Democratic Women's Caucus touts equality issues

HELENA -Democratic women in the Legislature promised today to work for equality on the job, in health care and in the impending federal financial stimulus package.

The Democratic Women’s Caucus, founded last session and representing 31 female legislators this session, outlined its agenda in a press conference in the capitol.

“When women are not paid fairly, families are not paid fairly,” said House Speaker Pro Tempore Franke Wilmer, D-Bozeman (pictured).

Wilmer said women in Montana earn 70 cents for every dollar a man in the same job earns. She said the Women’s Caucus would work to help close the gap. “This wage gap is not fair and needs to change,” she said.

Rep. Michelle Reinhart, D-Missoula, said the Women’s Caucus sent letters to U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Max Baucus, both Democrats, asking them to keep women and children in mind when they discuss Montana’s share of the federal stimulus package.

“We want fairness in the economic stimulus package coming our way,” Reinhart said. She said it should not be assumed that women will benefit from the jobs created by the “shovel-ready” programs, because they are typically jobs held by men.

Reinhart said the stimulus must fund fields that employ large numbers of women, like education and health care.

Sen. Carol Juneau of Browning expressed disappointment at the tabling of House Bill 214, which would expand Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women. Juneau also said the caucus would oppose Senate Bill 142, which would repeal Montana’s unisex insurance laws.

“The bill would allow insurers to charge men and women different premiums,” Juneau said.

The lawmakers also said they support the Healthy Montana Kids Plan, as well as a Senate Bill 259, which would create an earned-income tax credit in Montana.

- by CNS correspondent Molly Priddy

Senate Demos vow to support federal stimulus bill

HELENA – Democrats in Montana's Senate promised today to help the new Obama administration enact a $825 billion federal stimulus package, much of which is expected to be funneled through the states.

“Getting Montanans back to work is the Senate Democrats' top priority,” said Sen. Mike Cooney of Helena, who added that the Legislature needs to put regulations in place to allow some of the federal money to be used in Montana.

Senate Minority Leader Carol Williams, D-Missoula, said Montana needs to have a “healthy, well-trained workforce” when the recovery package comes to the state. She promised legislation to spur economic recovery, but said the bills will not be ready until the federal bills are passed. Williams said they should be ready within 10 days.

Williams said lawmakers are working with Montana's congressional delegation to figure out how much federal money the state would get and when it would arrive. If the money comes after the Legislature ends, Williams said interim committees should be capable of handling it and a special session should not be warranted.

The Democrats said the recovery package will spur the infrastructure industry, creating new jobs for Montanans.

Williams also said Republicans and Democrats will need to work together with the federal government. Her comments were directed at House Minority Leader Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, who said earlier this week in a televised interview that Montana should not accept help from the federal government.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer submitted a $3.1 billion list of “shovel-ready” projects to the Obama administration earlier this month. Obama's stimulus plan has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representives.

-by CNS correspondent Molly Priddy