Dear (Contact First Name),
 
This week, Americans take a day to honor our mothers for the incomparable job they do. But millions of mothers in the United States -- particularly women raising children on their own -- are still struggling each day to overcome significant economic disadvantages:
  • On average, mothers earn 10 percent less than childless women and an alarming 27 percent less than men, who do not experience a similar financial penalty for fatherhood.
  • 37 percent of all single mothers and 42 percent of displaced homemakers (widowed or divorced women who must re-enter the workforce after many years at home caring for their families) live in poverty.
  • And, single mothers are already being disproportionately affected by the economic downturn; their unemployment rate has risen from 6.7% in March 2007 to 7.1% last month-far eclipsing the national average.

This Mother's Day, give these moms a gift they can really use - access to a career path that leads to higher earnings and long-term economic security.  The Pathways Advancing Career Training (PACT) Act, recently introduced by Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA), would fund programs that help low-income mothers find, train for, and succeed in high-wage, high-skill jobs with prospects for advancement.  Ask your Representative to co-sponsor the PACT Act, HR 5774, TODAY!

Ask Your Representative to Co-Sponsor the PACT Act!!
 
What To Do: Email or fax a letter to your Representative THIS WEEK asking her/him to co-sponsor HR 5774, the Pathways Advancing Career Training Act.

Be sure to send a copy of your letter to Women Work! at emohan@womenwork.org so that we can track our joint impact!

About the PACT Act:
The Pathways Advancing Career Training (PACT) Act, introduced by Representative Linda Sanchez (D-CA), was created to help meet the diverse employment needs of the 21st century economy.  PACT would provide funding to States for training programs that prepare women for employment in high-wage, high-skill fields where they are often underrepresented.  It would also allow States to develop and support programs that address barriers to employment for single parents and for displaced homemakers-divorced and widowed women re-entering the workforce after extended periods of time at home caring for family members.  In doing so, PACT would target those families most in need-female-headed families-while helping to build the highly-skilled, diverse workforce that is critical to continued US competitiveness.

In May, Women Work! is kicking off a month of action to advance this critical legislation for mothers, for their families, and for the U.S. economy.  Visit www.womenwork.org to learn more about the PACT Act and stay tuned for additional action opportunities from Women Work!

Questions?  Contact Women Work! Public Policy Director
Erin Mohan at emohan@womenwork.org.
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