BPW TN Executives  Brave The Cold in D.C. to Lobby for Women's Bills on February 8, 2007.

Updated 02-21-2007

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On February 7 through 10, 2007, three members of BPW/TN Executive Committee, Gail  Humphrey, President, Sharon Taylor, President-Elect and Carol Turpen, Vice-President, along with 2000-2001 BPW/TN Past State President and member of the BPW/USA  Issues Management Task Force, Beth Bates, braved the bitter northeastern cold and attended the Policy and Action Conference and Interim Board Meeting in Washington, D.C.  Traditionally held in February, this is the time of the year that BPW/USA members across the United States converge on the Nations Capitol to lobby for legislation that affects all women.  The four days were chock-full of activities that were fun and enlightening.

On the morning of Thursday, February 8, Beth and Carol attended the BPW/PAC Breakfast with newly elected BPW/PAC endorsed Members of Congress.  Prior to the legislative meetings, the BPW/TN members posed for a group shot with the Capitol in the background.  They then visited the Supreme Court and attended a lecture in the actual courtroom.  They gained insight into how laws are interpreted at this judicial level.  Prior to meeting with their legislative representatives, everyone attended a panel presentation of the three bills to be discussed and lunch with Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).  The BPW/TN members then visited with representatives from the offices of Senator Lamar Alexander, Senator Bob Corker, Congressman John Tanner and Congressman Bart Gordon to discuss the following issues:

v     Heart Disease Education, Analysis and Research, and Treatment for Women Act or the             ‘HEART for Women Act’ (S2278).  This bill, introduced by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Lisa Murkoski (R-AK) and in the House by Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Barbara Cubin (R-WY) in Feb. 2006 is designed to raise awareness among women and their health care providers that heart disease is the number one killer of women.  It will provide screening for low-income at-risk women and provide gender and race-specific information for clinicians and researchers.  It also authorizes the Medicare program to conduct an educational awareness campaign for older women about the risk for heart disease and stroke.

v     Healthy Families Act – Would provide full-time employees with seven paid sick days a year to be used for their own medical needs or to tend to the medical needs of a child, spouse or parent.  Almost half of full-time, private sector workers have no paid sick days and this problem is particularly acute for working women. There would be no cost to the government.

v     Women’s Retirement Security Act – sponsored by Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) would assist women with their retirement by helping them to increase their retirement savings through automatic IRAs, preserve their income, provide equity in the case of divorce, improve financial literacy, and encourage small businesses to enter and remain in the employer retirement system by providing small businesses with a tax credit for contributions to a new qualified benefit plan.

 While we were unable to meet with the Legislators themselves, the assistants were quite knowledgeable about the issues and have the ears of their bosses.  Senator Alexander was scheduled to meet with us, but was tied up in a meeting, but showed up to greet us as we prepared to leave.

 On Wednesday evening, attendees attended a special screening of “Vietnam Nurses”, a Lifetime Television presentation for ‘Women Joining Forces” starring Dana DeLaney.  It was a moving and information documentary about the nurses who served in the Vietnam War and the special problems they faced upon their return.  This documentary emphasized the need today for the “Women Joining Forces” program which was initiated by BPW/USA in 2006.

.On Thursday evening, Beth and Sharon attended the Equal Rights Amendments Dinner  with guest speakers Amy Richards and Jennifer Baumgardner who co-wrote “Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism and the Future” which discussed the need to keep pursuing the ERA, and its importance to women today.  Following the dinner, a motivating special screening of a past episode of “Commander in Chief” starring Gena Davis that pertained to the ERA was shown.  Arkansas is very close to passing the ERA, so it was very timely.

 Friday brought legislative workshops and luncheon speakers such as Christine Griffin, Commissioner for the EEOC and Irene Natividad, President of the Global Summit of Women. Both women were moving and motivating.  All State Officers attended training sessions and a town hall meeting on Friday night to learn about proposed changes for BPW/USA and how we can continue to make this a striving organization.

 The members attended a financial review and Interim Board meeting on Saturday.  Many new proposed bylaws were brought before the Board that will be presented to the Convention Body in Reno in July, 2007.

Women for McLeary

Tue, 05 Sept, 2006

August 26, 2006, marked the 86^th anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving U.S. women the right to vote. “Women play a vital role in business, government and the professional workplace, in addition to the vital roles they play within their families and communities. I’m honored today to announce the formation of ‘Women for McLeary,’” I’ve learned from my mother, wife and others in my family that women have keen instincts and tremendous talents and gifts to share. I’m grateful that such a wonderful group is supporting our campaign.” said Senator Don McLeary R-Jackson.    

 “This group of supporters from across the 27^th Tennessee Senatorial District knows first-hand the issues that are most important to women, both in the workplace and in regard to their families. I will look to them for their trusted input and suggestions,” McLeary added. They plan to go from neighborhood to neighborhood, from workplace to workplace, from kitchen table to kitchen table, from the homeroom to the boardroom in support of Senator McLeary.

 Tennessee was a pivotal state in giving women the right to vote and was the last of the thirty-six states needed to ratify the 19^th Amendment. In 1920, Tennessee Republican Representative Harry Thomas Burn cast the deciding vote in the Tennessee legislature, thus ratifying the Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  History has noted that a letter from his mother advised Rep. Burn of McMinn County to vote in support of the measure. "When Harry Burn cast his vote, he said 'I always take my mother's advice’,” quoted McLeary. “Every boy would do well to listen to his mother,” he added.

 Women for McLeary consists of members from Madison, Carroll, and Gibson Counties including: Thelma Ross, Gay Gregson, Sherry Blackford, Barbara Miller, Libby Murphy, Ann Bailey, Sheryl Putnam, Judy Bowers, Doris Arnold, Joanne Goldstein, Syble Culbreath, Dawn Duke, Kathy Hull and Kathy Sacks.   Dawn, Kathy and Kathy are all members of McKenzie Business and Professional Women.  “It’s important to have elected officials who are accessible and who take the time to listen.  I have worked with Senator McLeary, both as a small business owner, and as a mother, regarding specific issues and I can tell you first-hand that Don McLeary cares about people and he follows through,” said Gay Gregson. “It’s so refreshing to work with someone who wants to do what’s right and who is open-minded,” added Sheryl Putnam.

McLeary, who is a member of McKenzie BPW, is the father of three, including two daughters. His daughter, Stacy Stidham, a teacher at Lane Magnet School in Jackson, shared a note her dad had written to her on Graduation Day and his advice he gives to all young women. “Always try to do the right thing in life whatever path you take.  Get an education, maintain a civic awareness, pass along to your families and friends the love and encouragement others shared with you to follow your dreams.  Know that you are unique and have special gifts and talents and never let anyone convince you otherwise. Be proactive regarding legislative issues that will affect your life.  Other countries don’t have the rights and freedoms we have in America, so take advantage of the right to vote, whatever your conviction.”

TN Women Suffrage Memorial Knoxville TN.

Tue, 05 Sept, 2006

Barbara Dean, TNBPW past state president an Sandra Bennett, Heart of Tennessee BPW Member attended the unveiling of the TN Woman Suffrage Memorial in Knoxville, TN on Saturday, August 26, 2006.
Following is a synopsis, provided by Sandra, of the events of the day.

It was a very hot and humid day in Knoxville, as I'm sure it was across most of Tennessee; a reminder of what August was like in 1920 when the final work for the passage of the 19th Amendment was going "hot" and heavy.  Seeing the women dressed in the vintage costumes of what was the fashion in 1920 made us even more mindful of the conditions under which the TN Suffragists worked. National suffragist leader, Carrie Chapman Catt came to Nashville in the summer of 1920 expecting to stay a few days, but was here for nearly six weeks.  She wrote on August 15, 1920: "I've been here a month. It is hot, muggy, nasty, and this last battle desperate. Even if we win, we who have been here will never remember it with anything but a shudder."
 

The program on Saturday began with a parade that included women
dressed as the suffragists dressed; girl scouts in uniforms from 1920;
automobiles from that era and women dressed in costume who rode
side-saddle on horses.  It was all very awe-inspiring and fun.

After the parade ended, everyone gathered in Market Square to hear
some great speeches and singing.  Representative Kim McMillan was there to
represent the Governor and presented a proclamation.  We truly admired
how she was able to sit on the stage, facing into the sun on that hot
and humid day and managed to stay looking fresh. I, for one, would
have wilted (and nearly did just standing in the shade!) - but not
Representative McMillan - cool as a cucumber!

The mayor of Knoxville was there and also spoke to the crowd.  He has
two daughters and said he was so grateful for the opportunities they
will have because of the sacrifices and hard work of the suffragists.
He sat next to Representative McMillan and we were impressed with his
chivalry as he kept jumping up to keep the American and Tennessee
flags from falling on the women who were seated on the stage.  There was
just enough breeze ......

The key-note speaker was Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey, who described
herself as "suffragist junkie".  To prove the point, she shared that
she has three dogs and they're all named after TN suffragists!  Judge
Daughtrey was the first female judge to sit on any of the Tennessee
courts of appeal, the first woman on the Tennessee Supreme Court and
is currently a highly regarded judge on the United States Court of
Appeals for the Sixth Circuit - and the perfect person to deliver the keynote
speech on this occasion.  In the conclusion of her speech, Judge
Daughtrey quoted Carrie Catt "Millions of dollars were raised, mainly
in small sums, and expended with economic care. Hundreds of women gave
the accumulated possibilities of an entire lifetime, thousands gave years
of their lives, hundreds of thousands gave constant interest and such aid
as they could. It was a continuous, seemingly endless, chain of
activity. Young suffragists who helped forge the last links of that
chain were not born when it began. Old suffragists who forged the
first links were dead when it ended..."  She noted that one of those who
forged the first chains and who was not there to see the victory was
Susan B. Anthony.

After the speeches, we moved to the monument where it was unveiled as
a crowd of women and men cheered.  The monument is beautiful and
beautifully done.  The three Tennessee suffragists selected for the
Memorial are: Lizzie Crozier French <honored_women.html>  of
Knoxville,
Anne Dallas Dudley <honored_women.html>  of Nashville, and Elizabeth
Avery Meriwether <honored_women.html>  of Memphis.  And each of these
women represent the hundreds of Tennessee suffragists from their
region in Tennessee.

I'll close this with another quote from Carrie Chapman Catt - "It is
doubtful if any man, even among suffrage men, ever realized what the
suffrage struggle came to mean to women before the end was allowed in
America. How much time and patience, how much work, energy, and
aspiration, how much faith, how much hope, how much despair went into
it. It leaves its mark on one, such a struggle . . . ."
I urge you all to honor these women and the 72 years of hard work and
sacrifices it took for them to give us the right to vote by exercising
your right to vote every time you have the opportunity to do so - and
to tell their stories as encouragement to your daughters, your friends
and family, to all the women who are the recipients of this great and
wonderful gift.

Sandra Bennett
August, 2006

 

Bill Signing - Health Insurance Continuance

Wed, 09 Aug 2006

Representing TNBPW were Cindy Burkitt, President, Tiffany
Striepling, Secretary, and Sandra Bennett, Member, of Heart of TN BPW. 
Representatives from the Nashville Women's Political Caucus and the
Tennessee Economic Council on Women were also present.

The "Health Insurance Continuance" bill, which was spearheaded by Patricia Thompson of East Memphis BPW, has been a legislative focus for TNBPW for several years.  An amended version of the original legislation was passed
this year, giving us a good "first step" in securing health insurance coverage for citizens of Tennessee who have lost the group insurance benefits they received from their spouse’s employer when a divorce or
separation occurs.

The amended legislation requires every insured or policy holder of a group policy of accident and sickness insurance sold in this state to provide at least 30 days' notice prior to termination of coverage of a spouse under this policy when a divorce, legal separation, or other separation has been filed or has become final. The notice must be in writing and sent via certified mail to the last known address of the spouse. This legislation also requires an employer to include a notice of these provisions in the plan summary for any group policy of accident and sickness insurance
offered to employees. The attorney for the insured in any divorce action must advise the insured or policyholder of the obligation imposed by this amendment. The administrative office of the courts would develop a model notice to
reflect these provisions. A second amendment provides that if, before entering an order or decree of divorce, “the court determines that the notification process has not been followed, then the court shall consider requiring the
insured or covered individual to provide a health care insurance policy for the former spouse”.  Patricia reminds us that BPW must continue to actively work for affordable health coverage with our legislators.

On July 21st, Governor Phil Bredesen signed this legislation into law, and the law will become effective

as of January 1,2007.  On hand at the signing were Cindy Burkitt, Tiffany Striepling and Sandra Bennett,

all of Heart of Tennessee BPW