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No Female Senators or Representatives from Congress are on Stimulus Bill Conference Committee

by 24 Comments

You have got to be kidding me:

Senate Democratic leadership has announced who will be serving on the conference committee to iron out differences in the House and Senate versions of the stimulus bill.

  • Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
  • Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont.
  • Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii
  • Finance Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley, R-Iowa
  • Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran, R-Miss.

Both Finance and Appropriations were heavily involved in the creation of the Senate version, with each committee holding markups on their portions.

And for the House:

  • Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey, D-Wis.
  • Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.
  • Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
  • Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Jerry Lewis, R-Calif.
  • Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Dave Camp, R-Mich.

This is what it means to not have a critical mass, to have less than 25% of your constituency represented. Only 17% of all congressional members are female. And so, with five from the Senate (5% of the Senate) and 5 from the House (just over 1%), what chance do women get to be selected for these critical reconciliation meetings?

The evidence is out there about the economic impact on women of the recession and women’s organizations have been consulted on this for much of the the way, since Obama became president. This exclusion of all female congressional members from this final process is absolutely perplexing to say the least.

If you’re in the know, at least explain to me whether this matters. I don’t see how it doesn’t, but I’ll listen.

And before you get all, “gawd so typical of a woman!” on me – I’m not the only one who noticed.  Read comment #24, from a businessman:

although two Republican women senators are chiefly responsible for the passing of the senate version, there are no women on this committee!

No excuse.  Just no excuse.  Well – okay – go ahead. Tell me why.

Cross-posted at my blog, Writes Like She Talks.