BPW/USA FACT SHEET

CONTACT:
PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER
202/293-1100

BPW/USA


The National Federation of Business and Professional Women of the United States of America (BPW/USA), founded in 1919, promotes equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, educational and information. With over 80,000 members in 2,800 local organizations represented in every congressional district in the country, BPW/USA includes among its members women and men of every age, race, religion, political party and socio-econonic background.

BPW/USA monitors federal legislation that affects working women and educates its members to become involved in public policy development in their own workplace, and at the local, state and federal goverment levels. As one of the original backers of the child labor laws and among the first of the women's organizations to endorse the Equal Rights Amendment in 1937, BPW/USA has been a leader in passing much of the nation's landmark civil and women's rights legislation including:

  • The Child Care Act of 1991
  • The Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988
  • The Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • The Equal Pay Act of 1963
  • Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislative Platform
BPW/USA annually releases its national legislative platform, which includes planks that call for:

    Economic Equity
    Ensure pay equity and equal educational opportunities at all stages of life; and promote affordable, quality dependent care to help ensure economic self-sufficiency.

    Health
    Ensure reproductive choice and full access to all reproductive health services and education; ensure funds for research into protection for women's health care needs; and encourage the developmentt of a national health plan recognizing the special health care needs of women.

    Civil Rights
    Ensure equal rights and remedies for women in all phases of their lives; eliminate sexual harassment and violence against women.

      BPW's political action committee, the BPW/PAC, provides contributions and endorsements to women and pro-women candidates who support BPW's legislative priorities.
The BPW Foundation
BPW's Foundation collects conducts and analyzes research on issues affecting women in the workplace, while providing financial assistance for women to further their education. The Foundation has awarded over $5 million in scholarships, loans and grants to some 7,000 women, raises money, to educate women who need additional skills to advance in their careers or re-enter the job market and to research and disseminate information about women in the workforce. The Foundation's Margarite Rawalt Resource Center, one of the nation's first and most comprehensive libraries dedicated to working women's issues, serves as a reference source of information for members and over 200 other libraries across the country.
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