WFF contacts who work on Capitol Hill say many members of Congress are claiming they "have not heard from our constituents on affirmative action." This excuse is always part of the smoke that's blown before women get burned by a bad vote. The Dole/Canady bill (HR 2128, S 1085) that purports to ban affirmative action, but in fact overturns anti-discrimination law, could come up for a vote soon after the July 4th recess. Should this stinker become law, it would once again be legal to refuse to hire women, bar girls from some educational programs, and keep women out of military jobs. The bill labels women a threat to national security by making discrimination legal in any job with a "national security" component. If you haven't contacted your members of Congress -- even those you know won't vote for this -- do it now. Good guys and gals need our support, and NEVER, NEVER give the bad guys the excuse that they didn't hear from anybody. Put out the fire of hypocrisy by calling Congress at 202-225-3121.

If you can't answer the question, you can find out easily by ordering the Woman Activist's analysis of the 1st session of the 104th Congress. Congressional votes on women's issues on both sides of the aisle were the worst on record. This analysis rates every member of Congress on the so-called partial birth abortion ban, welfare, budget, and children's issues. Order for $3 from 2310 Barbour Road, Falls Church, Va 22043

Who says women in Congress don't make a difference? Thanks to the leadership of Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), the ban on abortions in military hospitals overseas has been repealed by the Senate as part of next year's defense authorization bill. Senators were undoubtedly bolstered by legal arguments made in a letter from NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund that was also signed by 28 women's advocacy groups. Give Murray (202-224-2621; fax 224-0238; E-mail [email protected]) and Snowe (202-224-5344; fax 224-1946; E-mail [email protected]) a thank-you, and urge House members to drop their ban at 202-225-3121.

President Clinton is signing waivers almost weekly for states to experiment with punitive welfare schemes, and the GOP welfare bill is making its way through Congress with harsh provisions that could drive women to seek unsafe abortions or stay with batterers. Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN) and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) will introduce a concurrent resolution today expressing the sense of Congress that any welfare reform should not penalize women who have already been victimized by domestic violence. The resolution calls for an evaluation of welfare bills to determine whether they will make it harder for women and their children to escape batterers, and also calls for a Comptroller General's study of the relationship between domestic violence and Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Members of Congress can show that they value the welfare of women as much as the welfare of state treasuries by signing on as original co-sponsors. Urge your Reps and Senators to get on board the Wellstone/Roybal-Allard Concurrent Resolution on welfare reform at 202-225-3121.

Help is on the way for one of the most overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated groups of women. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) have teamed up to author the Homemaker IRA Bill, which has cleared committee and may be sent to the Senate floor very soon. As things stand now, in two-career families spouses can put away $2000 each per year for individual retirement accounts, while those with a homemaker are allowed to save $2000 for the outside earner and only $250 for the homemaker. That says homemaking is worth only 10% of outside work. Present law was obviously written by people who never changed a dirty diaper, ironed a shirt, scrubbed a john, mopped a floor or cooked a meal. . . who in the world could that have been? The Hutchison-Mikulski Homemaker IRA Bill will put an equal value on homemaker's work. Call your Senator today (202-225-3121) to tell them if they really care about home and hearth, they'll support women by supporting this bill.

The Breast Cancer Awareness 32-cent stamp goes on sale tomorrow. With an initial print run of 100 million stamps, the Postal Service is waiving licensing fees on the design to encourage non-profits to create fundraising merchandise. Early detection literature will be in post office lobbies too.

NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund has just published Drawing the Line: A Handbook for Creating Community Residential Picketing and Buffer Zone Laws. It details what can and can't be done about residential picketing of abortion providers, explains buffer zones around clinics, and gives guidelines for community ordinances. A good primer on the legal status of cases, too. $5 from NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, 99 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013.

Two years ago Congress made it illegal for anyone subject to a domestic violence restraining order to own or buy a gun, but they failed to impose the gun ban on those already convicted of a domestic violence offense. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) wants to fix that by adding the Domestic Violence Offender Gun Bans (S.1632) to a bill now pending in the Senate that makes stalking across state lines a federal crime (S.1729). But friends of the National Rifle Association (including the anti-stalking bill author, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), who got $18,850 last year from the NRA), oppose the amendment. Pressure is needed to keep guns out of the hands of woman-beaters. Ask Sen. Hutchison to drop her opposition (202-224-9767; fax 202-228-3960, E-Mail: [email protected]), and urge your Senator to back the Lautenberg amendment at 202-224-3121.

DON'T MISS the 1996 Leadership Conference on Women, The Economy, and The Elections July 25 in Washington, D.C. The one day non-partisan conference convened by the Institute for Women's Policy Research will feature many nationally known speakers, including economist and journalist Julianne Malveaux, former Labor Secretary Lynn Martin, and National Women's Political Caucus President Anita Perez-Ferguson. Registration includes a comprehensive, user-friendly briefing book, lunch and reception. Info: 202-785-5100; fax 202-833-4362

The United Nations will name a new Secretary General this fall, to serve for five years. Four of the most eligible candidates are women: Sadako Ogata of Japan (head of U.N. High Commission for Refugees), Irish President Mary Robinson, Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, and former Finnish Defense Minister Elizabeth Rehn. What better statement than to have a woman leading the world into the next century? The ballot is secret, but U.S. recommendations are made beforehand by the State Dept. Send letters of support for your pick to Joseph Dickie, Ofc. of Program and Policy Coordination, State Dept. Rm. 4334A, Washington, D.C. 20520; 202-647-7142; fax 202-647-9722

June 15: National Women's Political Caucus presents the Young Women's Campaign Training and Job Fair for those interested in working on a campaign and/or running for office in the future. Workshops on campus organizing, media, field organizing, fund raising, and more. Meet candidates and prospective employers too. 8:30-5 pm. $25 includes lunch. NWPC, 202-785-1100; fax 202-785-3605; E-Mail [email protected]

Thanks to the activism of many groups working together, including the readers of WFF, the House passed the minimum wage raise last week. Help put this promise in the paychecks of low-wage women (the majority of workers at a minimum) by keeping pressure on the Senate (202-224-3121), expected to vote in the next two weeks.

African-American Women are organizing a Million Woman March and Conference June 14-16 in Los Angeles. Addressing issues affecting the family, including single parenthood and teen pregnancy, the event ($25) is open to women and men of all colors and will also feature health testing and voter registration. 800-498-FREE