The Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) has initiated a Contract with American Women Campaign to implement the commitments made by U.S. policy makers at the UN Fourth World Conference in Beijing. The 12-point Contract addresses workplace and educational equity, reproductive and family rights, health care and more. It will provide a potent mechanism for monitoring and advocacy and women can use it to participate fully in the political process during the 1996 election year. WEDO is developing State Contracts for Women by adapting them to the needs and priorities of local constituencies. The Contract with American Women will be introduced along with the first State Contracts on March 8, International Women's Day at a press conference in Washington, D.C. WEDO is seeking sponsor organizations and wants your input. Get with the Contract by calling WEDO at 212-759-7982; fax 212-759-8647; E-MAIL: [email protected]

In 1921, the Woman's Suffrage Statue (featuring Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony) was placed in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, but it was banished to the basement only two days after its dedication. Women have been trying to get it moved back to the rotunda ever since. This struggle has now taken as long as it took to get suffrage in the first place. Thanks to female impersonator Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), public funds have been denied, even though the move falls under the usual and ordinary business of the Architect of the Capitol (whose office has recently commissioned a statue of Spiro Agnew to be bought with public money). Senator John Warner (R-VA) has announced a new effort to get this memorial honoring women back where it belongs, but only if women pay for it out of their own pockets. Warner seeks $75 thousand in $1 donations from individual women, so they feel they "had a hand" in the project. Tell Warner (202-224-2023; fax 224-6295; E-MAIL: [email protected]) and your own member of Congress (202-225-3121) you've already "had a hand" in providing the tax dollars that rightfully should pay for this. If you want to contribute, we suggest you do so under protest by marking it your UNFAIR SHARE. It goes to Statue Campaign, 303 W. Glendale Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301.

The U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR), directed by Congress last year to study the unfunded mandates issue, released its report last month. Seven programs, including the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Equal Pay Act, are targeted for repeal insofar as they apply to state and local governments. If public employers are exempted from compliance, private companies won't be far behind. ACIR is calling for public comment and review; comments will be taken through March 15th. It is very important that women's voices be heard in stopping this assault onhard-fought workplace gains. To comment or get the full report call 202-653-5540; fax 202-653-5429 or write ACIR at 800 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20575

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is caught in the budget crossfire between the Administration and Congress. As things stand now, there is no funding because the bill for Labor/HHS funding appropriations is nowhere near passing. The current continuing resolution (a temporary measure funding programs at last year's level) doesn't cover most parts of VAWA. The problem? VAWA programs are new for FY '96 - - they were not funded last year. Seventy-five women members of the House have signed a letter to the Chairs of the Appropriations Committees asking that amounts that were scheduled for VAWA in the stalled bill be added to any year-long continuing resolution. Activists should do the same. Call your own Rep. (202-225-3121) or committee chairs John Porter (202-225-4385; fax 202-225-0157) and Arlen Specter (202-224-4254; fax 202-224-1893). Full funding for the National Domestic Violence Hotline is also caught up in this mess - many women seeking shelter may call and get no answer if Congress doesn't act quickly. For up-to-the minute info on the status of VAWA, call NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund at 202-544-4470.

Municipal bond brokerage house Lebenthal & Company is using a woman's image to go after new business on the Internet - - but she's not your usual porno pin-up. CEO Alexandra Lebenthal features her grandmother Sayra (who co-founded the company) on the firm's home page. Find Sayra at http://www.munibonds.com or through more conventional means at 800-221-5822.

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) will soon introduce the FAIR PAY ACT of 1996. THE FPA is a companion bill to one introduced in the House last year by Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC). It prohibits discrimination in pay for jobs of equal skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions, even if the actual work and job titles differ. Another very important provision will require employers to disclose pay statistics by gender and race. Senator Harkin is circulating a "Dear Colleague" letter asking other senators to sign-on as original co-sponsors. As many senators as possible, particularly the women in the Senate, should be contacted immediately and asked to sign on as an original co-sponsor of the Fair Pay Act. Call (202-225-3121), fax, or e-mail your own senator today, plus at least one female senator even if you are not in her state. (All area codes 202 unless noted).

Sen. Barbara Boxer 224-3553 fax 415-956-6701 E-MAIL: [email protected]
Sen. Diane Feinstein 224-3841 fax 228-3954 E-MAIL: [email protected]
Sen. Kay Hutchinson 224-5922 fax 224-0776 E-MAIL: [email protected]
Sen. Nancy Kassebaum 224-4774 fax 224-3514 (no e-mail account)
Sen. Carol Mosely-Braun 224-2854 fax 224-2626 E-MAIL: [email protected]
Sen. Patty Murray 224-2621 fax 224-0238 E-MAIL: [email protected]
Sen. Olympia Snowe 224-5344 fax 224-1946 (no e-mail account)
Senator Barbara Mikulski; telephone 202-224-4654; E-MAIL: [email protected]

Fair pay will be a rallying point for women in this election year. To sign a petition in favor of fair pay or get a copy of the petition to circulate to your group, call the National Committee on Pay Equity at 202-331-7343; fax 202-331-7406

The Date/Marital Rape Education project has an opportunity to reach out, collect and catalogue 27 years of campaigning for the basic human rights and dignity of girls into an accessible database of resources for use by groups and individuals nationally. The project has been promised a grant to make this happen - if they can raise a small amount of matching funds by March 1.

Make tax deductible checks payable to San Franciscon Women's Centers D/MREP project, 2325 Oak Street, Berkeley, CA 94708. (510) 524-1582