The Feminist Majority, a leading national women’s rights organization, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, today endorsed former governor Tim Kaine for United States Senator in his race against former Governor George Allen.
Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority, will appear at a forum discussion at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott at noon today with Kaine and with leaders from other Virginia and national women’s organizations including Bonnie Grabenhofner, executive vice president of the National Organization for Women; Sheila Coates, Black Women United for Action*; and Susan Scanlan, Chair of the National Council of Women’s Organizations.*
Smeal explained, “This is one of the most important Senate races for women in 2012. There is a stark difference between Tim Kaine and George Allen on women’s issues. Simply put, Kaine will support policies to increase women’s health access, to win women’s pay equity, to work for civil rights for all and to further early childhood education and expand educational opportunity, and to protect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Allen will not.”
“As Governor, Tim Kaine established the Virginia Sexual Violence Commission to reduce violence against women, issued an executive order to protect state workers from sex discrimination, and increased the number of state contracts awarded to women-owned and minority-owned small businesses. As Senator, Tim Kaine will fight to win equal pay for women through supporting legislation to strengthen federal laws banning sex discrimination in employment. Kaine will support women’s access to comprehensive health care including reproductive health services and oppose attempts to intrude upon women’s health services.”
Moreover, Smeal emphasized that “Kaine recognizes that Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are fundamental and he will fight to protect and strengthen them and oppose efforts to privatize Medicare and Social Security. Plus Kaine, as a former civil rights and fair housing attorney, has a proud record of working for civil rights for all people and is pledged to support federal policies that ‘treat all equally without regard to race, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.’ Kaine has a successful record expanding early childhood, technical, and higher education.”
###*Organizational Affiliation of Coates and Scanlan for Identification Purposes Only.