I recently learned that some legislation has been introduced that would establish a Presidential Commission on Women. This would be in addition to the White House Council on Women and Girls, which the Obama team established shortly after he took office. There is already a non-governmental organization, the National Association of Commissions for Women, which maybe somewhat redundant with the proposed commission.
I am active in my county's Women's Commission. In addition, my state legislature is revisiting the name, mission, and funding for my state's Council on Women. I am interested in sorting out some of these initiatives. I have posted what I know on the flip and would appreciate any additional information or thoughts anyone might care to share....
White House Council on Women and Girls - The mission of this newly created entity is to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families. The Council is chaired by Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, and includes representatives from all cabinet-level federal agencies. The Executive Director of the Council will be Tina Tchen, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Liaison at the White House. In particular, the Council will work to enhance, support and coordinate the efforts of existing programs for women and girls.
The announcement of the formation of this Council was met with mixed reactions HERE on DailyKos.
Valerie Jarrett is a Chicago lawyer and businesswoman who got her start in politics as the mayor's Deputy Corporation Counsel for Finance and Development. In 1991, as Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Richard Daley, she hired Michelle Robinson, then engaged to Barack Obama, away from a private law firm. She is one of Obama's long-time advisers. Tina Tchen is another Chicago lawyer and was a major fundraiser for Obama.
Presidential Commission on Women - Several weeks after Obama announced the creation of the White House Council on Women and Girls, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) confirmed her plans to introduce legislation (HR 1887) to set up this permanent federal commission on women. Rep. Speier says she does not see the two as being in competition, but complementary. Speier’s bill would set up a 13-member federal commission similar to one President Kennedy created in 1961 at the urging of Eleanor Roosevelt. The new commission would have a budget of $2 million a year; its commissioners would serve five-year terms appointed by the president or Congressional leaders.
The bill's cosponsors are listed HERE.
Speier is reportedly a member of Women Count, a new California-based group that blames gender bias for undermining Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and that has been calling for a national women’s commission. Some members said the interagency council Obama announced March 11 fell short of the full-time office or Cabinet-level influence they had hoped for.
Last month, a White House official said Obama considered a presidential women’s commission before deciding to set up the intra-government council instead. Speier said the White House is aware of her planned bill, but hasn’t signaled Obama’s stance on it.
National Association of Commissions for Women - NACW is the national advocate for local and state government commissions for women, but it is not a government entity itself. It grew out of the final report of the commission established by Kennedy and chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, which recommended that each state form a women's commission.
Today there are approximately 220 state, county and local commissions for women in the United States and its territories. These commissions are "advocates for equality and justice for women and serve their communities in a variety of ways, depending on the resources available. Many maintain shelters for the abused, others have tutorial programs for teens and illiterate adults, testify before their legislators on issues that impact women and their families, and disseminate information to their constituency. Each commission functions independently, but depend on NACW to provide national leadership and focus on their collective concerns. Member Commissions for Women, through NACW, keep the needs of women in the forefront of laws, policies, and practices, and promote the status of women."
The NACW seems to be lobbying the Obama team to direct funding through it to the already established women's commissions around the country, many of which operate on shoestring budgets. Presumably the argument is that this would be more cost-effective than setting up a whole new commission, and would get the money to the grassroots, where it belongs. I think this sounds reasonable, but I am not very familiar with the NACW. If anyone has any person knowledge of this organizaton, please share!
I also think this could be evidence of a continued power struggle between the Obama and Hillary camps (although not necessarily between Obama and Hillary). What do you think?