National Foundation for Women Legislators Springboard for Wide Range of Issues

Thanks to the National Foundation for Women Legislators (www.womenlegislators.org), female elected officials are taking the initiative to pursue legislation on a wide range of issues. “The greatest rising force in American politics is not the influence of lobbyists or a single political party. It is women," says Robin Read, President and CEO of NFWL. “Women hold 1,686 seats in state legislatures, eight governorships, 15 lieutenant governorships, and 81 congressional seats."

These powerful women also comprise the membership base of the NFWL, a non-partisan non-profit organization that provides sitting women legislators with strategic resources to hone their leadership and governing skills. “We present local, state, and federal policymakers – who happen to be women – with information they can use to introduce legislation about topics of concern to all Americans," says Read.

For example, NFWL legislators were invited to take part in the 2004 National Training Conference on Human Trafficking. Key team leaders from the NFWL Crime, Justice, Terrorism & Substance Abuse Committee attended the conference and discussed the issue with President George W. Bush, the U.S. Attorney General, and Florida Governor Jeb Bush. These legislators have since been instrumental in introducing legislation against human trafficking in Florida, Texas, Missouri, Washington, South Carolina, and Kansas, among others.

Read cites the threat of terrorist attacks and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina as two instances where women policymakers are uniquely positioned to foster communication and forge coalitions. “Studies conducted by the Center on American Women in Politics at Rutgers show that women elected officials are more connected to their communities than their male counterparts," says Read. Likewise, studies show that their constituents perceive women legislators as being more trustworthy and credible than men. “Communicating up-to-the-minute information and reassuring the public are important roles of women legislators, as they are the perfect conduit for information and reassurance."

Because women leaders think strategically, forge coalitions, are problem solvers, and are not afraid to compromise, they have the informed, goal-oriented leadership skills that are essential in times of crisis. For this reason, the NFWL recently partnered with the National Association of Counties in the Call to ACTION (Assign, Communicate, Train, Initiate, Oversee, Network), which encourages elected officials at all levels of government to take pre-emptive action and communicate before a crisis occurs.

This pre-emptive action involves assigning an official in each state and municipality to work with local organizations and corporations to coordinate donations, thereby creating an environment that fosters corporate responsibility; setting up an exchange of cell phone numbers among business leaders, agency officials, and elected leaders that will only be used during a crisis; training government staff and volunteers to assist emergency personnel; initiating the creation of an Emergency Task Force for crisis coordination; overseeing resources for emergency management and preparedness; and regularly networking with officials to ensure that emergency preparedness plans are up-to-date.

Members of the NFWL are also taking global initiatives (www.womenlegislators.org/policycommittees/resolutions.php). A delegation of NFWL legislators visited Taiwanese elected officials and business leaders in December 2005, leading to the introduction of several state resolutions calling for opening a dialogue between the U.S. Trade Representative and Taiwanese officials who are interested in pursuing a Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. After Mary Wilson, formerly of “The Supremes," spoke at the 2005 NFWL annual conference about the negative impact of imposter entertainers posing as legitimate music groups, Representative Karen Yarbrough of Illinois introduced the Truth in Music bill this spring, and many other states are following suit.

The NFWL plays a crucial role in informing women policymakers, in providing them with a forum in which to network, and in nurturing future leaders through their scholarship program. While it may not be a household name, elected women in local, state, and national offices are using the NFWL to inform and reaffirm the increasingly influential role of women in governance.

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