Congress did not have many high profile issues regarding women in the first half of the 107th Congress. Even so, there are numerous issues of importance to women still pending on the agendas of several congressional committees. Once the President has delivered the annual State of the Union address on January 29th, it is expected that many of these issues will be pushed by those who sponsored the bills. Advocates with an interest in these issues can begin to communicate with their elected officials over the next few months to encourage action. Here are some issues to look out for.

Social Services

Funding for food stamps and Women, Infant and Children (WIC) programs is an annual occurrence as part of the federal budget reauthorization and appropriations process. Advocates will have to maintain constant pressure on their elected officials to see that these programs are not short changed in the wake of projected shortfalls, now that the budget surplus is only a distant reality.

With unemployment increasing, TANF reauthorization is even more crucial. This Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program will have no support if not reauthorized by this session of Congress. TANF is the nation's primary welfare program. One child in five in the United States is officially poor.

Family Planning

U.S. financial support for international family planning has always been controversial, in that those who do not support family planning have always advocated that federal dollars not be spent in this way. During the Clinton Administration, the U.S. supported international family planning programs in its foreign aid budget. That has been stopped in the current administration.

HR 361 states that: "The health of the planet is connected to the health of women and their families. Rapid population growth exacerbates many environmental problems, including air and water pollution, loss of wildlife habitat, fisheries depletion, and climate change - global problems that transcend national boundaries. Family planning programs give women the option to choose the number and spacing of their children, which contributes to slowing global population growth."

Gun Control

Congress went into the winter recess without any progress on the Licensing and Record of Sale Acts (S 25/HR 1247), or the Gun Show Background Check Act (S 767/HR 2377). Senator Jack Reed wants to attach his bill, S 767, to any upcoming homeland security legislation, by framing the gun show loophole as a threat to domestic safety.

However, a focus exclusively on terrorism prevention could render the bill ineffective in protecting the public-especially women and children-from gun violence. In their current form, these bills could go a long way toward keeping firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers and children by providing stiff penalties for transfer of firearms to prohibited individuals.

The Child Safety Lock Acts (S 436/HR 233), which require the use of safe-storage devices for all firearms kept in an area where children may be present, have received little support.

CEDAW

The United Nations Convention to End Discrimination Against Women is still awaiting ratification by the U.S. Senate. With a 50/50 split in party affiliation in the current Senate, it is unclear if this issue will be brought through the Judiciary Committee and then on to the full Senate for ratification. It is also not known what President Bush would do if it came to his desk for signature. A sustained push by advocates could make this happen over the next few years. One hundred seventy-one nations have already ratified this agreement.

Sex Trafficking

International trafficking in women and children continues to be a growing problem. The U.S. is not immune. According to the findings section of H.Res.86, "...illegal trafficking in women and children involves between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 women and children each year, of whom 50,000 are transported into the United States."

Child Sex Abuse

The U.S. Department of Justice funded a three-year study to analyze the growing problem of the sexual exploitation of children in the U.S. The findings of this study may soon be introduced into Congress with proposed solutions. Preliminary releases on the findings show that approximately 325,000 children are sexually exploited in the U.S. each year; 121,911 ran away from home, and 51,602 were thrown out of their homes by a parent or a guardian. Twenty-five percent of the exploiters of children are other children. Those who perpetrate sex crimes against children come from all walks of life, income, race; even from previously trustworthy friends and family members.

Juvenile Justice

Congress continues to debate the plight of youth who get caught up in the criminal justice system. Should they be tried as adults when they have committed a serious crime; or handled by the juvenile system? If found guilty, should they be protected from adult prisoners, or allowed to be placed in cells with adults? Should they be exempted from the death penalty no matter how serious their crime? These and other questions will be debated in the committee rooms of both the House and the Senate.

Other issues that impact women and families that will get less attention this session are social security, pay equity for women, health care and domestic violence. Bills on these issues will be in committee, but may be overshadowed by international security concerns. There is not likely to be much on education, since Congress just passed a major education bill during the last days of 2001.