On July 16th the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC), of the U.S. Postal Service, recommended that Postmaster General Marvin Runyon not consider a commemorative stamp recognizing the 150th Anniversary of the Seneca Falls Women's Right's Convention next year. CSAC's cited arguments like stamps need to be "both interesting and educational", and that recommendations are based on "national interest, historical perspective". The Post Master General makes the final decision and has the power to overturn CSAC's decision. Urge Runyon (E-mail [email protected]; Fax: 202-268-4860) to print the stamp and acknowledge that women are a part of American history. Letters are needed NOW since Runyon can make a decision any time for the final list, to be released early fall. For more information and a copy of "The State of the Stamp" call Rep. Carolyn Maloney's office (Tel: 202-225-7944), who has been working hard to get the stamp approved.

The U.S. Department of Education issued guidelines for schools to deal with sexual harassment last March. Now the department says it's out of copies -- and schools that need the guidelines to move forward in combating sexual harassment are out of luck. Twenty years ago, Pres. Tricky-Dick made sure copies of Title IX went to every school in the land. If the Clinton Administration cares about women and about education, as it claims, no less should be done now. Tell Secretary of Education Richard Riley to use some discretionary money to get the guidelines out -- or hold a bake sale to do the same. Send him a cake, muffin, or pie (or letters of encouragement) at Dept. of Ed., 600 Independence Ave., SW, Washington DC 20202, or fax to: 202-401-0596.

As the boys on both ends of Pennsylvania avenue keep bargaining over the budget, it's becoming clear that Medicare cuts are right in the middle of the table. One way to cut is to up the eligibility age from 65 to 67. The hardship from raising the age of eligibility will fall disproportionately on women. More women than men in the 55-65 age range lack insurance coverage (probably because they have a crummy job with no benefits, or they lost insurance through widowhood or being dumped for a trophy wife). Asking a 65-year-old woman to wait two more years for coverage could seriously damage her health especially if she's already been waiting several years to get needed medical procedures. Support Republican Alfonse D'Amato (no, that's not a misprint!) (202-224-6542; fax 202-224-5871; E-mail [email protected]) and Dem Ted Kennedy (202-224-4543; fax 202-224-2417; E-mail [email protected] in their crusade to resist this change. And call your own senator at 202-224-3121 (or send e-mail) while you're at it.

President Clinton just asked for and got from the Senate (by a 94-4 vote) $1.9 billion of your tax dollars to keep U.S. troops in Bosnia as part of the NATO peacekeeping force. During the war in Bosnia, thousands of women were herded into camps and systematically raped as part of a larger campaign of "ethnic cleansing". Many of the rapists were indicted as war criminals by the International War Crimes Tribunal, and the Dayton Accords empower NATO troops to arrest these men whenever and wherever they're encountered. The Coalition for International Justice has documented that no arrests are being made by our NATO troops, despite numerous such encounters, and despite the fact that whereabouts of many of the criminals is known. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (202-647-5291; fax 202-647-1533; E-mail [email protected]) is pushing for the arrests, but the Pentagon brass and Joint Chiefs of Staff are resisting (don't tell us women don't make a difference). The Coalition has asked President Clinton why American NATO troops (the largest contingent) have been denied authority to make the arrests, even though the British Troops are taking action. Urge the Prez to stand up for the women who were wronged, and make sure our troops do their job (comment line: 202-456-1111; fax 202-456-2461; E-mail [email protected])

Budget deliberations continue as our lawmakers try to squeeze another few bucks out of women and kids so the boys at Defense can maintain their standard of living. The Republican proposal targeted working women by denying the $500 per child tax credit to working poor families and halving it for middle class families who use outside child care (WFF 6/20). The Democratic Leadership Committee proposed an alternative that would make all working families eligible for the full credit. Their proposal was defeated, but the Clinton administration is continuing to negotiate in the conference committee. Urge President Clinton to stand by working women by standing firm for the full tax credit for working families, not just those who don't use the child care credit (White House comment line 202-456-1111; fax 202-456-2461; e-mail [email protected]). And tell the Republican conferees that working women will remember in November of '98 if their families don't get the same tax benefits as families with stay-at-home moms: Trent Lott (R-MS), 202-224-6253; fax 202-228-0360, e-mail [email protected]; Bill Archer (R-TX), 202-225-2571; fax 202-225-4381 (no e-mail). Tell 'em if they really want to knock out a twofer, just cut out business lunch deductions for corporate execs who also deduct business vehicles.

Mad-dog Charles Canady (R-FL) and a passel of his buddies (including four women) have re-introduced HR 1909, a bill which would wipe out affirmative action in federal employment and contracting. In double-speak we've grown used to, they named it the Civil Rights Act of 1997. This bill could come up for a vote in the next two weeks. If it passes, women's employment will be set back to the 1970s, since companies would no longer be obligated to seek qualified women or minorities at all. If you don't want to see ads saying Help Wanted, Male and doors to the workplace slammed in women's faces, call your House members today at 202-224-3121 (or send e-mail) and tell them to vote against this outrage. Remind them that women are only 5% of upper management in the Fortune 2000, 8% of engineers, and 16% of physicists.