimated $2.4 billion for 1984.
HHS has proposed, and both Houses have adopted, legislation to
further improve enforcement of child support payments and to
increase child support collections.
Social Services
O HHS provides substantial support for child care through the
Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). States use an estimated 15-
20% of their SSBG funds for child care services. The FY '85
budget of $2.7 billion for SSBG provides for an increase of $25
million over the FY '84 funding level.
O
Federal funding of child day care has increased by more than 60%
since 1980. Most of this increase is due to the 1981 changes in
the child care tax credit, supported by the Administration.
O
Based on information provided by a recent HHS study on employer
supported child care options, the White House Initiative on Child
Care is working to encourage and educate corporate leaders on the
options and the benefits of providing child care support for
employees. HHS as well as DOL are actively involved in implemen-
ting the White House Initiative.
- 24 -
O In FY '82, the Office of Human Development Services spent $8
million in discretionary grant funds on 30 projects directly
related to child care and family support.
O
Almost 75% of the elderly who receive congregate meals or
home-delivered meals are women. Between 1980 and 1983, the
number of meals served increased by 21% and further increases are
expected between 1984 and 1985.
Health
O Women are major beneficiaries of HHS health programs and
initiatives: almost 60% of Medicare recipients are women and
about 67% of all Medicaid payments are for services provided to
women. These two programs will spend $92 billion in FY '85, a
90% increase from 1980. While there have been savings of almost
$9 billion between 1982 and 1984 in Medicaid and Medicare funding
through statutory changes, these programs have doubled since
1980, and are projected to serve 4 million more beneficiaries in
1985 than in 1980.
Community Health Center Clinics for low-income families served
over 4.5 million people in 1982, 59% of whom were women. HHS is
providing $337 million in FY '84 to fund these clinics.
o HHS has launched a nationwide campaign, "Healthy Mothers, Healthy
Babies," to promote good health practices among pregnant women
and to reduce infant mortality. Working with 36 national
voluntary, professional and government organizations, the
coalition fosters public education efforts directed at pregnant
women.
The Food and Drug Administration has developed a program,
"Women's Health Care," to provide women with consumer infor-
mation on the safe use of medical devices such as menstrual
products, contraceptive devices and pregnancy test kits.
The Food and Drug Administration has also issued a regulation
requiring a warning label on all over-the-counter drugs advising
pregnant and lactating women to consult their health care
provider before taking any drugs.
O HHS' national anti-smoking campaign is aimed at high risk groups,
especially pregnant women. Smoking by women has increased greatly
in the last few decades and of the more than 54 to 55 million
smokers nationwide, almost half are women. Recently, the Surgeon
General released a report, "The Health Consequences of Smoking"
which includes recommendations for a smoke-free society by the
year 2000.
O
HHS is supporting an initiative ($2 million in 1985) to prevent
congenital rubella, to which an estimated 80% of women are
susceptible.
- 25 -
O
Several of the specific HHS health promotion/disease prevention
objectives and implementation plans directly affect women, such
as the priority area of pregnancy and many of the improved
nutrition objectives. For example, one objective is to reduce,
by 1990, the number of pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia
from the 1978 level of 7.7% to 3.5%.
HHS has established the first national archive on adolescent
pregnancy and pregnancy prevention. This data archive will aid
in research related to the problems of teenage pregnancy.
O
Research on osteoporosis, a condition which involves the
weakening of bones and which particularly affects elderly women,
has been significantly increased. Of special interest is the
role of nutrition in preventing the disease.
O The Assistant Secretary of Health established a Task Force on
Women's Health Issues to assess women's health needs and review
current Public Health Service activities in light of those needs.
Women's Management Initiative
Secretary Margaret M. Heckler established the Women's Management
Training Initiative on June 1, 1984 to offer supervisory and
managerial training for 100 high potential non-supervisors in grades
9 thru 12. The Secretary noted, in announcing the program, that
women account for 65% of the total HHS work force, the best record
in any executive department of Government. However, HHS statistics
show that only 23% of HHS employees in grades 13 thru 15 are women.
The initiative is designed to provide skills with which to compete
for managerial slots.
Elimination of Gender-Based Distinctions
In accordance with Executive Order 12336, HHS has made substantial
progress in correcting laws and regulations identified as containing
sex discriminatory language. The Social Security Administration
(SSA) issued final regulations to reflect the removal of gender-based
distinctions by the Social Security Act Amendments of 1983 and, more
recently, the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 corrects three more pro-
visions to the Act. SSA is revising the Supplementary Security
Income Operations Manual to adopt new unisex actuarial tables re-
cently published by the Internal Revenue Service. HHS has proposed
regulations to implement prohibitions on sex discrimination contained
in existing block grant legislation, and it has centralized in the
Office of the Secretary final review of all legislative and regula-
tory proposals to address broad issues including the elimination of
sex discrimination. Finally, HHS' Public Affairs Manual now requires
review of publications prepared by or for HHS for discriminatory
portrayals and distinctions based on sex.
- 26 -
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Member: Judith Tardy
Assistant Secretary
for Administration
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is responsible
for ensuring that adequate housing is available for low and moderate
income families. In fulfilling that mission, HUD has made signifi-
cant progress in involving women business owners, making housing
more affordable to women home owners, and seeking innovative ways to
break the cycle of poverty for low-income single parent households.
Women Business Owners
O In FY '84, HUD is doubling its FY '82 commitment by setting a 6%
or $8.6 million goal for direct procurements from women-owned
businesses. The goal was 3.8% or $4.1 million in FY '82.
O HUD will continue its full implementation of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act to ensure that regulations being proposed will
not have an adverse impact on small entities. Many women-owned
businesses are small entities, therefore reviews and recommen-
dations will reflect the unique concerns of women business owners
and other small entities.
O HUD is in the process of developing regulations which place
greater emphasis on headquarters and field office accountability
for implementing Executive Order 12138, National Women's Business
Enterprise Policy. Recently, a senior HUD official was appointed
by President Reagan to serve on the Interagency Committee on
Women's Business Enterprise.
o In FY '84 HUD will complete its outreach initiative to identify
and publish a nationwide compendium of women business owners with
expertise in the areas of housing and repair management; policy
and program; community and economic development; research; finan-
cial and program audits; real estate appraisal services; and
automated data processing services and hardware. The purpose of
the compendium is to expose a maximum number of women business
owners to HUD's program and procurement officers for
consideration as HUD contractors.
O This year, HUD intensified its outreach efforts on behalf of
women business owners. HUD's Office of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization has participated in numerous conferences and
seminars to discuss HUD opportunities with women business enter-
prises, associations and organizations. Conference participation
has included the National Association of Women in Construction;
Portsmouth, Virginia's Women In Business Conference; American
Association of Black Women Entrepreneurs, Inc.; National Women's
Council, National Association of Real Estate Brokers; SBA's
- 27 -
Women's Business Ownership Conference 1984; and White House
briefings with Hispanic Women Business Owners and Women in
Construction Owners and Executives.
O HUD recently conducted a series of one-day seminars on new busi-
ness opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses in the
Housing Development Grant and Rental Rehabilitation Programs
recently authorized by the Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act
of 1983. The Seminars provided in-depth information about program
requirements and procurement opportunities. Eight seminars were
held across the country between June 4 and June 15, 1984.
Nationwide, at least 10% of all contracts must go to women and
minority owned firms.
O HUD also plans to convene another series of economic development
seminars to provide women-owned firms with a "how-to" approach
for developing applications for the Urban Development Action
Grant and Community Development Block Grant Programs.
Women Home Owners
HUD is committed to making housing more affordable. One initiative
that helps the woman home owner is that the FHA interest rate is no
longer set by the Secretary of HUD but can now be negotiated between
lender and buyer. A negotiated rate can reduce the extra "points"
charged. Completing purchases without this extra cash outlay will
help first time home owners, many of whom are women. As of the
summer of 1984, FHA will be insuring Adjustable Rate Mortgages,
providing needed financial backing for home buyers with limited
income.
Breaking the Poverty Cycle
The majority of individuals helped by HUD's assisted housing programs
are women and their dependents. Over 50% of the families in public
housing are female headed, and approximately 70% of all assisted
households below 50% of the median income are female headed. How-
ever, HUD's objective is not only to provide adequate housing but to
seek ways to break the poverty cycle.
One successful effort is Warren Village in Denver. Aided by funding
from a HUD Urban Development Action Grant and FHA mortgage, this
program is designed specifically for one-parent families. It pro-
vides child care and a center where parents can work, improve job
skills or seek further education. A research study showed that upon
entering the program, 65% were on welfare and 47% were employed.
Leaving the program 18 months later, only 6% were on welfare and 94%
were employed.
A recent HUD initiative is Project Self-Sufficiency with the same
goal--to nelp low-income single parent households with small children
make the transition to productive employment. HUD will use its
funding to form public/private partnerships to meet the needs of
these single parents. A total of 5,000 housing payment certifi-
- 28 -
cates--vouchers--are being made available to communities who can put
together partnerships to provide resources for job training, child
care, counseling and health care services. And HUD will provide the
technical assistance necessary to help communities design and
implement the program.
Child Identification Project
A recent outreach program of HUD's Inspector General is helping
identify missing children from low-income housing projects. There
are 1.8 million children reported missing in the United States every
year. Under this project, parents living in low-income housing
projects may voluntarily have their children fingerprinted and
retain the fingerprints to be used in case their child is reported
missing.
HUD's ten regional Inspectors General will establish child identi-
fication programs to complement efforts of local law enforcement
groups. Programs currently exist in public housing in Roxbury,
Massachusetts; Grandview, Missouri; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
Denver, Colorado. Projects which will start in the near future
include Sufferin, New York; Macon, Georgia; Carpentersville,
Illinois; Ft. Worth, Texas; and Seattle, Washington. In addition,
HUD has initiated the fingerprinting service, with Secretary Samuel
R. Pierce's personal involvement, at its adopted school, Jefferson
Junior High in Washington, D.C.
Talking Paper on Women's Issues
To help HUD's top management know about what the agency is doing for
women, the Department is publishing a Talking Points paper. This
package will be distributed to Headquarters Principal Staff and
Regional Administrators to be used as speech material when they
address local groups involved with women's issues.
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
Member: Mary Walker
Deputy Solicitor
Gender-Based Review Initiatives
The Department of Interior (DOI) has adopted a policy of systemati-
cally reviewing all existing and new rules and regulations in order
to identify, with a view towards eliminating, sex-based criteria and
gender-specific terminology. This practice was formalized on June
30, 1982.
In addition, DOI has instituted a review of all laws and regulations
under which the Department operates for gender-based discrimination.
The statutory review was completed and appears in the Attorney
General's Fourth Quarterly Report to the President. Included in
that report were recommended changes to eliminate discrimination.
- 29 -
DOI is now in the process of reviewing approximately 6,000 pages of
rules and regulations which control its activities. The Solicitor's
Office will recommend appropriate amendments to eliminate
unjustified discrimination.
Employment Activities
Secretary William P. Clark's commitment to a policy of equity in the
employment and utilization of qualified women is reflected by the
number of women holding top level policy and management positions in
DOI. For the first time, women have been appointed to the positions
of Under Secretary, Deputy Solicitor and both of the Secretary's
Field Representative positions. The Department, as of March 1984,
had 703 women employed at GS-13 and above versus 465 in November
1980. DOI has utilized a number of programs which, in their
implementation, have achieved this increase. These programs are
designed to attract, train and promote capable women.
O Supervisory training courses given yearly to all new supervisors
and managers include segments focused on affirmative employment
practices for women and minorities, upward mobility program
utilization and job restructuring to provide opportunities for
advancement of minorities and women, and discussions aimed toward
awareness of limitations, barriers and discriminatory practices
impacting on women.
O An Upward Mobility Program is actively used by DOI to develop the
career potential of women and to provide entry into non-tradi-
tional occupations. The program has been extraordinarily suc-
cessful. For example, in 1983, of the 40 upward mobility
positions established by the Office of the Secretary, 24 were
filled by women. In the last two years, 109 women have been
selected by the Geological Survey out of a total of 143 partici-
pants in an upward mobility program including professional
scientific positions as well as administrative and computer
specialists.
O The Federal Women's Program has offered lunch time training
sessions for women providing guidelines on getting ahead in
careers, career planning, jobsharing, and preparation for job
opportunities.
O The Merit Promotion Plan provides for fair and equitable employ-
ment practices without discrimination. To assure the effective-
ness of the program, the different agencies of DOI take steps to
provide the widest possible applicant pool of women for occupa-
tional categories in which they are underrepresented. Under-
representation statistics are reviewed and analyzed, and the
results are used to calculate goals and strategies with a view
toward elimination of the underrepresentation. The different
agencies and bureaus use recruitment strategies which include:
distribution of vacancy announcements to women's professional
organizations; visits to college campuses to interest women in
majors relating to DOI's activities; and cooperative efforts with
colleges, high schools, State and county employment services for
referrals of qualified women candidates.
- 30 -
Part-time Career Employment options encourage DOI to advertise
part-time positions and provide opportunities for women to manage
both career and family responsibilities. The use of flexitime
work scheduling also enhances opportunties for women and allows
for flexible working arrangements. DOI has a strong and
effective part-time work force consisting largely of women
employees who are managing families and/or attending school while
pursing a career.
O Affirmative Action efforts over the past several years have
resulted in a continuing increase in the number of women in
professional, administrative and scientific occupations. For
example, since 1980, the number of women geologists in the
Geological Survey has increased from 13.4% to 17.9%; hydrologists
from 9.1% to 14.1%; administrative officers from 66.2% to 72.2%.
Also as a result of Affirmative Action efforts, the National Park
Service now has 50 management positions occupied by women. The
Deputy Director of the Service is a woman and there are 26 women
Superintendents of parks, monuments or historic sites where they
have substantial park management duties. In addition, there are
24 women in a variety of positions with other management duties.
Special Employment Programs for disadvantaged students (Junior
Fellowship, Stay in School and Summer Aid Programs) have been
used extensively with substantial participation by young women.
The short-term objective of these programs is to provide employ-
ment during the summer and school year to disadvantaged groups.
The long-range objective is to encourage women to direct their
careers toward future employment with DOI, especially in those
scientific and technical fields in which women have not been
fully represented.
Training opportunities for women also have been increased over
the past four years. Special effort is made to inform women
employees of training programs and opportunities. Recently, the
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) held a superintendent training
program to develop a pool of trained employees to fill future
vacancies. There were 160 women notified of the opportunity to
apply for the training. As a result, 27% of the applicants were
women.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Member: Judith L. Hammerschmidt
Special Assistant to the
Attorney General
Overview
The Department of Justice (DOJ) accomplishments are primarily the
result of action taken by the Department as the chief law enforce-
- st -
ment agency for the Federal Government. As the chief law enforce-
ment agency, the Department enforces through litigation a number of
major Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the
basis of sex or marital status in housing, credit, employment,
education, and federally assisted programs.
Executive Order No. 12250
This Executive Order authorizes the DOJ to coordinate the implementa-
tion and enforcement of approximately 50 statutes that, in whole or
part, prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national
origin, handicap, religion, or sex in federally assisted programs.
Forty-four of these statutes specifically prohibit discrimination on
the basis of sex.
The DOJ, through the Civil Rights Division (CRD), operates a compre-
hensive coordination program to ensure that similarly worded Federal
statutes that prohibit discrimination on several bases including sex
in federally assisted programs are consistently and effectively
enforced. This objective is achieved primarily through administra-
tive oversight and evaluation of those Executive agencies identified
as administering programs subject to the Executive Order and through
government-wide coordination of related legal, regulatory, and
policy issues.
When an agency first submits its proposed civil rights regulations
for review, CRD analyzes the draft notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM) to ensure that it effectively, consistently, and efficiently
implements the agency's statutory civil rights obligations. CRD
also examines it in light of any standards established by judicial
precedent and compares it with existing Federal regulations. After
the NPRM has been published and changes made in response to comments,
CRD reviews the regulation again before it is published as a final
rule.
Executive Order No. 12336
This Executive Order established the Task Force on Legal Equity for
Women and directed the Attorney General to complete the review of
all Federal laws, regulations, policies, and practices to identify
those that unjustifiably differentiate on the basis of sex.
The Civil Rights Division provides the staff to carry out the
Attorney General's review responsibility. On August 10, 1982, the
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights sent letters to 42
departments and agencies explaining what was expected of each agency
under the Executive Order. As of this writing, 36 of the 42
departments and agencies have completed their reviews. CRD staff
have worked closely with the agencies to ensure that each agency
person coordinating the review understands the dimensions of the
review and is sufficiently sensitive to sex discrimination issues to
enable him or her to identify sex bias in reviewing agency programs
and documents. Agency reports are carefully reviewed by CRD staff
to ensure thoroughness and completeness, and to verify that all
- 32 -
possible areas of potential sex bias have been considered. CRD is
responsible for drafting the Attorney General's Quarterly Reports as
required by the Executive Order. To date, four have been published.
Title VII
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination
on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin in
any term of condition of employment. The law applies to private
employers of more than 15 employees, as well as the Federal, State
and local government. Enforcement of title VII in the private
sector and in Federal employment is generally the responsibility of
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; enforcement with
respect to State and local governments is the responsibility of the
DOJ.
The Justice Department has filed 37 new employment discrimination
cases since January 20, 1981, primarily against State and local
government agencies. Thirty of these cases contain allegations of
sex discrimination (22 of these contain only sex discrimination
claims). Of the cases involving allegations of sex discrimination,
19 have been settled with consent decrees. In addition, Justice has
filed 15 new cases with accompanying consent decrees involving
allegations of sex discrimination since 1981.
In United States V. Fairfax County, E.D. Va. April 29, 1982, (order
granting consent decree), DOJ obtained a record $2.75 million in a
title VII recovery against Fairfax County, Virginia, on behalf of
685 women and blacks who were victims of discrimination.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act amended title VII in 1978 to
establish that, for purposes of title VII, employment discrimination
on the basis of pregnancy is tantamount to discrimination on the
basis of sex. In Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. V.
EEOC, U.S. 103 S.Ct. 2622 (1983), Justice successfully argued before
the Supreme Court that employers who fully insure workers' spouses
for other medical needs cannot deny or limit pregnancy coverage for
them. This practice, the Court said, discriminates against male
employees by giving them less comprehensive coverage than their
female co-wokers. The case established that the Pregnancy Discrimi-
nation Act of 1978 protects not only female employees from discrimi-
nation on the basis of pregnancy but also protects spouses of male
workers.
In the wake of Newport News, Justice has filed seven new cases
alleging discrimination under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. All
of the seven cases deal with the issues of spousal benefits first
addressed in Newport News.
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimi-
nation on the basis of sex in any education program or activity
receiving Federal financial assistance.
- 33 -
In Pavey and U.S. V. University of Alaska, D. Alaska Oct. 14, 1981
(order granting consent decree), the Justice Department argued that
title IX prevents the university from discriminating in athletic
programs on the basis of sex. In a consent decree entered in Pavey,
the university agreed to maintain equal facilities and provide equal
financial aid, recruitment, and publicity of its male and female
athletic programs.
In North Haven Board of Education V. Bell, 456 U.S. 512 (1982), the
DOJ argued successfully before the Supreme Court that title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972 also prohibits discriminatory
employment practices.
Special Justice Initiatives and Task Forces
o The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) began an intensive recruitment
program in 1974 to increase the employment of women in all
positions in the Federal Prison System (FPS). In 1973, there
were 868 women in the FPS workforce. Today, 20% (1,960) are
women. Presently, 372 women are employed as correctional
officers at all institutions except five maximum security
penitentiaries. Women are employed in almost every position
including Warden, Deputy Assistant Director, Federal Prison
Industries Superintendent, Chief Correctional Supervisor,
Mechanical and Food Services. In 1983, 14% of all new
correctional officers hired and 33% of all new employees were
women.
o On September 19, 1983, the Attorney General established a Task
Force on Family Violence. The nine member panel is conducting a
six-month study of child abuse and molestation, spouse abuse, the
mistreatment of the elderly, and other related issues. The Task
Force members have completed six public hearings and are now
studying the written and oral testimony so that they can complete
the final report.
o The Interagency Committee on Women in Federal Law Enforcement was
created to expand efforts nationwide to develop information
sharing and support networks for women in law enforcement. The
Committee is cosponsored by the Departments of Justice and
Treasury. Some Committee's accomplishments include: articles
and advertisements to attract women into Federal law enforcement;
special exhibits with photographs of law enforcement women in
action; research on difficulties women encounter in completing
physical fitness portions of basic training; survey of over 1,500
women Federal law enforcement officers to obtain their views on
areas of concern; and position paper on barriers faced by women
in law enforcement. The Committee is currently developing a
Directory of Women in Law Enforcement to bring women in different
agencies in contact with one another and provide a communication
vehicle for the Committee to share information on a regular basis.
- 34 -
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Member: Lenora Cole Alexander
Director, Women's Bureau
Overview
In December 1981, Secretary Raymond J. Donovan issued a policy
statement on the coordination and direction of the Department of
Labor (DOL) programs affecting women. The statement recognizes the
Women's Bureau as the focal point for coordinating activities
affecting the participation of women in the Nation's work force,
ensuring adherence to nondiscrimination and reviewing DOL policies
to assure that the needs of women, particularly working women, are
properly addressed.
The Women's Bureau is the single unit at the Federal Government
level concerned exclusively with serving and promoting the interests
of working women. The goals of the Women's Bureau are to formulate
standards and policies which promote the welfare of wage earning
women, improve their working conditions, increase their efficiency
and advance their opportunity for profitable employment. The Bureau
uses workshops, symposia, job fairs, demonstration projects, pilot
programs, publications, technical assistance and research to
accomplish these goals.
A new direction in the 1980's for the Women's Bureau has been to
broaden the base of women's groups it serves. While not excluding
groups of women served in the past, the Bureau has provided the
leadership necessary to more effectively reach all categories of
working women. There are three very significant reasons for this
expansion. (1) Numbers. Women are entering the work force at the
spectacular rate of about one million per year. More than 49
million women having diverse cultural and racial backgrounds are now
in the labor force. The Women's Bureau wants to help as many as
possible. (2) Change. Many women in recent years have made
progress and have gotten a foot in the door. The Women's Bureau
wants the door open all the way. (3) Mandate. The mandate does not
categorize or limit the number or types of women to be served as
long as they are working women.
Significant Programs
O The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) of 1982 is the Admini-
stration's major job training program designed to replace CETA.
JTPA differs structurally and legislatively from CETA. The
Women's Bureau immediately recognized how the new law could
benefit women. It prepared a summary of the new legislation and
developed informational workshops to discuss the implementation
of JTPA and its effect on women. Thus far, 24,300 copies of the
summary, entitled "Summary and Analysis of the Job Training
Partnership Act of 1982," have been distributed; 15 workshops
have been held across the nation, bringing together State and
local government officials, representatives of the private sector
- 35 -
and community organizations to discuss and strategize on how best
to implement JTPA. Communities have responded enthusiastically
to the workshops. Congressional response has been favorable with
requests for additional workshops forthcoming. JTPA has a goal
of creating one million new jobs per year. The Women's Bureau
anticipates that women will be the recipients of a significant
portion of those jobs.
O
A major priority over the last two years has been employer-
sponsored child care. An increasing number of women entering the
labor force have young children. The Women's Bureau has been
addressing this issue in a variety of ways: (1) by providing
technical assistance to the White House Office of Private Sector
Initiatives for conferences on child care that are being conduc-
ted in various locales; (2) by funding model child care centers
and services for disadvantaged single mothers in conjunction with
the Rockefeller Foundation; (3) through the production of a video
tape that illustrates the possible solutions to caring for the
children of the working mother with help from employers; (4) by
preparing and distributing a publication that describes child
care options and tax incentives for employers; (5) by preparing a
technical assistance guide for employment and training providers
on child care and other support services; and (6) by helping to
establish employer-sponsored child care systems through initia-
tives in each of the ten Federal regions and coordinating its
efforts with HHS. It is important to note also that under JTPA,
funding may be used for support services, such as child care,
while the mother is in job training.
Procurement and Women-Owned Business Efforts
O Since President Reagan took office, more than 5,000 women have
received a total of nearly $6 million in back pay as a result of
DOL's enforcement of Executive Order 11246 which prohibits
discrimination by Federal contractors.
o Through the Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization,
DOL has substantially increased its efforts to identify and
assist women-owned businesses to participate in the Federal
Government's acquisition activities. The Office participates in
women-owned business conferences and seminars around the country
by conducting workshops, making speeches, and disseminating infor-
mation and publications. As a result, DOL contract awards to
profit and nonprofit women-owned/controlled organizations totaled
a significant $10.1 million in FY '83.
Employment Opportunities for Women
O In an effort to expand employment opportunities for persons who
are unable to work in a normal factory setting, DOL's Employment
Standards Administration (ESA) conducted an extensive review of
the industrial homework restrictions on homework in the knitted
outerwear industry. The removal of previous restrictions would,
for example, enable women who have to take care of small children
- 36 -
to be gainfully employed at home. Also, ESA was responsible for
revised regulations which will open more job opportunities for
unskilled and semiskilled workers on construction projects.
DOL has provided leadership through its Federal Women's Program
office to improve the status of federally employed women.
Initiatives include the Federal Women's Week programs and
participation in the OPM-sponsored Women's Executive Leadership
Program and the Federal Interagency Minority Women's Task Force.
DOL's Upward Mobility Program provides training and developmental
opportunities for DOL employees in grades GS-1 thru GS-9, the
majority of whom are women. In 1983, DOL organized a successful
Government-wide conference on Employment Issues Affecting
Minority Women.
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
Member: Loretta Cornelius
Deputy Director
Women in the Federal Work Force
Even during a period of a declining Federal work force and budget
cuts, recent statistics show that continuing progress has been made
in the employment of women. Highlights of accomplishments during FY
'83 include:
women increased their representation in the Federal work force
from 39.1% to 39.4%, while the representation of men decreased by
0.4%;
the representation of minority women in the Federal work force
(12.0%) exceeded their representation in the civilian labor force
(11.1%) ;
the representation of women increased in professional, admini-
strative, technical, and wage grade occupations. The largest
increase was in professional occupations (+5.68% change) ; and
the representation of women increased in every grade level group-
ing GS-5 thru GS-15 and in the Senior Executive levels. The
highest increase was in grades GS 13-15 (+9.99% change).
The Government-Wide Federal Women's Program
OPM provides policy-level guidance and program leadership for the
Government-wide Federal Women's Program (FWP). Primary legal respon-
sibility for FWP rests with top agency management. The Federal
Women's Program Manager (FWPM), appointed within each agency to
provide general oversight, identifies barriers, devises solutions,
and develops plans which agency officials can implement to promote
equal opportunity for women in the Federal Government.
- 37 -
OPM provides specific guidance and technical assistance to agencies.
Some examples of its efforts include:
encouraging recruiting and hiring of women for agency jobs which
offer them advancement consistent with their goals and abilities;
encouraging agencies to expand their opportunities for part-time
work and to restructure jobs so that women can compete for them
on an equal basis with men;
developing and using statistical information, assessing employ-
ment trends, and evaluating the progress of agency women;
encouraging women to consider technical and nontraditional fields
that, in many cases, offer better pay and advancement; and
O
reviewing agency regulations and policies to identify any poten-
tial adverse impact on the employment of women.
Gender Based Review Project
OPM has actively participated in the recent efforts coordinated by
the Department of Justice to identify overt gender discrimination
and gender specific terminology in Federal personnel management.
All statutes specific to OPM were reviewed for gender specific
terminology and disproportionate impact on one gender in 1978, upon
passage of the Civil Service Reform Act, and again as part of
President Reagan's Executive Order 12336 review.
OPM's Office of General Counsel has found no substantive discrimi-
nation. OPM's review included statutes, regulations, and policies
on veterans preference, the Whitten Amendment, full-time equiva-
lency, the rule of three, nepotism policies, limitations on
employee's official participation at professional meetings, civil
service retirement, pensions, upward mobility, qualification
standards, and recruitment and promotion practices.
Women's Executive Leadership Program
The Women's Executive Leadership Program has been designed to
provide training and other developmental experiences for women in
grades GS-9 thru GS-12 for eventual placement into supervisory and
managerial positions at grades GS-13 thru GS-15.
Although more women have moved into the professional ranks in the
Federal sector over the past several years and are technically
competent in their fields of expertise, many have not yet been
afforded sufficient visibility in assignments or provided with
training and education that will make them competitive for
supervisory, managerial, and executive opportunities. OPM is
establishing the program to address that need.
Approximately 45-50 women will participate in the initial program
which will last 12-15 months. In addition, rotational assignments
will be identified at the agency level to address each individual's
- 38 -
managerial, supervisory, and executive deficiencies. Federal depart-
ments and agencies will be allowed to nominate up to five candidates
with exceptional management potential for the program. Nominations
for the first class are due no later than July 13, 1984. The class
is scheduled to commence in mid-August.
The Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program
The Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program (FEORP) is an
adaptable affirmative employment program which requires targeted
recruitment of women, as well as minorities, when they are
underrepresented in an employment category in the Federal sector.
Each year, OPM has made numerous technical assistance visits to
agencies to aid them in developing strategies to recruit women and
minorities into the Federal work force.
Flexible Work Arrangements
OPM has responsibility for Government-wide implementation of the
Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act of
1982. The Act gives Federal agencies the authority to allow
employees more flexibility in scheduling their work weeks. The Act
has also served the dual purpose of providing a program which is
very popular among employees because of the flexibility it offers,
and providing sufficient management controls to ensure that the
program does not increase government costs or reduce efficiency or
service to the public. Surveys show that employees found that in
setting their own work schedules, they were able to: have more time
for household chores; spend more time participating in children's
school activities; experience more continuity for their home time
and more family flexibility; and spend less money for baby-sitting
services.
Part-Time Employment
The part-time employment initiative has provided women the flexibi-
lity to manage both career and family responsibilities. Since
Congress passed the part-time employment initiative in 1978, there
has been increasing interest on the part of Federal employees to
participate. Statistics indicate that as of 1980, more mothers of
small children have joined the Federal work force and government-
wide experience shows there is an increase in the quantity and
quality of jobs available for women. The initiative has also
generated opportunities for job sharing whereby two employees work
half time and share a single position.
The Upward Mobility Program
OPM provides guidance and technical assistance to agencies in
establishing upward mobility programs. Through this successful
program, secretaries have become program analysts; personnel clerks
have become personnel staffing specialists; and carpenters have
become builders. The program also enables the Federal Government to
attract women by demonstrating the availability of employee
development and advancement opportunities on a competitive basis.
- 39 -
Liaison with Constituency Organizations
OPM addresses the needs of all women working in the Federal sector
on a continuing basis by working closely with constituency organiza-
tions such as Federally Employed Women, Congresswomen's Caucus on
Women's Issues, Clearinghouse on Women's Issues, National Council of
Negro Women, National Institute for Women of Color, the Interagency
Committee on Women in Science and Engineering, Federal Interagency
Committee on Women in Law Enforcement, and other women's organiza-
tions. Through OPM's support of these organizations, significant
gains have been made in the hiring and advancement of women in
science, engineering, and law enforcement occupations. In addition,
OPM has been able to utilize additional resources to focus upon
enhancing employment of minority women in the Federal sector.
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Member: Carolyn Doppelt Gray
Director, Office of
Women's Business Ownership
National Initiative Program on Women's Business Ownership
On June 22, 1983, President Reagan announced the formation of the
National Initiative Program on Women's Business Ownership reaffirm-
ing his commitment to present and potential women entrepreneurs.
This Presidential Initiative directed the implementation of three
major activities and directed the Small Business Administration
(SBA) to provide such administrative services, funds, facilities,
staff and other support services as necessary for the performance of
these functions.
One component of this National Initiative Program was the
reactivation of the Interagency Committee on Women's Business
Enterprise (IAC). IAC, which coordinates, monitors and develops
Federal programs that affect women business owners, is composed of
high level, policy-making Federal officials representing various
departments and agencies.
Through the endeavors of IAC, there has been a major outreach with
each department and agency to insure coordination of programs, both
in the development and implementation stages. One example of
providing equitable opportunities for women business owners within
the Federal process is procurement. The procurement figures for
women have quadrupled since Executive Order 12138 was signed in
1979. Prime contract achievements to women owned small businesses
in FY '79 amounted to $181.3 million; this figure has steadily
increased to $863.4 million in FY '83.
The second component of the President's National Initiative Program
is the President's Advisory Committee on Women's Business Ownership
(PAC), established by President Reagan with Executive Order 12426.
- 40 -
This Committee, designed to raise the public awareness of women as
business owners, will provide the President with a status report on
women business owners and will initiate private sector activities
which benefit them. Currently, the Committee is inviting testimony
from the private sector concerning the status of businesses owned by
women and methods by which these enterprises might be encouraged to
develop.
The third component of the Presidential Initiative directs the SBA
to hold conferences throughout the country for women entrepreneurs.
These conferences are jointly sponsored by SBA and the private
sector and offer high quality skills training and networking oppor-
tuntities. The workshop utilizes a two-tract approach -- one for
entry-level businesses and one for growth businesses. Following
completion of the conferences, private sector groups provide
continuing training to assist women business owners in mastering
skills initially presented in conference workshops. Other private
sector local activities may include telephone hotlines, women
business owner directories, financing of venture capital and start
up loans, and further conferences.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Member: Ambassador Alfred C. Atherton, Jr.
Director General
of the Foreign Service
and Director of Personnel
Overseas Employment
Members of the families of Federal employees assigned abroad have
great difficulty continuing or beginning careers of their own
because of limited job opportunities for them as foreigners in local
markets. Executive Order 12362 of May 12, 1982 (47 FR 21231) was a
significant step forward in helping the career aspirations of these
family members. It authorizes family members who have completed 24
months of satisfactory service in government service abroad in
funded positions to be appointed non-competitively to a competitive
service position within the United States. The Office of Personnel
Management has issued regulations to implement the Executive Order
(5 CFR sections 301-303).
United States Embassies abroad, together with Defense Department
facilities, are the largest employers of family members of Federal
employees on temporary appointments. As a result of the Executive
Order and implementing regulations, those temporary employees may
now earn an opportunity to enter regular Civil Service career jobs
upon return to the United States. The Department of State believes
that the Executive Order, by enhancing career opportunities for
families of members of the Foreign Service, who spend most of their
careers abroad, contributes to its ability to retain these members
in overseas assignments.
- 41 -
State is now exploring the possibility of increasing the number of
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) hours available to overseas posts, so
that family members now under contract could be appointed to
temporary positions and earn qualification time under the Executive
Order.
State's Family Liaison Office also conducts regional conferences of
community liaison officers abroad. These officers provide counseling
and information to families of Federal employees, and the conferences
include such items as how to run career development workshops. In
addition, to enhance local market employment opportunities for family
members of Federal employees abroad, State negotiates bilateral
agreements with other interested countries which permit family
members on reciprocal basis to accept job offers which would other-
wise be unavailable because of the immigration or official status of
the family member. By the end of 1983, 11 such agreements had been
concluded.
Women in the Career Foreign Service
There has been substantial forward movement during the past several
years for professional women in the Department of State. From 1978-
1983 approximately 30% of the new Foreign Service officer candidates
hired were women. In 1982 this figure was 34.4%, and in 1983 it was
32.2%. As a result of this recruitment, the number of women in the
Foreign Service officer corps has increased dramatically, rising
from 5.1% in 1971 to 11.5% in 1979 and to 17.1% at the end of 1983.
Currently, 28.4% of the junior officers are women.
Women are competing very successfully for promotion within the
Service as evidenced by the fact that the number of women at the
FS-2--or roughly the GS-14 level--has almost doubled during the past
four years, rising from 8.5% to 16.2%.
State expects this higher percentage of women entrants and mid-level
officers to make a significant impact upon the senior levels of the
Foreign Service and correct the deficiencies of the past as the
officers are promoted upwards by the independent competitive.
promotion boards.
State has had a lot of success with its mid-level affirmative action
program to recruit women and minorities for the Foreign Service.
With a goal of 100 hires, the mid-level program recruited 156
officer candidates through the end of 1983, 104 of whom entered
between 1980-83. Thus far, over 90% of the individuals admitted
through the mid-level program are still in the Service. State
decided to phase out the program over a three-year period, beginning
this year, because of (a) the great improvement in the number of
minorities and women at the mid-level of the Foreign Service (b) a
preference for using the junior officer programs as the principal
vehicle for achieving affirmative action goals for the Foreign
Service and (c) the fact that hiring and retention under the mid-
level program has already been substantially in excess of State's
- 42 -
original goals. By the time this program is phased out in 1987, it
will have been used to hire 192 women and minorities--almost twice
the original goal. It also will have played a major role in the
effort to create a Foreign Service more representative of American
society--an objective adopted unambiguously since the early 1970s
and embodied in the Foreign Service Act of 1980.
Building a more representative Service has required more than simply
setting up employment opportunties. Promoting affirmative action
programs, and interesting women and minorities in Foreign Service
careers, have caused State to increase the number of personnel
involved with minority and female recruitment. Recruitment efforts
have included numerous visits to colleges and universities with
large numbers of minority and women students; advertising in local
newspapers and on radio stations to publicize visits by recruiters;
and attempts to enlist the support of major organizations represen-
ting women and minorities, to promote interest among these groups in
Foreign Service careers. The response to these efforts has been
very encouraging. Interest in the Foreign Service officer written
examination has gone up considerably in both target groups. Of
those who took the December 1983 written examination, about 40% were
women and 13% were minority. On this examination, the pass rate for
females exceeded that of males.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Member: Mari Maseng
Assistant Secretary for
Public Affairs
Overview
A comprehensive program was established by the Secretary of
Transportation to improve opportunities for women employees in DOT.
It seeks to:
increase opportunities for women to enter professional and
technical occupations;
prepare women in mid-level grades (GS-11-13) for more senior
management positions;
provide opportunities for women in management positions (GS-13-
15) to improve their skills and move into Senior Executive
Service (SES) positions; and
provide training in career planning for employees at mid-level
grades in positions with limited advancement opportunities.
While the concepts are not new, this is a comprehensive effort,
emphasizing technical skill development, mid and senior level
management and executive development opportunities. Commitment to
- 43 -
the effort is at the Department senior policy and management
levels. Ten Secretarial Initiatives to carry out the program are
described below.
Secretarial Initiatives
o The Upward Mobility Program enables current employees in lower
grades (the large majority of whom are women) to enter career
fields with greater opportunities. DOT has allowed for up to 50
upward mobility slots to be located in both headquarters and the
field. The Operating Administrations have currently dedicated
over 100 positions for upward mobility.
Career Planning for Employees with Limited Advancement Opportuni-
ties makes available a training course in career planning and
understanding of the Federal personnel system. The course was
developed to address the special needs of individuals in jobs at
the top of a clerical/secretarial/professional field with vir-
tually no further advancement opportunity. Over 100 employees,
most of whom are women, will have completed this three-day
training course by the end of 1984.
O
The Graduate Cooperative Education Program provides graduate
students who are enrolled in schools with cooperative (Co-op)
education agreements with the opportunity to obtain relevant work
experience. After completion of the program, students will
become full-time employees without having to go through a
competitive employment process. DOT has allowed for over 100
graduate cooperative appointments and 171 colleges and univer-
sities have been contacted.
o
DOT started special efforts to increase the number of women air
traffic controllers. The Air Traffic Controller (ATC) occupation
(including staff and supervisory positions) accounts for approxi-
mately 35% of DOT jobs. There are two means of entry: the Under-
graduate Cooperative Education Program and the Pre-Development
Program for Federal employees who pass the written air traffic
controller exam. DOT is placing special emphasis on these
programs to qualify women for ATC training and expects to bring
over 350 people, many of whom will be women, into the air traffic
occupation through these programs. In fact, 40 employees have
entered the Pre-Development Program so far this year; 28 (70%)
are women and 12 (30%) are minority women.
O The Secretary's Seminar for Prospective Women Managers is a
forty-hour residential training course for women in grades GS-11
to 13 (GS-14's may be considered) and their military equiva-
lents. The seminar addresses basic management concepts with an
emphasis on developing women as managers. By the end of FY 1984,
13 sessions in both headquarter and field locations will have
been completed with approximately 390 graduates. Six seminars
are scheduled for FY '85. A one day follow-up session for the
graduates of the first five seminars was conducted February 9,
1984, and was attended by 107 from both headquarters and the
field. A second follow-up session for remaining graduates is
scheduled for October 4, 1984. An informal "brown bag" network
has been established by seminar participants.
The Mobility Assignment Program matches employees' management
development interests with Operating Administrations' needs on
limited-duration projects. It provides for temporary lateral
placements of employees in grades 11 thru 14. The program is
voluntary and includes participation of graduates of management
training programs, with emphasis on women. The Operating Admini-
strations have identified over 150 assignments with additional
opportunities forthcoming as needs develop. The program is
announced for six weeks with emphasis on recruitment of women.
Although women occupy only 8% of DOT permanent civilian positions
at GS-11 thru 14, 54% of the 483 applications accepted for the
program are from women, 30% of whom are minority women. More
than 73% of the 483 candidates have already been referred to the
Operating Administrations for one or more jobs; 85% of the women
who applied have been referred.
O
There are special efforts to increase participation in the
Non-DOT Management Development Program. The goal is to double
the rate of participation by women in non-DOT Management Training.
Brochures such as "External Training for Department of Transporta-
tion Managers and Executives" are made available. The Office of
the Assistant Secretary for Administration is carefully screening
allocations for participation to achieve this goal.
Through an increase in the Intergovernmental Mobility Assignment
of Women, assignments to or from State and local governments and
institutions of higher education are intended to facilitate
Federal-State-local cooperation. Operating Administrations are
urged to increase the use of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act.
(IPA) authority, with emphasis on women.
o Participation in SES Candidate Development Program provides
executive development opportunities for "upcoming" women execu-
tives. Participants are selected through a merit process.
Twenty-eight candidates were selected for the program, 10 (36%)
of whom are women (four minority women).
o The Management Skills Seminar, a forty-hour training course in
management concepts and skills for employees in grades GS/GM 13
thru 15, was revised to include more information concerning women
in management, unique concerns of women employees, and similar
issues of interest to both men and women. A goal to increase
female participation to approximately 40% has been achieved.
Additional Efforts
O The Operating Administrations have undertaken a variety of
efforts in support of the overall program. Efforts include
recruitment and selection of women for less "traditional"
- 45 -
occupations (railway safety inspectors, auditors, etc.); special
training courses and seminars for secretaries, upward mobility
candidates and other groups; and workgroups, libraries on women's
issues, networks and voluntary mentoring have been initiated
since the establishment of the Secretary's program. Although not
an Initiative of the program, Operating Administrations have used
the Undergraduate Cooperative Education Program and their own
ceiling as another vehicle to bring more women into the work
force.
O The Affirmative Action Task Force of Transport Canada met with
members of the Departmental Office of Personnel and Training and
the Departmental Office of Civil Rights to discuss special employ-
ment programs. They were provided with information concerning
the Initiatives and were invited to have some of their employees
participate in the Secretary's Seminar for Prospective Women
Managers.
O A number of State agencies and other Federal departments have
requested information concerning the Secretary's program in
consideration of establishing or enhancing similar efforts.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Member: Donna Pope
Director, United States
Mint
Provisions of Importance to Women in 1981 Tax Reforms
Many provisions of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (ERTA) are
significant to women because of women's employment patterns, tradi-
tional family responsibilities, and the fact that women tend to live
longer than men. While the act itself does not favor women or men,
there are selected provisions that have significant impact on women.
The term "marriage penalty" has been used to describe the fact that
a married couple with 2 incomes pays higher taxes on a joint return
than they would if each were single. The closer the earnings of the
spouses, the greater the "penalty." ERTA provides substantial
relief by now allowing 10% of the first $30,000 earned by the
lower-paid spouse, up to a maximum of $3,000, to be deducted from
gross income.
ERTA reduced the personal income tax rates by 25% from the 1981
rates and dropped the maximum marginal tax rate which affects
adjusted gross income over $60,000, for people filing joint returns,
from 70% to a maximum of 50%. These provisions benefit women
business owners and professional women.
ERTA made changes in the child and dependent care credit so that
more may be claimed for the care of dependents of working taxpayers.
The expense limits were raised as well as the rate for computing the
credit. As a result of these changes, the credit for a person with
income up to $10,000 and one dependent increased from $400 to $720;
the credit for a person with income over $28,000 and one dependent
went from $400 to $480. In addition, the cost of employer-provided
child care is now a tax-free fringe benefit to employees.
ERTA virtually eliminated the so called "widow's tax." The law now
permits unlimited property transfers between spouses and raised the
tax exemption on inherited property from $175,625 in 1981 to $600,000
by 1987. These provisions are important to women, in particular,
because their life expectancy is greater than men's while often the
woman is economically dependent on her husband.
Proposed Tax Reforms Affecting Women
There are several new Administration proposals that affect women and
are included in the FY '85 budget. A proposed change to the Indivi-
dual Retirement Account (IRA) rule would raise the spousal IRA con-
tribution from $250 to $2,000. The law currently provides a $250
cap on yearly contributions to an IRA arrangement for a spouse who
does not work outside the home. On the other hand, the contribution
cap for a spouse who works outside the home is $2,000. The main
beneficiaries of the proposed change would be women not employed
outside the home and those with part-time earnings of less than
$2,000. This proposal, however, has not been enacted by the
Congress.
Another proposal that was included in the Deficit Reduction Act of
1984 would expand IRA deduction rules so that alimony would be
treated as compensation of the recipient. This provision will
benefit primarily women.
The Administration has also proposed to raise the maximum child and
dependent care credit rate from 30% to 40% for an individual with an
adjusted gross income of less than $11,000. The percentage would
decrease as income increases, so that the rate of credit would be
zero for individuals with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 or
more.
Gender-Based Mortality Tables
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued final regulations on May
11, 1984 on the use of unisex mortality tables in valuing various
property interests for income, estate, and gift tax purposes. The
new unisex tables eliminate the distinction in certain existing
tables between male and female life expectancies.
The actuarial tables the IRS used to calculate life expectancy were
sex-based; in other words, the value of the interest differed
depending on the sex of the person involved. For example, if a man
and a woman of the same age were given life estates in income from
identical trusts, her estate was determined to be more valuable, and
more gift tax may be owed, because she is expected to live longer
- 47 -
and, thus, receive a larger cumulative payment from the trust.
Under the new rules, the sex of the person benefiting from the trust
is irrelevant for calculating taxes owed. The new tables yield
expectancies only by age, with similarly situated men and women
being presumed to live as long as their counterparts of the other
sex.
Legal Policy Recommendations
In its report to the Attorney General on legal equity for women,
Treasury recommended specific changes in several passages in law and
regulation. These include:
Repeal of 19 U.S.C. 1582 (Customs) providing that "the
Secretary may employ female inspectors for the examination and
search of other females." Customs regulations and handbooks
currently provide that inspectors shall examine and search only
members of their own sex. This language will be changed through
the next bill recommending technical amendments.
Change 18 U.S.C. 3056 (Secret Service) to correct a textual
defect ("Secretary of the Treasury he").
H.R.
5189
was
introduced on March 20, 1984 to correct this textual defect.
Change 31 C.F.R. Chapter 5, which ignores the second person's,
i.e. the wife's, expenses as an equal person.
Amená 50 U.S.C. App. 9--application to women married to
non-citizens.
Amend 41 C.F.R. 10-12 808a to include "sex". This provision
states that "All financial agents agree as part of their
obligations as an equal opportunity employer not to maintain or
provide for employees any facilities which are segregated on the
basis of race, color, religion, or national origin, at the main
office or any branch office."
UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Member: Woodward Kingman
Associate Director for
Management
Overview
The Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) issued a
statement on January 6, 1984 reaffirming its fundamental policy that
fair opportunities must exist for all employees and job applicants
who seek professional advancement. To implement this policy, an
affirmative action plan for FY '84 was issued. This plan incorpo-
rates recruitment objectives to improve the status of women and
minorities for 11 leading occupational areas in the USIA's employ-
ment structure.
- 48 -
Women in the Career Foreign Service
By far, the most significant career area in the USIA is the Foreign
Service. The Foreign Service officer represents America to the
varied audiences overseas and is on the forefront of public diplo-
macy efforts. This past year, USIA has achieved almost an equal
split in the distribution of men and women among the 45 new entrants
to the Foreign Service. This represents a significant increase when
compared to the existing 20% representation of women in the Foreign
Service.
To enhance career opportunities for women in the Foreign Service,
the personnel assignment process gives full recognition to tandem
assignments--the opportunity for husbands and wives pursuing indivi-
dual careers in the Foreign Service to be assigned to the same post.
Women in the Domestic Work Force
On the domestic scene, USIA has strongly and quickly endorsed the
Women's Executive Leadership Program spearheaded by the Office of
Personnel Management. Thirty-three applicants were screened and the
names of five nominees have been forwarded for consideration by OPM
for this Federal program. Concurrently, USIA is working to estab-
lish its own training program to parallel the OPM course to achieve
similar objectives.
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
Member: Dr. Nora Kinzer
Special Assistant to
the Administrator
Overview
The issue of women veterans has been of paramount importance to the
Veterans Administration (VA) under the leadership of its Admini-
strator, Harry N. Walters. The VA is especially proud of the
efforts of the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans and all the
staff offices of the VA. Their efforts have resulted in wide-
ranging accomplishments for women veterans. These are described
below.
Gender-Based Review Project
Through the Office of General Counsel, the VA submitted three
reports to the Department of Justice which set forth the VA's
efforts to achieve sex equity in VA laws, regulations and policies.
As a result of this analysis, the VA transmitted to the House
Veterans' Affairs Committee a draft bill to eliminate gender-
specific language from Title 38 (Veterans' Benefits) of the United
States Code. The VA also adopted an internal rule (MP-1, Part II
- 49 -
Chapter 14) requiring staff offices and departments to eliminate or
correct gender-specific terminology, and it participated in the
Manhart Working Group formed by the Cabinet Council on Legal Policy
to review the use of sex differentiated mortality tables in VA
insurance programs as well as other programs.
Elimination of Barriers to Procurement
In conjunction with the Small Business Administration, the VA
established dollar goals for procurement from women-owned business
concerns. In addition, VA Circular 00-79-56, dated November 13,
1979, implemented Executive Order 12138 to foster Government pro-
curement from women-owned business concerns. Contracting with
women-owned businesses is reported and monitored by the Federal
Procurement Data System.
Advisory Committee on Women Veterans
Public Law 98-160, enacted on November 21, 1983, amended Title 38
(Veterans' Benefits) to establish the VA Advisory Committee on Women
Veterans. Eighteen members of the committee were chosen from an
applicant pool of over 400. Members represent veterans service
organizations, disabled veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Of the
six veterans who served during the Vietnam era, five are women who
served in Vietnam. The Chair of the Committee is a woman.
One significant result of the Advisory Committee was the initiation
of a Women Counselors' Program. The Committee recommended that a
high ranking woman employee of each VA medical center be appointed
to act as a counselor or ombudsperson regarding issues affecting
women veterans. The State of Florida took the lead by appointing
women counselors in every medical center and clinic in the State.
Reports indicate that the Women Counselors' Program is working
well. More importantly, this "grass roots" movement has spread to
other states.
Health Care for Female Veterans
Official VA circulars and letters were sent to all Department of
Medicine and Surgery facilities to assure that female veterans have
equal access to VA health care benefits and all activities involved
to provide complete physical examinations, needed gynecologic care,
and that the special health care needs of the women veteran are
included in all future VA planning efforts.
Outreach to Women Veterans
The VA has undertaken a wide ranging effort to inform women veterans
of their benefits and to emphasize the agency's concern for women
veterans. Administrator Walters and other senior VA officials, as
well as all members of the VA Advisory committee on Women Veterans,
have continually emphasized the importance of women veterans in
speeches, public appearances, media appearances, articles and direc-
tives within the VA. Interviews dealing with women veterans have
appeared in the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Time as well as
- 50 -
in television appearances on Woman to Woman, Panorama and local
television stations throughout the country. Within the VA, articles
have regularly appeared in the VA VAnguard emphasizing the
contribution of women veterans and women employees.
Recognition of Women Prisoners of War
The VA is proud of its special efforts to recognize the women
prisoners of war from World War II in Bataan and Corregidor. The VA
contacted all 81 women medical service personnel who survived prison
camp in the Phillipines from May 1942 to February 1945. Thirty-one
women came to Washington through donations given by service organiza-
tions. The Department of Defense honored these women as special
guests for POW/MIA Day, April 8, 1983. Special ceremonies were held
in honor of these forgotten heroines. Receptions wereheld by Chiefs
of Nursing Services of the Veterans Administration, Public Health
Service, Army, Navy and Air Force. A special luncheon with a speech
by Commander of the Joint Chiefs, John Vessey, was held at the
Pentagon. The capstone ceremony was a reception at the White House
where President Reagan spoke to the group.
The press and television coverage of the visit of the Angels of
Bataan focused on this group's heroism. Most importantly, this
publicity served to emphasize the contribution of all women to the
armed services.
Statistics on Women Veterans
Until the 1980 Census, there were no accurate data regarding women
veterans. The Female Veteran Population, November 1983, is a new VA
report which updates information on women veterans and is based on
1980 census figures.
Two other VA reports on women veterans have also been published,
both of which were prepared prior to the release of 1980 Census
data. Both of these are now being updated to reflect the most
recent statistics available. These are: Women Veterans Use of
Educational Benefits Under the GI Bill, September 1981, and Women
Veterans: Usage of VA Hospitalization, August 1982.
In addition, the VA is conducting a survey of women veterans through
a contractual arrangement with Louis Harris and Associates, Inc.
The survey will obtain data regarding women veterans and their
attitudes towards the VA and use, or non-use, of veterans benefits.
The contract, awarded on February 17, 1984, is for $789,449 and has
a sample size of 3,000 women veterans.