House of Representatives:
June 22, - Bill first introduced to the House of Representatives
July 18, - Amended by the Committee on Education and Labor
July 31, 2007 - Passed in the House with 225 Yeas and 199 Nays

U.S. Senate-
August 1, 2007 - received in Senate
September 23, 2008 Bill went to the Committee on the Judiciary and hearings held

In the case of Ledbetter vs. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, the majority opinion, (Justice Alito, Justice Roberts, Justice Scalia, Justice Kennedy, and Justice Thomas), declared that, because a Title VII complaint must be filed within 180 days after the discriminatory act in question has occurred, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company could not be held liable. Furthermore, it was decided that the claim that 'each check was an act of discrimination' was not consistent with the law because there was no evidence of any discriminatory intent in when issuing the checks.

The dissenting opinion, (Justice Ginsburg, Justice Stevens, Justice Souter, and Justice Breyer), argued against applying the 180-day limit to pay discrimination because this type of discrimination tends to happen in small incremenets over a large period of time, making it hard to detect in such a short time period particularly since pay information is often kept confidential leaving it difficult to make comparisons between employees. In addition, the dissent argued that the employer had been carrying on with pay discrimination during the 180-day charging period, so the company could be held liable.

Mandatory Waiting Periods for Abortions:

Mandatory waiting periods require women seeking abortions to wait for a period of time before the procedure may be performed. Generally, a woman must come to the abortion clinic for an initial consultation and is then must wait 24 hours later to receive the procedure, rather than have it done right away. Several states have enacted laws requiring a 24 or 48- hour waiting period. The result of mandatory waiting periods is that women incur more expenses, particularly when they are forced to travel long distances to reach a clinic. They not only have to pay the expenses of costly long-distance trips but also hotel stays and food bills. Women are endangered by the mandatory wait because they have increased exposure to anti-abortion protestors who harass women going in for procedures. Additionally, the potential risk for complications increases because often women have to wait longer than 24 hours until they can receive the procedure. As the gestational age of the fetus increases, so do the health risks for women.

Where we stand: The National Women's Political Caucus supports a woman's access to abortions without unnecessary hassle and delay.

Sex Education:

Sex education provides accurate information on healthy relationships, peer pressure, contraception and abstinence in order for youth to use their own values to make healthy decisions. Comprehensive sex education teaches that abstinence is the best method of protection against unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases but it also teaches age-appropriate medical information about contraceptives. It provides information about sexual orientation, sexual expression and sexual health as well as the specifics of how to use a condom and what options a woman with an unintended pregnancy has. Comprehensive sex education combines practical, medical, and moral information to best prepare youth to make informed decisions.

Where we stand: The National Women's Political Caucus supports comprehensive sex education that allows youth to know all of their options and make informed decisions.

International Human Rights for Women:

Women are often the target of human rights violations specifically because they are women. Violence and sexual abuse in the home is still practiced in many countries with little regulation. Women are discriminated against for jobs and higher education. In many countries, women have little or no control over their reproductive rights and often have no access to reproductive health care. In some societies, there are cultural and religious practices violating women's human rights that are not regulated by governments, leaving women without any protection under the law. Human rights for women must include equal protection under the law, protections against domestic abuse, freedom to make their own reproductive choices as well as the ability to receive education and work without discrimination. It also includes the ability to choose when and whom they marry, the ability to end a marriage and the ability to hold political office. Human rights for women mean that they are equal to men and deserve the same opportunities that men do.

Where we stand: The National Women's Political Caucus supports human rights for all women across the globe, so that women may live in a free society.

RU486:

In 2000, the Food and Drug Administration approved RU486, more commonly known as the abortion pill. RU486 is a non-surgical pill that enables early termination within the first seven weeks of the pregnancy. The abortion pill is a less invasive and provides women with another option for termination. The pill is available by prescription.

Where we stand: The National Women's Political Caucus supports availability of RU486 and emergency contraception. The NWPC does not support pharmacists who determine who can and cannot receive them.  

Long-Term Care Insurance:

Long-term care is required for many Americans with permanent disabilities and illnesses. Assisted living, whether at home or in a nursing home, is very expensive and long-term care insurance helps to cover the insured's medical and non-medical costs. While most people in need of long-term care are elderly, long-term care may be necessary at any age. Insurance helps to protect everyone from the financial difficulties that an unexpected need of long-term care might create.

Where we stand: The National Women's Political Caucus supports long-term care insurance for women.

Equality of Insurance Benefits:

A majority of insurance companies do not provide coverage for essential services, such as contraceptive drugs and devices. Contraceptives are a key factor in reducing unwanted pregnancies and should be considered as any other type of outpatient medical service. By providing coverage for contraceptives, insurance companies can spare themselves the potential costs of abortions or maternity care. The Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act that was introduced in both the House and the Senate sought to make coverage equal for both services. Any insurance plan providing outpatient coverage would be required to cover contraceptive services and any plan providing prescription drugs would be required to cover contraceptive drugs. Many states have passed similar bills ensuring that women are not discriminated against by their health insurance providers.

Where we stand: The National Women's Political Caucus supports mandatory coverage of family planning, including contraceptive drugs and devices. 

Family Leave Act:

The Family Leave Act mandated that an employer must allow an employee to take off up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a year in order to care for a newborn child, care for a newly adopted child, care for an immediate family member or to recuperate from a serious medical condition.

Where we stand: The National Women's Political Caucus supports the Family Leave Act and would like to see an expansion of its coverage. 

A Living Wage:

A living wage would increase the income of low wage earners so that they may be able to support their family without additional government assistance because the current federal minimum wage is not adequate for a full time worker with a family. Living wages are generally determined as the hourly wage necessary for a full time worker to support a family of four at the poverty level. The specific wage varies from state to state because of the differences in costs of living. Ordinances have been passed requiring that government workers and workers of government contractors be given adequate living wages so that they will not require other government assistance. Living wage ordinances are important to ensuring that the government is not contributing and encouraging the creation of low-wage jobs that place workers under the poverty line. Currently, there are no federal laws about a living wage and the federal minimum wage remains at $5.15 per hour.

Where we stand: The National Women's Political Caucus supports the adoption of a national living wage.