POSITIONS ON SOCIAL POLICY
SOCIAL POLICY
First League Action: In 1921, the League lobbied successfully for passage of the Sheppard-Towner Act to provide federal aid for maternal and infant care. Passage of this act provided a stepping stone for the Social Security Act of 1935.
Most significant contribution: During the campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment, the League mobilized tens of thousands of women in support of the amendment and significantly raised public awareness about everyday discrimination against women.
Legislative victories included banning discrimination in the workplace against pregnant women and Title IX, which prohibits discrimination against women and girls in education.
Current and future goals: Supporting programs to protect children at risk; supporting all levels of discrimination against women.
Recent Actions: The LWV cooperates with Planned Parenthood to advocate for freedom of choice. The League also supports foreign aid for family planning.
LWV HA is a member of One Voice Texas, a network of public, private and non-profit organizations and individuals working together to ensure that the health and human services needs of all Texans are addressed in legislative, regulatory, funding and other public policy initiatives.
LWV HA has representatives on the following One Voice committees: Basic Needs, Behavioral Health, Community Care for Seniors and Person with Disabilities, Community Support for Public Education, Early Childhood Education, and Health Care.
LWV HA continues to lobby for the ratification of CEDAW, Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women Treaty. CEDAW, adopted by the United Nations in 1979, has never been ratified in the United States.
LWV HA Local Positions on Social Policy include positions on
● Administration of Justice
● Bilingual Education
● Child Abuse and Neglect
● Domestic Violence
● Education
● Health Care: Financing and Delivering
● Housing
● Sexuality Education and Reproductive Services
For a complete discussion of these positions and the actions taken, download the PDF, the LWV HA Program for Study and Action: A Guide to Local League Program.
Updated: October, 2009