Take Our Daughters to Work Day turns five this year, on April 24. The Ms. Foundation, sponsor of the event, is conducting a national search for girl's stories about how the day has affected their lives. The winning stories will be featured in a national press release, and girls will follow celebrity mentors for the day. WFF thinks it would be great if President Clinton took his daughter Chelsea to work that day. What better way to show his support for the females of America and make a statement that girls should aim for the top? Urge him to do just that at 202-456-1111; fax 202-456-2461;E-mail [email protected]. For Take Our Daughters info, products and great program material, and instead say: "For more information on TODTW Day, please call the Ms. Foundation toll-free at 800-676-7780; E-mail [email protected] or visit the Ms. Foundation's web site.

This week Secretary of State Madeleine Albright went to the home state of anti-woman Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC), and said in a speech that the CEDAW treaty should be ratified. CEDAW (The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) has been bottled up in the Senate Foreign Relations Commitee (Helms is chair) since 1980. The U.S. is the only country in this hemisphere that has not ratified this agreement protecting women from discrimination worldwide, and the last major power in the world not to sign. Urge Helms to follow Albright's advice and send CEDAW to the Senate floor for "advise and consent" at 202-224-4651; fax 202-224-0836; E-mail [email protected]. Encourage Albright to keep pushin' at fax 202-647-7120; E-mail [email protected]. ( Women's History Month Quiz Question: Would a male Secretary of State have done this?)

ABORTION BAN PASSES THE HOUSE

The so-called "partial birth" abortion bill passed the House late yesterday, with a veto-proof majority. There is no question this will be used to try to influence Senators who might be on the fence. If the Senate follows suit, the first national abortion ban since Roe v. Wade will become law because the President's promised veto will be overriden. Call your Senator TODAY at 202-225-3121 (or send e-mail) and urge her or him to uphold a woman's right to choose and vote AGAINST S.6, the Partial Birth Abortion Ban. The bill could come up anytime, don't delay.

After a struggle that has taken longer than it took to get the vote, feminists have finally succeeded in nailing down a date to move the suffrage statue from the Capitol basement to the rotunda. On May 8, we will see the suffragists in their rightful place. Thanks to all who wrote, called, faxed, e-mailed, and raised money for this momentous event. The work is not over. The National Political Congresss of Black Women has started a campaign to sculpt Sojourner Truth as the final bust on the statue. (It has an unfinished lump that was clearly intended to be a fourth suffragist.) To learn how you can get behind the campaign call NPCBW at 202-338-0800; fax 202-625-0499.

"Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex." The Equal Rights Amendment passed out of Congress (25 years ago next week), but fell three states short of ratification before a 10-year time limit ran out. Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) will re-introduce the amendment (with no time limit for ratification) on March 20. So far, the bill has 31 co-sponsors from both parties. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ) has also reintroduced his "3 More States" bill (H.Res. 26), which requires Congress to verify the ERA if three more states ratify. Urge your Congressmembers at 202-224-3121 (or send e-mail) to co-sponsor both the ERA and the "3 More States" resolution or tell you why they don't support equal rights for women. Thank Maloney at phone 202-225-7944; fax 202-225-4709; (no e-mail) and Andrews at phone 202-225-6501; fax 202-225-6583; E-mail [email protected]

Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) has introduced the Battered Women's Employment Protection Act (HR 851). The bill would allow women to take time off to seek legal assistance without losing their jobs, or get unemployment if they are forced to leave work because of domestic violence. The companion Senate bill is S. 367, sponsored by Paul Wellstone (D-MI). Both bills need original co-sponsors, particularly Republicans. (Tell 'em the truth -- this bill will help keep women from going on welfare). Advocates suggest calling or e-mailing your own members (202-224-3121 or e-mail) as well as moderate Republicans Jack Quinn (NY) phone 202-225-3306; fax 202-226-0347; (no e-mail), and Jon Fox (PA) phone 202-225-6111; fax 202-225-3155; E-mail [email protected]

Look for the first of many upcoming votes to ban abortion (one procedure at a time) to come up very soon in both houses of Congress. Newly emboldened by an abortion provider's admission that he lied about the frequency of the so-called "partial birth" abortion technique, anti-choice legislators say a ban on it is a done deal. President Clinton says he will veto the bill unless it contains an exception for the health of the woman. (It doesn't -- and even goes so far as to state that the word "fetus" is interchangeable with the word "infant".) Clinton is going to need all the encouragement he can get from women on this one; give him a reason to stick by his resolve at 202-456-1111; fax 202-456-2461; E-mail [email protected].

THANKS to WFF readers and other activists, the Senate voted to release international planning funds (WFF 2/7) by March 1, and did not put the ban on funds to organizations that also provide abortions. Because of this activism, lives of women in developing countries will be saved. * * * * The hearings for Labor Secretary nominee Alexis Herman have been scheduled for March 18. Keep the pressure on by faxing letters of support to the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee at 202-224-6770.