Washington, Sept. 27, 2006 – The American Association of University Women released its Congressional Voting Record for the 109th Congress, which provides the public with critical information about how their Congress member voted on equity issues affecting women and girls.
“Voters deserve to know where their elected officials stand before they head to the ballot box,” said Lisa Maatz, AAUW Director of Public Policy and Government Relations.
Priority issues reflected in the voting record are education, budget and appropriations, civil and reproductive rights, and economic security. This year, only about forty percent of the members of Congress voted favorably on AAUW issues.
The Congressional Voting Record reflects AAUW’s efforts to block the privatization of Social Security, pass a House hate crimes amendment, increase funding for education programs, and stop attempts to discontinue vital gender equity programs.
“Women have a lot at stake for themselves and their families in the upcoming elections, and these unique concerns will be reflected in how they vote,” Maatz said. “The intent of the Congressional Voting Record is to provide voters with useful information before casting a ballot.”
The AAUW Capitol Hill Lobby Corps, a group of AAUW members and supporters that lobbies Congress each week it’s in session, will deliver the voting record to members of Congress on Sept. 28.
The voting record is part of AAUW’s Voter Education Campaign, which includes Woman-to-Woman Voter Turnout, a program aimed at increasing female voter turnout in the 2006 election and beyond.
AAUW’s Congressional Voting Record for the 109th Congress is available online at http://www.aauw.org/issue_advocacy/votingrecord.cfm.
For more information about AAUW’s Congressional Voting Record or to schedule an interview with the AAUW Director of Public Policy and Government Relations Lisa Maatz, please contact Rebecca Leaf at 202-785-7738, leafr@aauw.org or Ashley Carr at 202-785-7745, carra@aauw.org.
Note: Legislation was selected on the basis of the AAUW Public Policy Program adopted by AAUW convention delegates in June 2005. The voting record lists only roll-call votes officially recorded on the floor of the Senate or House of Representatives. The voting record is neither an endorsement nor a condemnation of any member of Congress.
