Liberating Women

32 Girls Have Died

2009-04-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

32 Girls Have Died

11,916 adverse events already reported to the CDC… and counting.

Pain and swelling. Life-threatening muscle weakness. Blood clots in the heart and lungs.

And the deaths of 32 innocent girls and young women.

You might think I'm talking about a deadly new disease or a global epidemic…

I'm not.

Sadly, it's more sinister than that. The health threats listed above have all been linked with Gardasil, the so-called "cervical cancer vaccine." And thanks to Pharma giant Merck, desperate parents and naive young women believe this vaccine saves lives… they couldn't be more wrong.

That's why HSI's Jenny Thompson has released a new video in which she exposes the deception for what it is…and reveals some truly shocking information no one else is talking about.

And you are the very first to see it.

Please, if you have daughters, granddaughters or friends who might be considering this terrible vaccine, you must watch this video. And please forward it to anyone you think would benefit from the vital information it contains.

If you think you know the whole story on Gardasil, I think you'll be shocked by what you're about to see. Just click here to start watching the video. It's just a few minutes long…and those few minutes might just save a young girl's life.

Urgent: Call Your Senators to Save Funding for Development Programs!

2009-03-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

Urgent: Your Action Needed to Save Funding for International Development Programs!

During his inauguration speech, President Barack Obama pledged to work alongside the "people of poor nations...to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds."

"We can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders," President Obama said, underscoring the fragility of the world economy. On March 11, he took an important step towards this goal by requesting $53.8 billion for the country's fiscal year 2010 International Affairs Budget, which includes funding for vital development programs for women and families living in poverty.

This funding, while only 1.4 percent of the national budget, could mean the difference between life and death for millions who are struggling to survive on less than a dollar a day, many of whom have been plunged into extreme poverty over the past few months. However, this week the Congressional Budget Committees cut the President's International Affairs Budget request by $5.3 billion in the House and $4.0 billion in the Senate.

Take Action! Tell the Senate to Restore Lifesaving Funding for the International Affairs Budget!

Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) will be offering an amendment this week to restore funding for the International Affairs Budget. As supporters of women's economic opportunity, we must do all we can to gain support for the Kerry-Lugar amendment so that this important support reaches the millions of women and families around the world who are living in extreme poverty. Please take action today by asking your Senators to co-sponsor the Kerry-Lugar Amendment and oppose any further cutting amendments.

Take Action: Call your Senators today and urge them to support the Kerry-Lugar Amendment to restore $4 billion to the International Affairs Budget and oppose any further cutting amendments!

How to Take Action:

1. Click here to look up your Senators' office phone numbers.

2. When an office staffer answers the phone say, "As a consituent of Senator ______, I am calling to urge the Senator to support the Kerry-Lugar Amendment to restore the $4 billion cut to the FY10 International Affairs Budget in the Senate Budget Resolution and oppose any further cutting amendments." Click here for more talking points.

Thank you for taking action on behalf of women and girls worldwide!

Don't Forget: RSVP for Wednesday's Tele-Conference on Pres. Obama & Women!

2009-03-16T14:06:00.000-07:00

March 2009 | Women Thrive Worldwide | Photo Credits: Sara Heinrichs, Steve Evans, Sara Heinrichs

Join Us for Our New National Tele-Conference Series!

On International Women's Day, March 8th, Women Thrive Worldwide launched our new free tele-conference series on global women's issues. Join us quarterly to hear from our experts on some of the most important issues facing women in the developing world as well and what's going on in Washington, DC. Ask questions, stay informed, & get involved!

Join us this Wednesday, March 18th from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST for our first tele-conference:

President Obama's Priorities for Women Worldwide & Honduras Field Report

Hear Ritu Sharma, Women Thrive's President and Co-founder, and Catalina Rojas, Women Thrive's Director of Global Partnerships to discuss the Obama Administration's priorities for women in developing countries. RSVP Now!

Also learn about their recent trip to Honduras where they spent time with Women Thrive's partner COMUCAP. Learn how organizations like COMUCAP are fighting violence and poverty through women's economic opportunity and what the U.S. can do to help.

Click here to RSVP and receive call-in details!

First, North Dakota. Is your state next?

2009-03-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

Anti-choice ideologues think you don't care about North Dakota.

But what happens in North Dakota affects women everywhere.

Tell the governor:
Veto any abortion-ban bill.

Anti-choice ideologues think you don't care about women in North Dakota.

That's why they're pushing a so-called "personhood" bill through the North Dakota legislature—a measure that would ban abortion and could lead to bans on birth control, stem-cell research, and in-vitro fertilization.

Stand up for the women of North Dakota and stop this "guerilla warfare" on reproductive choice now.

After losing the White House, critical seats in Congress, and three ballot measures last November, the anti-choice movement launched a new phase of their war on women's freedom and privacy. They vowed to return to their glory days of angry protests by waging "guerilla warfare" against a woman's right to choose.¹

The anti-choice movement is starting in North Dakota because they think no one will notice. And when they're done there, they'll move along to the next state.

In fact, they're working to advance "personhood" measures in 16 states. Personhood USA, one of the organizations leading the fight, hopes their strategy leads to the end of the right to choose: "Establishing personhood closes what we call the 'hole' in Roe v. Wade."

Sign the petition to the governor of North Dakota telling him to veto any abortion-ban bill that comes to his desk.

North Dakota does not have a single pro-choice law on the books that helps prevent unintended pregnancy. Women in North Dakota have no safeguard against pharmacies that refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control. And they have no assurance that they can access emergency contraception at the hospital in the case of sexual assault. This new "personhood" bill would block women in North Dakota from ever receiving those protections.

Thank you for standing with the women of North Dakota—and women everywhere—by taking action today.

My best,

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

¹ "Pro-Lifers In Obamaland," Newsweek.com, January 27, 2009, http://www.newsweek.com/id/181786

Other International Women's Day Events

2009-03-08T06:22:00.001-07:00

Women in Afghanistan: Solutions for a Stable Future

On Tuesday March 10, Women Thrive will host it's first International Women's Day Breakfast on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

President Obama has noted that Afghanistan is currently one of our nation's greatest foreign policy challenges. Afghanistan has taken center stage as a security concern for the United States with a focus on the threat of growing instability, the dangers of terrorism, the potential rise of the Taliban, and other undemocratic forces. Women in Afghanistan: Solutions for a Stable Future will feature the voices of women who have traveled from Afghanistan to share their insights about the critical role women are playing in building peace and security, establishing rule of law, increasing political participation, and educating the next generation to improve Afghanistan's future and global security. Learn More.

Paola Gianturco's Celebrating Women Exhibit: Paris, France

Celebrate International Women's Day at an inspiring March 10-25, 2009 photography exhibit in Paris, France. Photojournalist Paola Gianturco's Celebrating Women exhibit - photographs of festivals that honor women in six countries - will open at a private reception on March 9, 2009 at UNESCO international headquarters in Paris, France. Based on Ms. Gianturco's book Celebrating Women (powerHouse Books, 2004), which featured seventeen festivals in fifteen countries, these traditions honor women for reasons as diverse as kind-heartedness; ferocity; courageousness in the face of social injustice; or simply for being young and fancy-free. Learn More.

Watch A Powerful Noise Live!

CARE invites you to attend its premier event celebrating International Women's Day, featuring the acclaimed documentary, A Powerful Noise Thursday March 5th, 2009.

This one-night event by Executive Producer Sheila Johnson will feature the acclaimed documentary A Powerful Noise, followed by a town hall discussion broadcast live from New York City featuring: former Secretary of State Madeline K. Albright, CARE Advocate Christy Turlington Burns, CARE President and CEO Dr. Helene Gayle, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof and actress and activist Natalie Portman. Learn More.

Poll: Large Majority in All Countries Favor Equal Rights for Women

2009-03-08T06:21:00.001-07:00

According to a WorldPublicOpinion.org poll, publics around the world express a widespread consensus that it is important for "women to have full equality of rights" and most say it is very important. This is true in Muslim nations as well as Western nations.

In nearly all of the 22 nations surveyed most people perceive that in their lifetime women have gained greater equality. Nonetheless, large majorities would like their government and the United Nations to take an active role in preventing discrimination. Learn More.

International Women's Day: Join Our New Tele-Conference Series!

2009-03-08T06:20:00.001-07:00

Announcing Our National Tele-Conference Series!

In honor of International Women's Day, March 8, Women Thrive Worldwide is proud to announce our new national tele-conference series on global women's issues. Join us quarterly to hear from our experts on some of the most important issues facing women in the developing world as well and what's going on in Washington, DC. Ask questions, stay informed, & get involved!

Save the Date: President Obama's Priorities for Women Worldwide & Honduras Field Report
Our first tele-conference will be held on Wednesday March 18 from 3:00 - 4:00 pm EST. Join Ritu Sharma, Women Thrive's President and Co-founder, and Catalina Rojas, Women Thrive's Director of Global Partnerships to discuss the Obama Administration's priorities for women in developing countries. Also hear about their recent trip to Honduras where they spent time with Women Thrive's partner COMUCAP. Learn how organizations like COMUCAP are fighting violence and poverty through women's economic opportunity and what the U.S. can do to help.

Click here to RSVP!

More abstinence-only insanity: You can't rape a slut

2009-02-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

by Amplify Your Voice

Fri Feb 13, 2009 at 10:42:42 AM PST

(crossposted at Amplify)

I recently attended a book reading by some of the contributors of Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape. The book (which is wonderful and you should go buy) deals with many subjects around "rape culture", particularly the common practice of blaming the victim of rape if she has a "loose" or "slutty" reputation. Our society far too often holds up a pure and virginal ideal for women, and once this "seal" is broken or they display "unnaceptable" behaviors, they become "dirty" and "get what is coming to them".

Amplify Your Voice's diary :: ::

A few days after the reading, I came across an abstinence-only until marriage program in Ohio (yes, the same Ohio with Derek the Abstinence Clown) that pretty much reinforced every crazy aspect of a rape culture that blames the victims of rape if they do not pass the "purity" test. It’s bad enough that abstinence-only programs like these withhold and distort vital information that young people need to protect their own sexual health, but adding this acceptance of rape culture is the icing on the Shit Cake.

The Ohio program is Abstinence ‘Till Marriage, which started receiving annual CBAE grants of $600,000 in 2006 (set to run until 2011). On their "Miss the Mess" website, you can enter the "Party Room", where you learn the story of Rochelle, Jason, Monica and Tanner. Each person tells their perspective about what happens during and after a party one night.

Rochelle tells how she drove her drunken friend Jason home after the party, and then is raped by him. Jason denies that the rape happened, saying their sex was consensual. Monica and Tanner observe that Jason was being a drunken idiot the entire night, with Monica (Jason’s ex) adding her opinion that Rochelle has a reputation for "putting out" and being a "slut".

The site then asks the question: "Based on all accounts, whose story sounds the least credible?"

Guess who is the "correct" answer? Rochelle.

Why, you ask? Because she "made several questionable decisions", "she had a motive to lie" and, lest we forget, "she’s been pinned reputation (sic) for being ‘loose’"

It’s hard not to overemphasize the sickness in this "correct" answer. Rochelle is not be believed. After all, she drove in a car with a boy. And she’s actually had sex before, or at least people say that she has, which is apparently the same thing and equally worthy of disbelief after you’ve been raped.

The site then asks if we know that a rape occurred. The "correct" answer says that we don’t know, emphasizing again that Rochelle has a "motive to lie", and that:

"Unfortunately, we are left judging (Rochelle’s) honesty by her character and her actions"... "Monica implied Rochelle had a promiscuous reputation and the whole school seemed to know it."

Ah, yes. Her "character". They once again remind us that "sluts" aren’t to be trusted. Why should we listen or care about them, right?

The site then goes a step further, adding a degree of sympathy for the actions of the rapist:

"Also, alcohol makes people less inhibitive. Jason was extremely vulnerable to his circumstances".

Vulnerable? Less inhibitive? What exactly are they saying here, that rape is a "less inhibitive" behavior? That alcohol made poor Jason "vulnerable" to being a sick rapist asshole? Seriously, I’d like to know what the hell their point is on this one.

Perhaps the sickest aspect of this organization and their website is the fact that our tax dollars are funding it. To date, they have received $1.8 million dollars, and are set to receive another $1.8 million in the next three years. Yes, we are subsidizing rape culture. And this is just one example of the many ridiculous abstinence-only until marriage sex education programs that we have wasted $1.5 billion in federal money on in the last decade.

But we now have a great chance to end funding for abstinence-only until marriage initiatives. President Obama is currently drafting his budget for the 2010 fiscal year, and it is vital that he ZERO OUT ab-only funding in this budget. If he doesn’t’ zero it out, it will be extremely difficult to get Congress to pull the money out. Likewise, if Obama does zero out the funding, it will be a more difficult process for Congress to sneak the funding back in through appropriations.

So please, with all due haste, send Obama this message today: ZERO OUT ABSTINENCE-ONLY SEX EDUCATION FUNDING.

Send out the abstinence clowns, and strike one small blow against rape culture.

Fighting Violence Against Women, One Coffee Bean at a Time

2009-02-12T15:18:00.000-08:00

February 2009 | Women Thrive Worldwide | Photo Credits: Sara Heinrichs, Steve Evans, Sara Heinrichs

Fighting Violence Against Women, One Coffee Bean at a Time

In honor of Valentine's Day we are devoting this month's newsletter to the fight to end violence against women and girls worldwide, an issue so many of you have take action on over the past few years. To honor your efforts, and those of women around the world, we couldn't think of a better story than that of COMUCAP, our partner in Honduras that has overcome all odds to improve the lives of the women they serve:

Photo Credit: COMUCAP	When Dulce Marlene Contreras started her organization with seven of her friends, there was one thing on her mind: how to help the women of Honduras protect themselves from domestic violence. A daughter of farmers in the rural region of La Paz, Honduras, Marlene was tired of watching the women of her community endure widespread alcoholism and household abuse. She wanted to fight back.
So, in 1993, Marlene founded the Coordinadora de Mujeres Campesinas de La Paz, or COMUCAP, to educate women about their rights. But as time went by Marlene noticed that something was missing. While awareness-building was critical, in order to reduce violence for the long-term, COMUCAP had to attack the problem at its root: poverty. "We realized that until women are economically empowered, they will not be empowered to escape abuse for good," says Marlene. Seeing this link between economic independence and reducing violence revolutionized the way COMUCAP approached its work. In addition to rights awareness workshops, it started training women to grow and sell organic coffee and aloe vera, helping them earn an income for their families. Soon Marlene and her friends started seeing results - the more money women made, the more power they were able to assert in the household.	Marlene (right) shows off a bag of coffee with COMUCAP members. Photo Credit: COMUCAP
As the community started to view the women of COMUCAP as economic contributors to its families, rather than threats to the status quo, more and more women made decisions jointly with their husbands and stood up for themselves and their children in the face of abuse. Today COMUCAP provides employment and income to over 256 women. Household violence, Marlene is proud to report, is now nearly non-existent within the families of COMUCAP. Read more about our partner, COMUCAP, here.

How You Can Fight Violence Against Women

As the leading organization advocating for policies that economically empower women like those in COMUCAP, Women Thrive fights to get organizations around the world like COMUCAP the assistance they need to attack violence and improve lives. Right now, for example, we are working on getting the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA), a bill that would reduce violence against women worldwide by investing in local groups like COMUCAP, re-introduced and passed by Congress.

If passed, IVAWA, which was developed by lead Senate sponsors with the help of Women Thrive, the Family Violence Prevention Fund, Amnesty International USA, and over 150 groups around the world, would make ending violence against women a diplomatic priority for the first time in U.S. history. It would for the first time comprehensively incorporate proven solutions for reducing violence into all U.S. foreign assistance programs - solutions such as promoting women's economic opportunity, addressing violence against girls in school, and working to change public attitudes, potentially affecting millions of women worldwide.

We need your help to get IVAWA through Congress and passed so that it can become a reality for women worldwide! This Valentines Day, help us make this happen:

Click here to donate to our life-saving anti-violence advocacy!

Click here to sign the petition calling on Congress to pass IVAWA!

On Facebook? Join our End Violence Against Women & Girls group to stay connected to other activists!

Choice under attack in the Senate

2009-01-29T13:49:00.000-08:00

Even though we're just a week into President Obama's administration, we can already see what a world of difference pro-choice leadership makes: one of his very first acts was to repeal the global gag rule! We sent more than 25,000 thank-you messages to the White House within days—thank you!

Unfortunately, we're not out of the woods. As we expected, our opponents in Congress are using women's freedom and privacy as a political football, and are attacking choice on several fronts right now.

We won't stand by while anti-choice leaders at the national and local levels block women's access to abortion and even birth control. Help us fight these attacks today.

My best,
Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Anti-choice members of Congress on the attackYou may have heard the news: anti-choice House Minority Leader John Boehner derailed a family-planning proposal in the economic-rescue package that would have saved taxpayer dollars and helped make birth control more affordable for women hurt by the economic crisis.

The attacks don't end there. This week our opponents in the Senate are using a bill that would fund children's health insurance as an opportunity to launch no fewer than three separate attacks on reproductive freedom!

Urge your senators to oppose these anti-choice amendments!

Anti-choice movement's "guerilla warfare" While anti-choice House Minority Leader John Boehner and his allies in Congress are attacking choice on the federal level, we expect our opponents to take the fight to local clinics, pharmacies, and school boards.

Jill Stanek, a prominent anti-choice blogger, said this to Newsweek.com: "[President Obama]'s got the House, he's got the Senate, so I think we may go more guerilla warfare, or go back to working harder on your own turf, protesting at your abortion clinic in your town."

We won't stand by while Stanek and others block access to abortion and even birth control. Help us fight these attacks today.

HALL OF FAME AND HALL OF SHAME

FAME: President Barack Obama Just days into his presidency, pro-choice President Barack Obama took swift and decisive action to end one of George Bush's worst policies: the global gag rule. Better yet, the U.S. Senate stood behind Obama yesterday by rejecting by a vote of 60-37 an amendment to restore the global gag rule.

By repealing this policy, health clinics in developing countries will once again be able to offer the world's poorest women access to the reproductive-health services that every woman deserves.

Learn more >>

SHAME: Gov. Sarah PalinA new report shows Alaska had the nation's biggest increase in the teen birth rate from 2005 to 2006. Gov. Sarah Palin's response? She's declared her support for anti-choice parental-consent legislation that would do nothing to prevent teen pregnancy in her state, but instead could actually endanger the lives of young women.

She's ignoring a public-health crisis and playing politics with Alaskan teens' health.

Learn more >>

CHOICE IN THE NEWS

Ashley Judd helps celebrate 36 years of Roe v. Wade and the overturn of the global gag rule

Another troubling study on "abstinence-only" programs and decreased contraceptive use

Nancy Keenan in Politico: As politics change, so does debate

The introduction of the Prevention First Act in Congress

More News >>

House passes fair pay bill

2009-01-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

The U.S. House of Representatives just passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay act by a vote of 250-177. The vote was almost along party lines, with only a few Democrats voting against it and a few Republicans crossing the line and voting for it.

The Republicans also lost a motion to commit vote, which would have sent the bill back to committee, the grave yard of good and bad bills alike.

The Senate passed the bill last week and it will go to President Obama for his signature.

What does Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Bill do? It allows employees to take action against employers for pay discrimination within 180 days of the last paycheck.

This is significant because the SCOTUS recently handed down a ruling that destroyed workers' rights.

From the National Women's Law Center:

"The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act would reverse the damaging Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and help to ensure that individuals subjected to unlawful pay discrimination are able to effectively assert their rights under the federal anti-discrimination laws.

In Ledbetter, the Supreme Court held that employees cannot challenge ongoing compensation discrimination if the employer's original discriminatory decision occurred more than 180 days before, even when the employee continues to receive paychecks that have been discriminatorily reduced."
It is unfair to flame the court on this. The court was following the letter of the law. Congress adjusted the various laws to set the 180 day (that's half a year) time frame.

Anyone who has worked in a non-union job knows how tough it is to even find out if pay discrimination occurred. Discussions about pay rates are generally verboten at work and not considered a topic for polite conversation any where. (Collective bargaining agreements are a bit different since pay rates are negotiated by the union.)

Incidentally, Ms. Ledbetter worked for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. for 19 years before she discovered the pay discrimination. She has also been lobbying for the act for a long time. On a side note, this both confirms that wage discrimination is not always readily apparent and not all lobbyists are bad people.

This is a great day for workers. Women's groups have been at the forefront of this debate, but it seems Lilly Ledbetter protects any worker who has been the victim of wage discrimination for any reason.

Naturally, the Republicans have been whining about how this will "hurt the economy." Pay them no heed. That is the standard line on any bill that would protect employees from arbitrary discrimination by greedy employers.

This is truly a victory for the Democrats that we helped to elect to the 111th Congress.

Say goodbye to the global gag rule

2009-01-24T09:46:00.001-08:00

Week 1: Repeal the global gag rule.

Check.

Thank President Obama for his swift action.

Thirty-six years after Roe v. Wade became the law of the land, President Barack Obama took swift and decisive action today to end one of George Bush's worst policies: the global gag rule.

Let's respond just as quickly with our thanks and support.

Under the global gag rule, millions of women and their families have suffered.

The global gag rule canceled funding for many overseas health clinics, forcing them to cut their staff, limit services, and sometimes close their doors entirely. In many cases, these health clinics were the only local sources of birth control for women!

This outrageous policy severely limits women's access to family-planning services, which can lead to tragic results—higher rates of unintended and high-risk pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and maternal death.

President Obama's decision to reverse the policy and release the funds for family planning overseas will enable women worldwide to have access to the comprehensive health care they deserve and need, including birth control.

Please join me now in thanking President Obama for giving these women a new hope for the future.

Unfortunately, anti-choice groups are bombarding the White House with messages and running vicious ads on TV and online that distort the truth about a woman's right to choose. That's why after you've thanked our new president, we need your help to spread the word to your friends and family.

We look forward to working with President Obama over the years as our ally on women's freedom and privacy, and he deserves to know that the full strength of America's pro-choice majority stands with him.

Thank you for all that you do!

My best,

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

P.S. Our opponents plan to spend millions attacking President Obama's pro-choice position. We're fighting back with everything we've got, but we need your support. Please make a generous contribution today.

Help Make More History Today

2009-01-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

In his first days in office, President-elect Obama can begin to restore reproductive freedom for women by repealing the global gag rule. It’s time to end this destructive policy that has caused so much suffering among the world’s poorest women. And you can help!

With your support, we can urge President-elect Obama to reverse the Bush global gag rule and work with the new Congress to help protect a woman’s right to choose.

The global gag rule canceled funding for many overseas health clinics, forcing them to cut their staff, limit services, and sometimes close their doors entirely. In many cases, these health clinics were the only local source of birth control and prenatal care for women!

This outrageous policy severely limits women's access to family-planning services, which can lead to tragic results -- higher rates of unintended and high-risk pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and maternal deaths.

President-elect Obama can reverse this policy and release the funds for family planning overseas to enable women worldwide to have access to the comprehensive health care they deserve, including birth control.

In addition to asking the incoming administration to reverse the global gag rule, we can also work to increase our investment in family-planning here at home though the Title X program and to reverse the Bush administration’s last minute Federal Refusal Rule, which could deny women access to birth control and abortion care. But it will take your advocacy and your financial support for our work to succeed.

The incoming president and new Congress have many pressing issues to attend to; with your help, we will be sure that women’s access to affordable reproductive-health care is among these issues.

In these challenging financial times for our country and across the globe, it is all the more important to protect women’s health by ensuring they have access to one of the most basic services they need: family planning.

Will you help NARAL Pro-Choice America take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to repeal Bush’s destructive policies and restore our reproductive rights at every level?

Please donate now to help us protect choice for generations to come!

Women are counting on us, and we are counting on you. Please donate today.

My Best,

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

PS: Even as we welcome our new pro-choice president to the White House, you can count on our most ardent anti-choice opponents not folding up their tents and leaving quietly. They will fight with all they have to cling to the gains they have made in the last eight years. Donate online today to help us jump-start our plans to encourage President-elect Obama to reverse Bush’s anti-choice legacy.

Thanks for All You Do

2008-12-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

As this year comes to an end, I can't help but be in awe, and so proud of all we accomplished for reproductive freedom. With your support we made 2008 one of the most successful years for choice in a generation.

Thanks to the ongoing commitment of pro-choice Americans like you, we were able to elect fully pro-choice Sen. Barack Obama to the White House ... gain 20 new pro-choice seats in the House of Representatives ... and move seven Senate seats from the anti-choice column.

The National Journal ranked NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC second among the nation's 21 top political organizations for posting one of the best win-lose records among House and Senate candidates in the 2008 elections. It also credited NARAL Pro-Choice America as a leader among progressive groups that "not only honed their techniques individually but also worked harder to coordinate their efforts." ["Winning the Ground Game," National Journal, 11/8/08.] NARAL Pro-Choice America is the political leader of the pro-choice movement!

None of these accomplishments would have happened without you, so please accept my deepest thanks.

There are still many challenges ahead in 2009. Just look at the new regulation announced by Bush two weeks ago -- this measure allows anyone in the health-care industry, even receptionists making appointments, to deny women access to abortion services or referrals. I believe that with your ongoing commitment we will be able to begin to undo the damage from the last eight years and have a successful year for choice in this country.

Thanks for all you do to protect women's reproductive freedom and privacy, and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Modern Face of Slavery

2008-12-30T11:05:00.000-08:00

by: Andrew Buncombe, The Independent UK

Domestic workers face abuse and harsh conditions in India. (Photo: savethechildren.org.uk)

They are lured by the promise of money and training, but end up as domestic workers who endure abuse and beatings at the hands of their masters.

She came to Delhi dreaming of a new start, of escape from a life of poverty and hardship. Yet when she arrived, Sushma Kumari quickly realised she had been tricked.

Far from being trained in the skills of acupuncture, for two years she was forced to work as an unpaid domestic help in the home of the "doctor" supposed to be teaching her. She toiled from 5am to midnight, seven days a week. She was abused and mistreated. Almost certainly she was brought to Delhi by a professional trafficker; what is beyond doubt is that once she got here she lived the life of a slave.

For a woman who has the right to burn with anger, Sushma talks in little more than a whisper. "I really wanted to go home but I was not allowed to talk to my father," she says. "I felt desperate, cheated."

The story of Sushma is a journey to the dark side of the New India, away from the tales of soaring economic growth and gleaming fashion malls, of Western-style coffee shops filled with a newly wealthy class. The two are surely connected; chief among the reasons for the growing demand for young, poor women from places like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and other desperately poor states to come to toil in India's growing metropolitan centres, is that a new generation of professional women entering the workforce no longer have the time or inclination for household chores. Human traffickers fill the gap.

And in a way, Sushma had been drawn by the promises of the New India. After she was forced to leave school early because the family were so poor, her father learnt, through an acquaintance, of an acupuncturist in Delhi looking for a trainee. A middle-man arranged that Sushma could be that person.

"When we left the village, we were taken to another village for a month and then brought to Delhi. In the first weeks there was some informal training but it became obvious we were there to work as domestic servants," she recalls. "After that, we just had to work. When my father called I was told to say everything was fine and that I was doing well."

The reality was quite different. Beaten and abused, accused of stealing and worked to the bone, Sushma wanted to escape but did not know how. She suffered for two years before learning, through another domestic worker, of an organisation that could help. Then she ran away.

The treatment of India's domestic workers is a topic the establishment rarely addresses. Relied upon to cook, clean, shop, wash and iron clothes and even nanny children, they become indispensable for many families. Yet while some employers treat them well, many are remarkably cruel. Stories of abuse abound. Last month, a badly beaten 13-year-old girl was rescued from the home of a professional couple in Gurgaon, Delhi's hi-tech satellite city. The couple told police they beat the child to get rid of their stress.

The charity Sushma ran to for help is called Nirmana. Established 12 years ago, the group uses trained overseas volunteers from a partner organisation, Voluntary Services Overseas, one of the charities being supported in this year's Independent Christmas Appeal. One of the volunteers working with Nirmana is 25-year-old Serena O'Sullivan.

Serena worked for a FTSE 100 company for a year after leaving university but decided she wanted to do something more fulfilling. After working for several charities, she became convinced that governments in poor countries needed to be pressed to include the poorest people in their programmes. "It led me to accept a VSO placement in India with Nirmana. I am able to share my skills in communications and advocacy, but also spend time with rescued workers and help to get their voices heard at a national and international level.

"It is very hard to reconcile your own life and those of the people here. You hear the worst stories you can imagine. You wonder how one person can treat another person like that," she says. "It is as if some people here think that others are not deserving of the same rights."

The scale of the problem Nirmana is trying to deal with is vast. A full 40 per cent of the people involved in domestic work are below the age of 14. And the number of people being trafficked is growing. The agencies which place them are unregulated and unsupervised.

But slowly the country is being forced for the first time to consider the problem. The work of Nirmana and VSO is one factor. Another has been the publication of Aravind Adiga's novel White Tiger, which won this year's Booker Prize with its account of the abuse and mistreatment of servants. Some abused servants are summoning the courage to speak out.

One such is 17-year-old Meena Tirki. Meena says she is 17 but she could be younger. Though Meena tries to smile as she tells her story, her face is impossibly sad. And with good reason. The eldest of four girls from a village near Siliguri in West Bengal, Meena's family could never afford to send her to school. Earlier this year, an agent came to her village looking for girls who wanted to work in Delhi.

Under pressure from her step-mother, Meena agreed. Placed with a family in East Delhi, Meena found herself sleeping on the roof during the blistering summer, rising at 5am to begin a day of exhausting labour. The family said they would not pay her and the abuse began almost immediately. "The husband would hit me. He would accuse me of not working," she says. But Meena heard about Nirmana and she also ran.

With the help of Nirmana, Meena and Sushma have since been placed with other families in Delhi where they are working as domestic help. It would be a lie to say their stories have a saccharine-sweet ending. While they are now being paid, they receive only a pittance - less than £30 a month - and they still work gruelling hours.

But there is the vaguest flicker of hope. Sushma has been attending an open school in Delhi and hopes to complete her exams in April. She says: "Then I will decide whether to go home or not." She has begun to take control of her life.

Does John McCain Understand Women Could Die?

2008-10-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

John McCain on NBC’s, Meet the Press, 1/30/00:
Mr. Russert: “A Constitutional Amendment to ban all abortions?”
McCain: “Yes Sir.”
Mr. Russert: “But, Senator, women across the country would say, prior to Roe v. Wade, hundreds of thousands of women a year went to back alleys to have abortions.”
McCain: “I understand that.”
Mr. Russert: “Many died.”
McCain: “I understand that.”

The video speaks for itself.

In only a matter of hours we’ll find out if McCain is going to come clean to the American public about his anti-choice record on birth control, Roe v. Wade, and a woman’s right to choose. But I’m not holding my breath, and would advise you not to either.

McCain won’t talk about his hypocritical opposition to birth control. He won’t talk about wanting to outlaw abortion or overturning Roe v. Wade. But he’s said it. And we have the video to prove it.

Donate now to stop McCain-Palin from winning the White House and endangering women’s lives.

As you read this, NARAL Pro-Choice America is in key battleground states -- including Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia -- getting the truth out about the McCain-Palin ticket.

Election Day is just 20 days away, and I have no doubt that we can make a difference, but only with your continued vigilance and ongoing support.

We cannot give up now.

Help NARAL Pro-Choice America stop McCain-Palin, elect pro-choice Barack Obama, and support our work at every level to protect a woman’s right to choose.

Sincerely,

Nancy Keenan

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

P.S. Three steps you can take to stop McCain-Palin: Watch this shocking video. Make an urgent online contribution to protect a woman’s right to choose. Forward this message to all your friends.

Is the Economic Recession Getting You Down?

2008-10-12T18:58:00.001-07:00

Discover the Secret to Weathering a Recession and Walking Away with Your Bank Account, Your Retirement Fund, Your Investments and Your Pride!

Exclusive Offer!

Never Before Revealed Information!

When you’re unprepared for the impact of recession on your life and your business, the consequences can take you completely by surprise.

The economic recession brought on by over eager lenders, under-prepared borrowers, and overzealous government and an economy that cares more about its bottom line than its citizens has been pummeling Americans from coast to coast, and it doesn’t show any signs of going away any time soon.

Are you sick and tired of counting your pennies? Looking for a way to be free of the constant fear that one day you’re going to walk into your office and find a pink slip sitting there waiting for you? Would you like, just once to be the once sitting back and making a profit instead of the one worrying about whether this will be the week your business is going to have to close its doors?

Let Me Show You How...

Did you know that economic recessions aren’t anything new? The lifecycle of the business world very closely resembles the lifecycle of the average insect-it circles around, and around, and around, and…well, you get the picture. There are many stages inside that circle that keep business flowing smoothly and the wheels of progress turning the way they’re meant to.

An economic recession is only one of these stages.

Economic recessions are a vital part of the well being and health of our economy, and a study into our history will show that they actually happen on a fairly regular basis-and they usually don’t leave much damage behind. Why, then, do we panic so badly at the thought that this time might be our turn to weather an economic recession?

Because we don’t know what to do about it!

Business magnates understand that economic recession, a time when consumer spending is going to decrease for one reason or another and have a negative impact on the life and health of their company, is a necessary stage of life. From the moment they step into their corner office they’re carefully grooming and preparing the company for the moment when recession is going to rear its unattractive head and take a bite out of their profits.

Those of us who haven’t finished our MBA usually aren’t that well informed.

Without being aware of the necessity and the inevitability of an economic recession, most of us don’t realize that sooner or later recession is going to happen, and it’s going to impact all of our lives. We’ve been lulled into complacency by the constant boom and growth of the American economy, and we’re so focused on finding instant gratification for our desires that we don’t see when recession starts to creep up until it is far too late.

Strings of layoffs
Dramatic dips in the profits of your company
An increase in outsourced labor
The disappearance of expendable cash
A crashing housing market
Rapidly falling stock prices
Decreasing values of 401Ks and other retirement accounts
Companies going bankrupt

Everyone knows about the negative impacts of an Economic Recession. But what about the positive ones?

When you’ve walked into an unemployment office and seen hundreds of people filling out paperwork in the hope that somehow, someway, someone in that office will be able to help them find a job, it can be hard to believe that there are actually benefits to an economic recession. They are there, however, and if you’re a savvy business person you’ll be able to figure out how to take advantage of them. How do you think so many companies manage to stay in business when recessions happen at least once a decade?

Major corporations around the globe has learned how to weather an economic recession and keep making a profit, and now you can do it too! Regardless of whether you’re an entry level janitor or the CEO of a major corporation, the recession is going to have an impact on your life personally. The question is, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to let the recession bowl you over and leave you struggling for a way to keep your job and pay your bills? Or are you going to look at it as an opportunity to expand your horizons, stretch your wings and show the world what you can really do?

That was a choice I had to make for myself not too long ago

Two years ago I was sitting pretty. I had a good government job working as a contractor for the military, a good retirement plan, a salary that more than met our needs and an insurance program that kept my kids in antibiotics and vaccines.

All in all, life was looking pretty good. Then the recession hit.

I don’t know if any of you out there were unfortunate enough to be a part of this, but over the last two years military contractors have been steadily laying off hundreds of employees in an attempt to trim the fat from their bottom line and help them stay afloat as government contracts began to be canceled left, right and sideways. Because I had just accepted a new position within the company I was considered to be the new kid on the block, even though I had been working for them for years, and my job was among the first to go.

I was devastated.

Suddenly there I was, with a family to support and no income other than what I had coming in from our investments. I’m not ashamed to say I panicked at first. I couldn’t see how, at my age, I could possibly pick up and start all over again in another job. I’d invested too much time and effort to get where I had been, and the thought of having to climb that ladder all over again was enough to make me want to lock my door and hide for a year or two.

My general fondness for eating on a semi-regular basis got me out the door soon enough, however, and it wasn’t long before I was roaming the streets looking for another job. I was fortunate. I had remained in touch with many of my old college buddies, and one of them happened to work for a firm that had just lost one of its key employees and was looking for someone qualified who would be able to fill his place-quickly.

My friend’s recommendation and my own experience had me inside a new job within a month, but over the course of that month I saw hundreds of other contractors I had worked with who weren’t as lucky. They were out of work for months, many of them taking jobs that were far below their skills, their education and their experience just to have a paycheck.

And then there were a few of them that decided to start their own companies and offer their services to the private sector. A few of them started new careers in real estate. When I first heard what they were planning I thought they were out of their minds, but it wasn’t long before they started turning a profit-a big one.

I was astonished. If the U.S. government was losing money hand over fist and having to shut down its operations, how on earth were these little start-up companies managing to not only survive, but to thrive?

They were able to do it because they figured out how to take advantage of the recession!

I would never have believed that there would have been anything about an economic recession that would allow a company or a private entrepreneur to thrive, but as I talked with my old friends I realized that there was a side of the recession that we never saw-and that side could make the difference between surviving and thriving in the middle of an economic recession.

This is the ultimate guide to showing you how to thrive when everything else seems to be falling apart!

It’s really not fair that only a small percentage of the population has the knowledge they need to hang on to their jobs, increase their net worth and help their company thrive-especially when all they really need to do is change their mindset!! That’s why I decided to write Recession Suvival - How To Proft From An Economic Recession. I figured it was high time the rest of the world had the chance to learn what the major players already knew-the secrets for surviving an economic recession without going into debt!

But don’t take my word for it…

I don’t expect you to take my word for it. Hey, a recession can be scary stuff! That’s why I’m offering Recession Suvival - How To Proft From An Economic Recession complete with a 90 day money back guarantee. Buy the book. Read it. Put the strategies I’m going to show you into play in your own life!

Give investing a try
Grow your stock portfolio exponentially
Make yourself so indispensable your boss will never fire you!
Give your company the momentum it needs to get through the recession and go into the future with a bang

The secrets I’m going to show you in this book are the same business tricks and strategies that major corporations like Macy’s and J.C. Penney have been using to survive economic recessions for decades. Don’t you wonder sometimes why these companies have been in business for years? Wouldn’t you love to know what secrets are keeping their managers in the driver’s seats when hundreds of other companies are closing their doors? Let me show you!

There’s nothing in this book that requires you to throw thousands of dollars into some strange investment opportunity that’s “guaranteed to secure your future”.

Just plain, simple, easy to use tricks and strategies to help you ride out the recession and come out on top on the other side.

All this for only $17!!
What are you waiting for? ORDER NOW!!!

Redundant Women: The Effects of Economic Recession on Women

2008-10-12T18:57:00.000-07:00

Economic recession is defined to be a period of time (two consecutive quarters) where there is dismal or negative growth in an economy of a specific region or country. Economic recession has different effects on each sector of a nation. A particular sector could experience an impact that could distinctive only in his or her sector.

Women comprises half of the world’s population. During recessions, there is a relative downturn on women’s employment that ever before. Before the United States’ recession in 2001, women were not greatly affected by the economic recession. However, after the 2001 recession in the United States, omen started losing a lot of jobs.

Women also experience low employment rates. Families rely on women’s employment to boost the family income during a recession. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics:

1. When women lose jobs, families lose a substantial share of the income. Women salaries are said to be one third of the whole family budget.

2. Over the past 30 years, families who have a working wife have seen real increases in family income.

3. During the 2001 recession, women were hit harder by unemployment than men.

4. After the recession of 2001, women were able to get back to their jobs but where unable to gain or experience any increase in their employment rates.

5. Women are said to be harder hit by the 2008 recession since women are disproportionately represented in state and local government services.

Women are also greatly affected by job losses during economic recession. Women are said to be the last person to be hired, but the last person to be fired. Unlike women, men shows stable numbers since United States had experienced the economic recession

Between March 2001 and August 2004, women lost jobs in a number of key industries. Women lost 347,000 jobs in information alone. In retail industries, women lost 367,000 jobs. The biggest lost will be in the manufacturing industry which cost women over a million jobs. These numbers are just in the United States alone.

Unemployment rate among adult women workers rise faster compared to men workers. From 3.8 percent in March 2007 it went up to 4.6 percent in March 2008. There is also a significant effect on the wage of women compared to men. Women’s wages are more unstable than men’s wages.

Women have the tendency or risk of seeing large drops in income than men do. It has been culturally imbedded (based on gender analysis of events) that women’s income just fill in the disparity of men’s wage in terms of providing for the family. Thus women’s wage not being a major source of funds is more at risk of deduction.

In developing countries, women are facing poverty brought about by economic recession blowing out of proportions. With lack of work opportunities and immense poverty, women are forced to enter into prostitution and white slavery.

When economic recession hit in Asia in mid- 1997, women was the hardest hit by the crisis. Many women who have entered these industries come from rural areas because they could no longer sustain themselves and their families. Because of the recession, a lot of employees were released from their work. Women, carrying the burden of providing for their families were provided no other options.

Southeast Asian countries were deeply affected by the financial crisis and were left with social scars. Whenever economic recession or crisis similar to this happens, women and children bear the scars.

Surviving Divorce To Learn To Live Again

2008-10-11T17:27:00.003-07:00

Living happily again after divorce can be really a challenge, because separation is one of the most hurting experiences that many families experience. Divorce is not only the end of a wedding, but also the death of some of your hopes and dreams. A divorce can destroy years of shared love with each other in a fraction of a second. Many people find it difficult living again after divorce, therefore here are some tips for surviving divorce to learn to live again.

Learn to Live Tips

* Most often people face difficulties after a divorce, because they never think about life after divorce. One of the best ways to overcome this difficulty is to engage in varied activities. If you try to learn some new activities like music, gardening or drawing, it will definitely help you live happy and contended life after divorce.
* Many people feel awkward to start a new life after divorce and some of them get mad due to this awkwardness. If you feel something like this, do not be afraid, because your friends and family is there with you. They will always support you to overcome this problem and head towards a new life.
* People who are optimistic after the divorce will rarely face many emotional problems. Therefore, optimism after separation is a nice solution for surviving divorce to learn to live again. If you have children, the divorce can cause more disturbing effects in your life. Both of you will have to think about their future life, education and career. You will have to make financial agreements for their future. Some parents have succeeded in providing the necessary facilities to their children in tough economic conditions after the divorce. You can discuss with them about how they managed it.
* While thinking of starting a new life after divorce, you should recognize your loss due to the divorce. The most important thing about recovery is being honest with yourself and you will have to face the actuality of your unsuccessful wedding. You should never run away from this reality and accept it as a natural pain. Sometimes pain too can prove to be a motivator and help you deal with life better.
* People, who suffer from divorce pain, should take care that this pain does not dominate their life and understand the fact that one day this pain will subside. Most often people think that life is over after divorce and they cannot love again. However, if you try to commit yourself to overcome through it, the pain will go away in few days and you will be able to start new life with fresh feelings. You will be able to trust and love again. According to many counselors, divorced people should never waste their time and efficiency in pain. They can invest it in work that can help them in their recovery.

By having a positive attitude and realizing that your entire future lies ahead of you, you can think about surviving divorce to learn to live again. You will have to be much more careful about starting a new life after divorce. So it is better if you think about your new life in advance.

Surviving Divorce Proceedings

2008-10-11T17:27:00.001-07:00

Marriage is a serious relationship and therefore a divorce affects the lives of both people. Divorce may give rise to issues related to children, property, etc. Moreover, for many it is a mental set back as well. However, once you have decided for sure that you want to be divorced, you need take care of all important related issues, as doing so will help you in surviving divorce proceedings.

To help with any important issues you may have to face, here are some pointers:

* Whatever the outcome of the divorce may have been concerning children, property, etc, the most important thing is to accept it. The ruling of court that the children should live with your partner instead of you is very heavy decision. However, you should accept it. Feelings of distress over this for a long time will make surviving divorce proceedings difficult.
* Then secondly you have to consider the practical issues because the divorce is about to change your life practically as well. If you were living in your partner’s house then you will need to find a house for yourself. Getting a suitable housing may be a difficult task and you will need to research a bit for this. In the same way, the issues with banks and other kinds of accounts should be resolved as early as possible.
* For surviving divorce proceedings, you should shake yourself free from any guilt of regret. Many people later keep on thinking about the reasons why the divorce occurred. Some of them hold either themselves or their partners responsible for it. They think that they could have avoided the divorce and it was an unnecessary decision. You should not let your thoughts flow in this direction.
* Do not hold yourself or your partner responsible for the divorce. Never develop or keep any frustration in your mind for your partner. Such emotions will only cause unnecessary trouble. Convince yourself that this was the right decision for you as well your partner.
* Convince yourself that whatever has happened was perfectly right and the divorce was a well thought decision. For this, you can reevaluate the conditions and the reasons, which lead to the divorce. Persuade your mind that divorce was the best option for both of you and the situations you were facing.
* Now you should learn to live life without your partner. For this, you need to gain some self-confidence in yourself. You should believe in your capabilities and believe that you can live without your partner both emotionally as well as practically. For surviving divorce proceedings, you can even look at the positive side and the advantages that you will get from the divorce.

For surviving divorce proceedings, you need to continue living your life happily. Getting yourself involved in some kind of activity is a very good idea to get your mind away from what has happened. Friends and family both can play a very important role in such a situation. Therefore, you can spend some time with them. They are always there to help you.

All these things will help you in surviving divorce proceedings. Some people take long time to come out of this event while some are able to adjust quickly to the new surroundings.

Surviving Divorce For Kids

2008-10-11T17:26:00.004-07:00

Divorce severely affects children and can sometimes cause a drastic change in their behavior. It is commonly seen that these children experience regression and display aggression towards other children if their parents are undergoing divorce or separation. For example, children whose parents are divorced often quarrel for small things and they prefer to live in isolation.

For kids, surviving divorce can be a daunting task as a divorce is also a stressful situation for children. They start feeling guilty and sad due to the breaking down of their family. When they come to know that the parents will no longer stay with each other, they become sad and are unable to sleep properly. Here are some helpful tips:

* The parent who stays with the children should support them in these bad times. For instance, if your child is being difficult, do not get angry or frustrated. Instead, try to have a chat with him/her and find out what is going on in his/her head. This will help to build your child’s positive feelings. Kids who have not yet started to go to school often hesitate to express their feelings. You should share only essential information with them. Expression of love is very important for kids at this time.
* Children’s peers can also provide additional support to your kids.
* As a parent, you should see that you do not leave your child alone. It is beneficial for your child to be in a childcare center as it helps to understand different types of families.
* You should try to enforce positive discipline amongst your children so that they become good citizens of tomorrow. For example, if your kids are between 6 to 8 years old, then it necessary that you reinforce rules which will help them to develop personal goals.
* If your child performs well in exams or extracurricular activities reward him or her and give positive feedback. When talking to your children, think before you speak and do not use abusive words. “I” messages i.e. commanding language should be avoided, as it will hurt your kid a lot. It is very important that you choose your words carefully.
* You can also play games with your kids along with your ex-spouse. This will help your child understand that his mommy and daddy would love him/her forever, even if they were no longer together.
* Consistency in routines, logical sequences, and a large dose of affection are considered the best tools for surviving divorce for kids. Make sure that your child is not an eyewitness to your anger. You should find safe outlets for your anger. Scolding your child’s father or mother in front of the child can have a negative impact on your kid’s self-esteem. You should not forget that your kid loves his other parent too, therefore if you criticize your ex, your child will definitely feel remorse or discomfort. If you yell or talk abusively to your partner, this will hurt your child. Bad mouthing or screaming at your ex, deeply affects the harmony you share with your kid.

If you really care for your child then you should try to develop a good relationship with your ex. If you cannot be good with your ex then at least be civil. You should never discuss about your ex with your child. The above tips will surely help you in surviving divorce for kids.

Surviving Divorce Caused By Infidelity

2008-10-11T17:26:00.003-07:00

A divorce leads to emotional pain that is difficult to handle. It can also be a terrifying situation not only for you, but also for the entire family. There are people who, instead of filing a divorce, compromise because the fear of surviving after a divorce literally forces them to forgive their partner. And surviving divorce caused by infidelity is neither speedy nor an easy process. Infidelity causes irreparable damage to a relationship and recovering from it requires great mental strength.

Surviving divorce caused by infidelity is challenging, as you have to deal with feelings of isolation and loneliness. Here are some tips to help:

* You may find it hard to believe that your partner was unfaithful, dishonest and a womanizer. To help with the shock, spend more time with your family members and friends. They can offer support and comfort you because they care for you. Individual coaching and counseling can also help you to overcome from this situation. Try to remove isolated feelings from your mind and move on with your life. You can also join programs that will help you to regain your self worth, self-esteem and well-being.
* Instead of remembering old painful memories, you should move forward sensibly. Surviving divorce caused by infidelity means believing in your abilities as a single person. It is possible that your old friends may neglect you, but it is natural. Do not waste your time in thinking about the past instead try to rediscover yourself. You must accept that your relationship with your partner is over and assure your mind that there are some beautiful moments waiting in your remaining life. You should think of your future and enjoy every moment of it.
* Screaming, cursing, taunting or threatening your divorced partner is of no use. It will only spoil your health and will increase your medical expenses. There are some websites on the internet that can help you in surviving divorce caused by infidelity. These websites contain information that will help you to come out of this situation.
* It is essential that you maintain your health even after a divorce. Physical exercises instill a positive attitude; hence, you should practice them regularly to stay fit. Fitness assures emotional and physical survival of your body, which in turn promotes good health.
* Try to motivate yourself by reading autobiographies of great people and try to remove unhappy thoughts from your mind. Keep yourself busy, instead of staying alone at home. There is absolutely no need to get depressed or feel guilty, as you were loyal to your partner. After a divorce, you should try to remain calm and not get angry with yourself, as it was not your fault.

Although a divorce is disappointing, you should look at the positive aspects of the separation. It is but natural to feel hurt by a divorce that is caused by infidelity. If you are feeling lonely, you can try to build a new relationship. However, you should be very careful while making a new relationship and learn from your experiences. Make sure that you invest your time, energy and trust in the correct relationship.

Surviving Divorce And Separation

2008-10-11T17:26:00.001-07:00

Many people dream about happy and long-lasting married life. However, after first few wonderful years, weeks or even days of married life, you may come across various differences between you and your partner that are beyond repair. The marital relationship starts to get disturbed due to conflicts and bitterness. Sometimes, everything goes beyond the limits of tolerance and you tend to think that you cannot stay together anymore.

Even after counseling by family members, friends and marriage counselors, if you both are determined to get separated, then the official process of separation starts. It may be quite stressful for you and your partner to go through the separation phase. Knowing about surviving divorce and separation can help you to be prepared for possible problems and complications after separation.

Here are some tips for comfortably surviving divorce and separation:

* Surviving divorce and separation is not easy at all. Divorce can give rise to some extreme changes in your personal and family life. Your family life may be very disturbed and it may be quite difficult for you to decide how to maintain your relationships with your parents-in-law.
* If you have children, then there may be a big issue about their guardianship. Your children may be frustrated due to the separation of parents. They may experience loneliness, and feelings of irritation may creep in. You need to convince your children that you both love them equally. In case you wish to remarry, you should take the plunge with the consent of your child.
* The main problem that both partners may face during the separation process and after divorce is financial insecurity. You should prepare yourself for the changes in income as well as expenses and dept handling after the divorce. You’ll need to develop a budget according to your needs. Keep in mind that your expenses should remain within the limits of post-divorce income. You should be able to manage your expenses with present income and for that, you should evaluate your needs.
* Divorce and separation can be very stressful for both the partners. Hence, you should be ready in all ways for surviving divorce and separation. After separation from your partner, you may feel very lonely and frustrated. However, you have to try to come out of this condition. For that, you can ask for help from your friends and family members. Their support will help you overcome the pressure. You can also get help from other relaxation techniques to relieve excess strain.
* Do not look at divorce as your failure, but take it as a new start. You can indulge in activities that are of interest. Do not frequently recall the unpleasant or sour memories of your married life.
* Do not let yourself feel low. Instead, boost your energy levels. You should also help your children get through this transition. Return to your work as early as possible as it can help you to come out of loneliness and frustration. Do not let traces of the past affect your present and try to make new friends.

Keep in mind that divorce is the end of marital relations, not your life. It is like a challenge; accept it with open arms and a broad mindset. A cheerful future is still waiting for you. So, be ready for surviving divorce and separation with great patience and hopes of some new beginnings.

Surviving Divorce And Building A New Life

2008-10-11T17:25:00.003-07:00

Divorce is one of the most complicated challenges in life. You have to be ready to face the consequences that arise due to the divorce. Most people think that they might never be able to lead a normal life after divorce. It is very complicated to build up a new life after divorce and so you can seek help from your family members and friends for surviving divorce and building a new life.

After divorce, both partners face emotional and financial problems largely. Therefore, it is very important to think about your finances and expenses before the divorce proceedings commence. Usually, people tend to get irritated, their tempers soar high during the divorce process, and they suffer from depression for several years as well.

Many helpful resources can guide you for surviving divorce and building a new life:

* Your counselors and lawyers can help to build a new life after separation. You can discuss and solve your problems with them. They will tell you how to handle tough financial conditions after the divorce. One of the most important things about surviving a divorce is that you should never think that life comes to a standstill after divorce. If you feel awkward to start a new life, you can immediately inform your counselors who will definitely help you solve the problem.
* It is very sad that many people are not ready to face the complicated conditions that take place due to divorce. The standard of life of such people is reduced due to insufficient finances. If you want to start a new life after separation, it is better to make new relations that are superior to those you have had with your previous partner. You have to accept the changes taking place due to divorce so that you can make better relationships in your future life. Finding a new partner can lead you towards new happiness and experiences.
* It requires great patience and a positive state of mind to survive divorce and build a new life. And stability in life after divorce is one of the most important things to focus on when building a new life. You can stand on your own feet even after the divorce if you have your finances well planned out and your mindset is stable. You can create new schedules after separation to ensure your well-being and be optimistic.
* While thinking about surviving divorce and building a new life, you will need to think about the future of any children involved. It is better if you provide them emotional support, as only financial support is not enough.

You can learn new skills like dancing, painting or photography to build a new life after the divorce, if it seems difficult to live happily and peacefully. It will help you to keep yourself engaged in exciting activities and the frustration of the divorce will go away. You can also seek help from a divorce coach for surviving divorce and building a new life after it.

Surviving Divorce After An Abusive Marriage

2008-10-11T17:25:00.001-07:00

Surviving divorce after an abusive marriage is extremely difficult for the entire family. Divorce hurts all the people in the family. And sometimes the wounds of divorce are deep and take years to heal.

While emotionally abusive marriages are difficult to explain, physically abusive marriage sometimes end in death. Hence it is necessary to understand the exact meaning of abuse: arguing and neglecting is not always considered abuse, being severely hurt physically or mentally is.

Threatening and calling names are also cases of verbal abuse, for example. Abuse may start when the couple tries to sort out an argument in a harsh manner.

Note that it is also extremely difficult to be a child of divorced parents. A simple argument between parents also greatly affects the emotional health of the child. Divorce destroys a relationship. The child feels scared, and the parents are disturbed emotionally. Depression is often a common symptom at such times. In fact, research shows that the action of parents after divorce often disturb children even more than the adults.

Abusive couples tend to express mainly three types of behavior: the parents are argumentative, cooperating or disengagement. And the action of the parents depends on the level of maturity of the people. Note the following points as well:

* Abusive relationships can sometimes be a result of one of the partners having experienced child abuse. Either the child was spoilt and had a habit of doing all the things, as he or she liked or an insecure childhood.
* You need to be extremely careful about how you behave with your child while surviving divorce after an abusive marriage. It is very hard for the child since his or her basic security is threatened and the child needs and seeks out both parents.
* Keep a cool and calm mind during difficult and disturbing situations and allow your children to meet your partner. Do not object or refuse. Children do not want to hear anything bad about any parent since they are equally loyal to both.
* A child will feel betrayed if you prohibit him or her from meeting your partner and will move away from you emotionally. Do not ask your child to give a message to the other parent. Do not bring the child between both of you in any way. Trying to change any legal arrangements will get your child confused.
* The most important tip while surviving divorce after an abusive marriage is to forget the past and to move ahead in life. Own up to your own faults and do not think about money and anger; instead focus on improving your own life.
* Anger and frustration can create many problems. Do not take out your anger on your child. Use your anger to make a difference for the better in the present and the future and get a counselor to help you in matters you cannot handle. It was nobody’s fault; it was just something that went wrong in your life. Take it as a lesson and learn from it. If you are finding it difficult to cope up with your present life then it is essential that you seek help. Try a divorce recovery class.

Support Groups For Surviving Divorce

2008-10-11T17:24:00.002-07:00

Divorce can be a very painful and stressful period in person’s life and surviving divorce may be quite difficult. Some people may feel depressed and frustrated because of their failure in married life. Nobody tends to take the decision of separation all of a sudden. It may start with little misunderstandings and conflicts. When the bitterness crosses the limits of tolerance, the couple starts to think about divorce. However, separation may be very stressful for both partners as it can bring some extreme changes in an individual’s life. If you are undergoing the same situation, you can seek help of support groups for surviving divorce.

Divorce and separation can disturb your family and personal life. If you have kids, then the problem regarding their custody can arise. You should be able to convince your children about your separation; else, they will feel emotionally disturbed and frustrated. Financial instability is the main problem that both the partners face. Thus, divorce can lead to both physical and emotional disturbances.

You may feel lonely and frustrated; but you should try to overcome this condition. Joining support groups for surviving divorce is the best way to start a new life again. Your loved ones can act as a backbone in supporting you during this phase. You can share your worries and anxieties with them. If you are not comfortable with your family members and friends, you may find out divorce support groups for surviving divorce in your area.

* The support groups are an ideal place where you can share all your woes and they in turn offer support and encouragement to deal with the situation. You may get emotional support from people in the support groups who can understand your emotional stress. Sometimes various interesting activities take place in the support groups that help in diverting your mind from sorrow and grief.
* You can learn about how other people deal with their children through the support groups. You will be able to cope with the disappointment of parents as well as other family members. Support groups can encourage you to start over with new relationships.
* They can help you to understand and cope with financial burdens. These groups can make you aware about not signing the papers without consulting your lawyer. They can help you get knowledge of laws and rights. The discussions that take place in these groups also prove to be of great help as they serve an outlet for all your inner emotions.
* You can talk to your friends who have been divorced. Your telephone book may contain listings under Divorce, Counseling, Therapy or Mental Health Services. The "blue pages" of the local phone directory offers lists of government agencies and community services to check out, too.
* You can also ask your attorney to recommend local support groups. These groups can introduce you to the people who are able to understand your mental condition.

Joining support groups for surviving divorce can be quite helpful. They can allow you to break from unpleasant memories of the past and rebuild a beautiful life filled with new aspirations and wishes.

Overcoming Hurt and Rejection While Surviving Divorce

2008-10-11T17:24:00.001-07:00

Life can undergo drastic changes after a divorce. In fact, the process of divorce as well as life after divorce may be quite stressful. You have to accustom yourself to manage everything as a single person. It includes change in job, shifting house, dealing with children and handling financial problems all over to you most often. In addition, the major problem you may face is the emotional disturbance. You may feel lonely and frustrated; you may be hurt and feel rejected. Hence, what you need is overcoming hurt and rejection while surviving divorce.

You have to recover from the sense of failure and losing your beloved one for overcoming hurt and rejection while surviving divorce. Although the marital relationship ends after the divorce, your emotional involvement with your partner may still exist. You may be deeply hurt while undergoing the painful process of divorce. You may be sometimes disturbed due to feelings of being rejected. This condition can leave you feeling depressed and frustrated. Therefore, first, you need to snap out of this condition to gain mental stability. And then:

* You have to strive for overcoming hurt and rejection while surviving divorce. Do not accept the idea of divorce as your failure, but take it as an opportunity to start your life afresh. Keep yourself engaged in your favorite activities and hobbies.
* Do not frequently recall the pleasant or bitter memories of your married life. You can seek help of meditation to relieve stress and gain mental peace. Do not feel inferior; rebuild your self-esteem.
* Return to your regular routine and work as soon as possible as this can help you to overcome loneliness and frustration. Leave your past behind and develop an active social life. Work proves to be a great diversion indeed.
* If you are finding it difficult to overcome this situation alone, you can seek help of your near and dear ones. They act as your pillars of strength and help you in overcoming hurt and rejection while surviving divorce. You can share your frustration, anger, loneliness and depression with them and try to get rid of it. They can encourage you to accept the situation and overcome it. You can talk to your friends who have undergone the experience of divorce.
* You can also seek help of divorce support groups in your area. People in a support group can understand your mental condition and can give you strong emotional support. You can learn about how other people deal with their children after divorce. People in the support groups can encourage you to start over with new relationships. They can help you to understand and cope with financial burdens.
* You can also seek professional counseling to help you. The counselor can give you suggestions about how to cope with the situation and overcome emotional disturbances.

You need turn inwards and rediscover yourself. Do not recollect the memories of previous married life; instead try to forget the negative past. Try to develop new relationships. Remarrying is another option which may offer you emotional and financial stability. Always keep in mind that divorce offers you an opportunity to start a new life with some new hope.

Financially Surviving Divorce

2008-10-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

A divorce is a hard blow that can affect both spouses. Irrespective of the gender, financial problems are experienced after a divorce. This can be a major problem if you do not manage the finances properly. A divorce is more than an emotional separation, sometimes it can leave you financially devastated. To help with issues that may arise, here are some tips:

* When applying for a divorce, make sure that you have a valid reason, as surviving divorce financially afterwards can be a tough task. Going through a divorce can sometimes lead to financial instability; hence the divorce decision should not be taken lightly. A divorce can leave you in a financial ruin if you are not qualified enough to earn your livelihood.
* Women should document events such as verbal abuse, physical abuse and mental abuse. This will definitely help to strengthen their divorce case against their partner. If you are woman supporting children, then it is your legal right to demand money from your husband so that you are able to meet your expenses after the divorce to care for the young ones.
* Surviving a divorce is indeed a valid fear, if you are thinking of getting a divorce. Once you are sure that you want a divorce, decide how much money you will require to support yourself. Find out the amount of money that you actually have. If you have children and they are going to stay with you after the divorce, then calculate the additional living expenses you anticipate for your budget.
* You will have to change your lifestyle after a divorce, so that you can financially survive. If you are planning for a divorce then you should start saving cash bit by bit in case something happens unexpectedly. Stock your cash in some safe place. This money will help you to survive and you will be able a lead a respectable life.
* Based on your needs, develop a budget and analyze your post divorce income. In the budget list your monthly as well as annual expenses; this will help you to determine whether you can financially survive after a divorce.
* You should also decrease your liabilities and establish credit of your own, if you do not have credit already. You should also create your own saving and checking accounts. And before you apply for divorce, the most important thing is that you must clear your mutual debt. Know exactly what financial losses or gains you will face after a divorce.

In order to avoid long-term financial problems, it is necessary that you plan accordingly before taking a divorce. Your standard of living may drop as your monthly income decreases after the divorce. You can ask your friends who may give you some tips about financially surviving divorce.

Financially surviving divorce involves keeping your expenses reasonable and finding out your sources of income. You should also have knowledge about your financial holdings and the assets. When negotiating a divorce settlement, check whether the house is bought in your name. You can also seek professional help of a financial analyst who can tell you more about financially surviving divorce. He or she may also be able to assist you in cutting down your litigation and other related costs.

Sarah Palin is NOT a choice women should be making.. drill drill drill...READ ME!!!

2008-09-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Eve Ensler, the American playwright, performer, feminist and activist best known for "The Vagina Monologues", wrote the following about Sarah Palin.

Drill, Drill, Drill

I am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she was a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the claws of drowned and starved polar bears around their necks. I have a particular thing for Polar Bears. Maybe it's their snowy whiteness or their bigness or the fact that they live in the arctic or that I have never seen one in person or touched one. Maybe it is the fact that they live so comfortably on ice. Whatever it is, I need the polar bears.

I don't like raging at women. I am a Feminist and have spent my life trying to build community, help empower women and stop violence against them. It is hard to write about Sarah Palin. This is why the Sarah Palin choice was all the more insidious and cynical. The people who made this choice count on the goodness and solidarity of Feminists.

But everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical to Feminism which for me is part of one story -- connected to saving the earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls options, opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence and war.

I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those candidates the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in so many areas that America may never recover. But what is equally disturbing is the impact that duo would have on the rest of the world. Unfortunately, this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept, the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity.

Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. I take this as a metaphor.

In her world and the world of Fundamentalists nothing changes or gets better or evolves. She does not believe in global warming. The melting of the arctic , the storms that are destroying our cities, the pollution and rise of cancers, are all part of God's plan. She is fighting to take the polar bears off the endangered species list. The earth, in Palin's view, is here to be taken and plundered. The wolves and the bears are here to be shot and plundered. The oil is here to be taken and plundered. Iraq is here to be taken and plundered. As she said herself of the Iraqi war, "It was a task from God."

Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion. She does not believe women who are raped and incested and ripped open against their will should have a right to determine whether they have their rapist's baby or not.

She obviously does not believe in sex education or birth control. I imagine her daughter was practicing abstinence and we know how many babies that makes.

Sarah Palin does not much believe in thinking. From what I gather she has tried to ban books from the library, has a tendency to dispense with people who think independently. She cannot tolerate an environment of ambiguity and difference. This is a woman who could and might very well be the next president of the United States. She would govern one of the most diverse populations on the earth.

Sarah believes in guns. She has her own custom Austrian hunting rifle. She has been known to kill 40 caribou at a clip. She has shot hundreds of wolves from the air.

Sarah believes in God. That is of course her right, her private right. But when God and Guns come together in the public sector, when war is declared in God's name, when the rights of women are denied in his name, t hat is the end of separation of church and state and the undoing of everything America has ever tried to be.

I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this
election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the future not just of the U.S., but of the planet.

It will determine whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever uninhabitable for humans. It will determine whether we move towards dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence through invasion, undermining and attack. It will determine whether we go for oil, strip mining, coal burning or invest our money in alternatives that will free us from dependency and destruction. It will determine if money gets spent on education and healthcare or whether we build more and more methods of killing. It will determine whether America is a free open tolerant society or a closed place of fear, fundamentalism and aggression.

If the Polar Bears don't move you to go and do everything in your power to get Obama elected then consider the chant that filled the hall after Palin spoke at the RNC, "Drill Drill Drill." I think of teeth when I think of drills. I think of rape. I think of destruction. I think of domination. I think of military exercises that force mindless repetition, emptying the brain of analysis, doubt, ambiguity or dissent. I think of pain.

Do we want a future of drilling? More holes in the ozone, in the floor of the sea, more holes in our thinking, in the trust between nations and peoples, more holes in the fabric of this precious thing we call life?

"It's A Man's World, And These Things Will Never Stop"

2008-09-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

On July 14, three young Pakistani women en route to marriage to the young men of their choice were abducted, beaten, tortured, and buried alive by their male relatives. Two female relatives--the mother of one, the aunt of another--begged for the young women's lives. For their pains, they were shot and killed and tossed into the young women's grave.

Media exposure has caused the government of Pakistan to open an "investigation." The Pakistani senator who represents Balochistan province, where the murders occurred, believes such a probe not only unnecessary, but wrongheaded. In his view, the killings were justified.

"This action was carried out according to tribal traditions," says Israr Ullah Zehri. "These are centuries old-traditions and I will continue to defend them. Only those who indulge in immoral acts should be afraid."

An elderly woman from the same village as the dead women declined to give her name to inquiring reporters. Her view: "It's a man's world, and these things will never stop."

The three young women, identified in this piece as Fatima, Fauzia, and Jannat Bibi, ages 16-18, had asked their male relatives and tribal elders for permission to marry young men from another tribe. Permission was refused.

On July 14, the three young women boarded a taxi in the village of Babakot. During the hour's drive to the village of Usta Mohammed, the women happily discussed their plans to meet their young men at a restaurant, and then proceed to a civil court to enter into matrimony.

The cab driver, a rat fink of both pathetic and monstrous proportions, dropped off his fares "and then drove straight back to Babakot to inform their families about the secret plans he had overheard in the back of his taxi."

Almost immediately after the taxi driver’s return, a posse of male relatives, including fathers, uncles and brothers, set out from Babakot for the village of Usta Mohammed to bring the girls home. The men arrived in land cruiser jeeps bearing Balochistan government license plates--one belonging to the district mayor[.]

The girls were kicked, punched and then pushed into the vehicles at gunpoint[.] Once back at home in Babakot, the girls were beaten again and interrogated by their fathers and uncles for almost one hour before their "verdict" was announced.

They would be killed--buried alive.

The girls were dragged into vehicles and taken to the end of a back road in Babakot accompanied by two female relatives[.] The men dug ditches and ordered the girls to be thrown in. When the female relatives saw the ditches, they tried to intervene and begged for the girls’ lives[.]

There was "pandemonium at the site," according to the findings of the Asian Human Rights Commission, and a tribal elder gave orders to shoot the two older women. They died immediately and were thrown into the wide ditch. The three girls, who were wounded in the gunfire but still alive, were then thrown in and covered with sand and mud.

It is necessary here to remember again what it was to be 16. To feel what it would be like: in one hour but moments away from marrying the boy of your dreams; in the next, rattling out your last breath, suffocating in mud and stones, extinguished by your father.

Pakistan outlawed "honor killings" in 2004, and the penalty for those who perpetrate them is death. But, as we know, law enacted in Islamabad does not mean much out in the provinces. Islamabad can condemn Osama bin Laden, but cannot catch him; Islamabad can outlaw honor killings, but cannot stop them.

The families of the murdered young women belong to the wealthy feudal Umrani tribe; the uncle of one of the dead is a minister in the provincial government and a deputy leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party. As this person puts it, in an understated way:

The delay in action against those responsible, who enjoys perks and privileges as feudal lords in the area, has called into question the credibility of erstwhile pro-women policies of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of slain premier Benazir Bhutto, who always advocated civil and political liberties for women.

Official sources in the country‘s capital Islamabad say that the PPP-led government had been reluctant to take action against the perpetrators as it feared it might lose the votes of a number of legislators sympathetic to Sadiq Umrani, who is also deputy parliamentary leader of the party in Baluchistan Assembly, in the just-held September 6 presidential elections.

The local reporter who publicized the story, Saarang Mastoi, says he has been threatened by "powerful people" in the Umrani tribe. Mastoi said everyone in the village of 7000 knew of the killings; shortly after the women were buried alive, local shepherds guided Mastoi to the burial site. Now, he says, "everyone is too afraid to talk."

The "investigation" will probably not get much of anywhere. According to the Asian Human Rights Commission, "the Balochistan police have removed three of the five bodies and started destroying any evidence that might prove useful to an eventual investigation."

According to this source, the individual assigned to "investigate" the killings has been prevented from visiting the scene of the crime, and is instead "made to sit in Islamabad, with a limited mandate to only monitor investigations."

Observed an editorial in the Pakistan Daily News International:

"Even as the Senate passed a unanimous resolution condemning the incident and demanding punishment for its perpetrators, an attempt at a cover-up is on. The government presented an extremely dubious report before the Senate, stating three women and not five had been killed, that the incident involved a property dispute and was not a case of 'honor' killing and that the women had been killed before being buried."

Meanwhile, Pakistan flies US-supplied F-16s; plans are afoot to kick an additional $226.5 million in US "counter-terrorism" funds to the Pakistanis in order to trick out their jets so they can better give the boot to "Islamic extremists." The total amount of military aid provided by the US to Pakistan cannot be known; too much if it is shrouded in classified appropriations. What is known is that Congress is currently considering providing to Pakistan $7.5 billion in non-military aid over the next five years. Pakistan itself would prefer $20 billion.

Stop the Mothers Act: Save Expectant Mothers from Mandatory Drugging with Antidepressants

2008-09-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

by: Mike Adams

Big Pharma is pushing hard for passage of The Mothers Act, a bill that would require all pregnant women to be "screened" for depression and then drugged with patented antidepressant drugs. The bill is being reintroduced by Sen. Harry Reid, who is reportedly attempting to include it in a legislative package called the "Coburn Omnibus Bill."

Antidepressants are linked to violent thoughts and suicidal behavior in expectant mothers and new moms. Rather than treating the root cause of maternal depression -- nutritional deficiencies -- the medical industry wants to put expectant mothers on dangerous psychotropic drugs that may impact the health of their newborns.

NaturalNews interviewed one mother who, after being forcefully put on antidepressant drugs, began to hallucinate murdering her newborn. When she sought help at the local hospital, they doubled her dose of SSRIs and had her arrested and held against her will. Later, once she realized the drugs were causing her violent thoughts, she stopped taking the drugs and her violent hallucinations vanished within days.

This woman, Amy Philo, founded UNITE (www.UniteForLife.org) and is organizing grassroots opposition to The Mothers Act in order to protect women (and their children) from mandatory medications with psych drugs.

NaturalNews urges readers to contact their Senators in Washington (see below) and voice their opposition to The Mothers Act.

To learn more about this issue, watch this YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUiszFyIby4

Also, visit Amy Philo's website at www.UniteForLife.org

Also consider printing and signing the following letter, then faxing it (or mailing it) to your Senator:

Letter of opposition to the Mothers Act

DON'T LET THE 110th CONGRESS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INCREASING ANTIDEPRESSANT-RELATED BIRTH DEFECTS AND INFANT DEATHS.

DO NOT PASS THE MOTHERS ACT AS PART OF AN OMNIBUS PACKAGE.

The MOTHERS Act is a highly controversial bill, considering the growing public awareness that antidepressants have serious and even deadly side effects. This bill, if passed, will assuredly increase the number of pregnant women and new mothers being put on antidepressant drugs. There are already too many pregnant women being put on antidepressants evidenced by the FDA's adverse reaction reports (MedWatch) listed below. This bill will assuredly increase the number of pregnant women and new mothers being prescribed antidepressants documented by the U.S. FDA to cause suicidal ideation, mania, worsening depression and birth defects. FDA's MedWatch System (Adverse Drug Reactions) Already Has Overwhelming Evidence of Spontaneous Abortions, Premature Babies and Birth Defects from SSRI Antidepressants:

Doctors, other health care providers, pharmacists, lawyers and consumers filed the following adverse drug reaction reports with the FDA's MedWatch system during 2004-2007 concerning pregnant women taking antidepressants (the most common and recommended treatment for women diagnosed with postpartum depression). In all the reports below, antidepressants were cited as the primary suspected drug to have caused the adverse reaction in pregnant women:

145 spontaneous abortions
150 premature babies
208 babies born with heart disease
218 babies born with defects

The FDA states that only 1-10% of side effects are even reported to their MedWatch database. Using a median range of 5% being reported, the actual number of pregnant women experiencing adverse reactions to antidepressant drugs is estimated as follows:

2,900 spontaneous abortions
3,000 premature births
4,160 babies born with heart disease
4,360 babies born with birth defects

The "Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act," also known as "The MOTHERS Act" was named after Melanie Stokes, a new mother who was subjected to a cocktail of psychiatric drugs and electroshock after being diagnosed with post-partum depression. It was only after she had been administered drugs documented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to cause suicidal ideation that she committed suicide. There is too much controversy over antidepressants to pass any legislation that could increase the administration of these drugs to pregnant women and new mothers. Do not allow the pharmaceutical interests to put new mothers and their unborn children at risk. Do not pass the MOTHERS Act.

Signed

___________________________

Printed Name:

McCain-Palin: 15th Century Solutions for the 21st Century!

2008-09-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

This week, we asked you to vote for the winning bumper sticker slogan to help educate the public about the dangerously anti-choice views of the McCain-Palin ticket. The response was incredible!

And the winning slogan picked by our supporters is: McCain-Palin: 15th Century Solutions for the 21st Century!

With just 46 days left until Election Day, the time to turn up the heat is now! So we’re asking you to donate $15 in the next 48 hours to support our work, and we’ll send you the winning bumper sticker. It takes $10.87 for us to educate a voter about the most anti-choice ticket we’ve ever seen.

Every dollar you can give matters as we work to elect pro-choice Barack Obama as our next president. Your contribution will support our vital efforts to defeat this extremist anti-choice ticket and protect choice at every level.

John McCain and Sarah Palin are serious about overturning Roe v. Wade -- and I need you to help us spread the word. At the Saddleback Forum a few weeks ago, McCain said: "I will be a pro-life president and this presidency will have pro-life policies." Believe me, he has the voting history to prove it. And Palin has expressed support for a constitutional amendment outlawing abortion, opposes abortion in cases of rape or incest, and described herself as “pro-life as any candidate can be.”

So get your bumper sticker now by donating $15 or more. Put it on your bumper to get the word out about the McCain-Palin ticket’s extremist views on reproductive rights!

Why give to NARAL Pro-Choice America now? Because we know that when pro-choice swing voters learn just how strongly John McCain and Sarah Palin oppose freedom and privacy, they'll reject the anti-choice ticket and support Barack Obama for president.

Tell the McCain-Palin ticket, “Thanks but no thanks.” Protect a woman’s right to choose by donating today to the political leader of the pro-choice movement!

My best,

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

P.S. And after you've requested your own anti-McCain-Palin bumper sticker, forward this email to your friends and family in the next 48 hours and ask them to get a bumper sticker too!

Lipstick on a Pig: Privacy/Choice the McCain-Palin Way

2008-09-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

John McCain on NBC's, Meet The Press, 1/30/00

Mr. Russert: “A Constitutional Amendment to ban all abortions?”

McCain: “Yes Sir”

Mr. Russert: “But, Senator, women across the country would say, prior to Roe v. Wade, hundreds of thousands of women a year went to the back alleys to have abortions.”

McCain responded: “I understand that.”

Mr. Russert: “Many died.”

McCain, “I understand that.”

Stop McCain-Palin Now!

Gov. Palin had a good applause line last night about hockey moms and lipstick on pitbulls. Well, we have an expression here, too: Dress it up any way you like, but the McCain-Palin rhetoric about women’s freedom and privacy is nothing more than lipstick on a pig!

John McCain and Sarah Palin would leave American women with no choice and no privacy. And we can’t let voters be deceived. Not when reproductive health is on the line. And make no mistake, it is!

When you take away the rhetoric, chants, signs, and spin -- the McCain-Palin ticket is one of the MOST anti-choice campaigns we’ve seen and the platform on which they are running is the most anti-choice ever put forward.

Contribute now to defeat McCain-Palin.

Both McCain and Palin believe that Roe. v. Wade should be overturned. They believe politicians should be involved in our most personal medical decisions. And their party platform clearly states abortion should be outlawed with no exceptions.

Make an online donation right now to stop McCain-Palin.

Listen carefully tonight. I doubt you will hear anything about outlawing abortion when McCain addresses a national audience. And you didn’t hear it from Palin either.

Why? Because if pro-choice Republican and Independent women find out how extreme they really are, they will not vote for McCain-Palin.

In the next 60 days, NARAL Pro-Choice America will get out the truth about the McCain-Palin ticket but we need your help.

Your contribution to NARAL Pro-Choice America now is crucial. Even if you’ve given recently, we need all the resources we can raise to let voters know the clear difference between a McCain administration and a pro-choice Obama administration.

No exceptions. No apologies. It’s the McCain-Palin way.

Your privacy. Your choice. Your dollars right now will help elect pro-choice Obama on November 4.

Please make an urgent contribution right now.

My best,

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Don't Let Them Swift Boat Obama on Choice

2008-08-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

As my speech to the Democratic National Convention reflects, I believe the future of choice depends on electing Barack Obama as our next pro-choice president.

The “take away” is this: It’s not what we do here that will decide whether Obama or McCain wins. It’s what you do every day between now and the election.

I need every one of you to do all you can financially to help us defeat anti-choice John McCain. So please give as much as you can now to help make sure America elects a pro-choice president in November!

The other “take away” is that our opponents are ready to play dirty. CNN recently reported that an anti-choice group calling themselves “The Real Truth About Obama, Inc.”, is trying to “Swift Boat” Barack Obama by running false ads “in key states during the ‘electioneering communication’ blackout period 60 days before the general election.”1 This is the very time period in which our unique MCFL status allows NARAL Pro-Choice America to expressly advocate for the defeat of John McCain! Donate today, so we can stop these dirty Karl Rove-like tactics!

Americans deserve to know the truth before they vote. You can help get the truth to them. It takes $10.85 to educate one pro-choice voter.

Your contribution right now -- can help us reach one more pro-choice voter, or five, or ten! So give as much as you can to help us reach as many as we can and protect choice at every level.

If McCain is elected, we will face four more years of destructive, hypocritical, Bush-style, anti-choice attacks on women’s reproductive rights. It is within YOUR power to help us -- it only takes $10.85 to educate one more pro-choice voter!

One, five, ten more voters -- your gift makes a profound difference. It’s time for choice we can believe in, and the time is now! Donate today!

Sincerely,

Nancy Keenan, President
NARAL Pro-Choice America

John McCain Is No Choice for Women!

2008-08-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

John McCain has an alarming history of disrespecting women and their contributions to society. He's violently opposed to womens' reproductive freedom, has voted against women's access to health care, and has repeatedly opposed women receiving equal pay for equal work. None of us can afford to vote for a person like John McCain, who shows such utter disrespect for women.

John McCain Opposes A Woman's Right to Choose

John McCain clearly opposes a woman's right to choose. John McCain would appoint Supreme Court Justices who would overturn Roe vs. Wade, and support radical religious extremists' efforts to ban birth control. Meanwhile, Barack Obama strongly supports a woman's right to choose, a position shared by a majority of Americans.

John McCain's Record on Denying A Woman's Right To Choose:

John McCain has received a 0% rating from Naral Pro-Choice America over his past eight years in the Senate. In his career in the House and Senate, John McCain has cast 130 votes on womens' choice, 125 of which oppose women's choice.
Source: NARAL
http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/elections/statements/mccain.html

His website states, "John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench."
Source: JohnMcCain.com
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/95b18512-d5b6-456e-90a2-12028d71df58.htm

John McCain's views are out-of-touch with the majority of Americans, 62% of which support Roe v Wade and a woman's right to choose.
Source: Planned Parenthood
http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/campaigns/know-john-mccain-122.htm

John McCain has weakened his support for abortion rights for women who are the victims of rape or incest, or in the case of risk to the mother's life.
Source: ABC News, May 9, 2008
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4824779&page=1

John McCain has voted against family planning, against access to women's clinics, and even against funding for teen-pregnancy prevention. He supports abstinence-only education, even though studies show that it only increases pregnancy and puts teens at greater risk for disease.
Source: NPR, February 2, 2008
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18632802

According to Planned Parenthood, John McCain is even more conservative than George W. Bush on women's reproductive rights.
Source: Express Milwaukee, April 28, 2008
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-1803-think-you-know-john-mccain.html

John McCain voted against a bill that strengthened laws against violence at women's clinics and against gynecologists. This bill was an act against domestic terrorism designed to help prosecute attacks on women's clinics.
Source: Jed Report
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/04/john-mccains-do.html

Barack Obama's Record on Supporting A Woman's Right To Choose:

Barack Obama has received a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America for each year he served in the Senate, indicating his absolute support for women to make their own reproductive decisions. NARAL endorsed Obama for President because of his strong support for womens' reproductive rights.
Source: NARAL
http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/elections/statements/obama.html

Obama's website states, "he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case."
Source: BarackObama.com
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues

John McCain Opposes Access to Contraception and Women's Health Care

John McCain not only opposes a woman's right to choose, he has also consistently voted against funding family planning clinics and sex education, which actually reduce unwanted pregnancy. His record in the Senate suggests that he is extremely hostile to women's health issues.

John McCain's Record on Opposing Women's Health Care:

John McCain's health care plan will leave 47 million Americans uninsured. His plan would largely force families to buy their own insurance through a private insurer, and decrease insurance offerings through employment.
Source: CBS News, April 30, 2008
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/04/30/politics/fromtheroad/entry4057951.shtml

John McCain voted to shut down the Title X family-planning program, which provide millions of women with breast cancer screenings and birth control.
Source: Huffington Post, May 26, 2008
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/unmasking-mccain-his-reac_b_103580.html

John McCain supported George W. Bush's veto of children's health insurance. McCain opposes expanding the plan that will provide health care for millions of uninsured children.
Source: CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

John McCain voted against a bill that funded sex education, provided access to emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy, increased funding to family planning services, and expanded teen-pregnancy-prevention programs.
Source: OnTheIssues.org
http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2005-75.htm

John McCain voted against requiring health insurance companies to cover the cost of prescription birth control. When asked if health insurance plans that covered Viagra should also cover prescription birth control, McCain had no answer.
Source: Katha Pollitt; CNN
http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/92281/mccain_opposes_contraception_--_pass_it_on/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6IlGXhCUHo

John McCain strongly supports abstinence-only education in schools, despite extensive research demonstrating that it increases teen pregnancy and sexually-transmitted disease rates.
Source: San Francisco Gate, February 16, 2007
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2007/02/16/politics/p144216S42.DTL&type=printable

John McCain doesn't know if condoms work to prevent the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. When asked at a rally in 2007 if condoms helped stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, McCain said he didn't know. Importantly, research by amFAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, released a report demonstrating that when used correctly, condoms are 80-95% effective< in reducing the risk of HIV infection.
Source: The New York Times, March 16, 2007; amFAR Issue Brief, January 2005
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/16/mccain-stumbles-on-hiv-prevention/
http://www.amfar.org/binary-data/AMFAR_PUBLICATION/download_file/34.pdf

Barack Obama's's Record on Supporting Women's Health Care:

Barack Obama's health insurance plan will provide access to health care for all Americans, women and men alike. Right now, than 19 million women are uninsured in this country. Women are more likely than men to deny themselves medical care because of high costs.
Source: BarackObama.com
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues

Barack Obama is a strong supporter of research into women's health issues. His own mother died of ovarian cancer at age 53. Barack has consistently fought for women's health issues as an Illinois State Senator and in the Senate.
Source: Chicago Tribune, September 20, 2007
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/09/obamas_mother_in_new_ad.html

Obama supports pre-natal care and maternity leave. With Obama as President, women will be able to receive coverage of prenatal care under the new public health plan. Private insurers will be required to provide the same coverage. Obama has also proposed a $1.5 billion fund to encourage paid leave programs, which would provide women with paid maternity leave.
Source: Obama Campaign via RH Reality Check
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2007/12/21/sen-barack-obamas-reproductive-health-questionnaire

John McCain Opposes Fair Pay for Women

John McCain's history of votes in the Senate demonstrates that he thinks sex discrimination in the workplace is just fine. He has repeatedly stated that there is no need to make sure that women are paid the same as their male colleagues for equal work. Barack Obama, on the other hand, was raised by a single, working mother, and a grandmother who worked on the World War II assembly lines, and later rose from the position of secretary to vice president of a bank. Barack Obama respects and wants to equally reward the efforts of hard-working women.

John McCain's Record on Opposing Fair Pay for Women:

John McCain opposes fair pay for women. He thinks it is fine for employers to pay women less than men for equal work. In 2008 he refused to vote for the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which allows women to receive equal pay for equal qualifications to a man. John McCain said that instead of fair pay for equal work, women need more "education and training."
Source: Huffington Post, April 23, 2008
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/23/mccain-opposes-equal-pay-_n_98342.html

In 1990, John McCain also voted against a bill that would have strengthened civil rights in the workplace and banned discrimination on the base of sex.
Source: Senate.gov
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=101&session=2&vote=00304

Barack Obama's Record on Supporting Pay Equality for Women:

Barack Obama voted in favor of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and wants women to earn an equal wage for equal work. He also supports requiring employers to provide seven days of paid sick-leave per year. 40% of women currently have no paid sick days per year.
Source: obama.senate.gov
http://obama.senate.gov/press/080423-statement_of_se_18/

Barack Obama has a history of supporting fair pay for women. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed a law that helped 330,000 women prevent paycheck discrimination.
Source: Real Clear Politics
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/06/obamas_remarks_to_working_wome.html

Obama's website states that he "believes the government needs to take steps to better enforce the Equal Pay Act, fight job discrimination, and improve child care options and family medical leave to give women equal footing in the workplace."
Source: BarackObama.com
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues

Barack Obama wants to invest in women-owned businesses. He supports investing in women-owned businesses and reducing discrimination in business lending against female business owners.
Source: BarackObama.com
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues

John McCain Makes Offensive and Derogatory Comments About Women

John McCain has a history of making offensive comments about women. He even thinks jokes about rape are funny, and spends time with other men who think the same way. On the other hand, Barack Obama praises the women in his life and credits them with enabling and empowering him to achieve what he is capable of.

John McCain's History of Derogatory Comments About Women:

John McCain told the following "joke" on the campaign trail in 1986: "Did you hear the one about the woman who is attacked on the street by a gorilla, beaten senseless, raped repeatedly and left to die? When she finally regains consciousness and tries to speak, her doctor leans over to hear her sigh contently and to feebly ask, 'Where is that marvelous ape?'"
Source: Tucson Citizen, via Jed Report
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/07/john-mccains-ra.html

At a Republican Senate fundraiser in 1998, McCain told following "joke": "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno."
Source: Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/news/1998/06/25newsb.html

One of McCain's fundraisers, Clayton Williams, once told the following "joke" comparing rape to the weather: "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it."
Source: The Independent (UK)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/rape-joke-returns-to-torment-mccain-campaign-848499.html

After returning from Vietnam, John McCain cheated on his wife, Carol, who had been horribly disfigured in an accident. He eventually divorced her and one month later married his second wife, Cindy, the heir to an Arizona brewing fortune.
Source: The Daily Mail (UK)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1024927/The-wife-John-McCain-callously-left-behind.html

In 1992, when Cindy McCain teased her husband about his thinning hair, he replied, "At least I don't pile on the makeup like a trollop, you c**t."
Source: Cliff Schechter, The Real McCain, PoliPoint Press 2008
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/McCain_temper_boiled_over_in_92_0407.html

Barack Obama's History of Immense Respect For Women:

Barack Obama credits the women in his life with making his achievements possible. He states on his website, "My mother, Ann Dunham, was the kindest, most generous spirit I have ever known, and what is best in me, I owe to her. My grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, helped raise me, sacrificed again and again for me, and loves me as much as she loves anything in this world. And the mother of my daughters Sasha and Malia - my wife Michelle - is the rock of the Obama family and a woman who continues to make me a better person."
Source: BarackObama.com
http://www.barackobama.com/2008/05/11/senator_obamas_mothers_day_sta.php

Barack was raised by a single mother who was a teenager when he was born. His mother worked hard to provide Barack with an education and opportunity to succeed.
Source: Chicago Tribune, March 27, 2007
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-0703270151mar27,0,1310554.story

Barack's grandmother raised him during his high school years. His grandmother started as a secretary, and worked her way up to vice president of a bank, in an era when women were routinely denied promotions.
Source: USA Today, April 7, 2008
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-04-07-obamagrandma_N.htm

Barack married a strong working woman, Michelle. Michelle worked as a lawyer, and later a hospital administrator. Michelle says of her husband, "He is incredibly smart, and he is very able to deal with a strong woman, which is one of the reasons why he can be president -- because he can deal with me."
Source: ABC News, August 25, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Vote2008/Story?id=5643969&page=1

Barack repeatedly praises his wife, Michelle, introducing her at speeches as "my rock."
Source: Newsweek, February 25, 2008
http://www.newsweek.com/id/112849/page/1

Barack's two school-aged daughters, Malia and Sasha, motivate him to work hard to give all children a brighter future. He wants all of our daughters to have full equality in society, so that "that they'll be able to dream without limit, achieve without constraint, and be free to seek their own happiness."
Source: National Women's Law Center, obama.senate.gov
http://obama.senate.gov/speech/051110-remarks_of_sena_1/

John McCain Is No Choice for Women.

John McCain has a history of fighting against women's rights, whether it is their right to receive equal pay for equal work, access to health care, or the ability to make their own reproductive decisions. He will continue this anti-woman agenda in the White House. Women cannot afford another President like George W. Bush, who actively tries to hurt.

Barack Obama has a history of strong support for women's issues, from our right to choose to our right to reliable medical care. As President he will work to protect these rights and expand women's equality, not only for his own daughters but for all women in America.

On this anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, we need to remember: women have a choice. This November, our choice is clear: women should vote for the candidate that supports their rights, their issues, and their freedoms. This candidate is Barack Obama.

For more information about Barack Obama on women's issues, please check out the following information:

Links:
Barack Obama's Speech to the National Women's Law Center -- http://obama.senate.gov/speech/051110-remarks_of_sena_1/
Barack Obama's Women's Issues Page -- http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues
Barack Obama's Plans to Help American Families -- http://www.barackobama.com/issues/family/
Women for Obama -- http://www.womenforbarackobama.com/Home_Page.html
BarackTV: Women for Obama Videos -- http://www.barackobama.com/tv/women.php

Downloads:
Barack Obama's Economic Plan and Impact on Working Women -- http://obama.3cdn.net/51f774d367c050dd21_ram6bhdat.pdf
Obama vs. McCain: Their Record on Women's Issues -- http://my.barackobama.com/page/-/Nikki/Constituency%20Groups/Women%20Compare%20PUBLIC%20FINAL%208-18.pdf
Obama's Blueprint for Women and Families -- http://my.barackobama.com/page/-/Nikki/Constituency%20Groups/Working_Women_Families_Blueprint.pdf

Now, Pass It On! We need to spread the word about John McCain's history of undermining women, and share Barack Obama's history of strong support for women's issues. Please send this in your email to every woman you know. It's critical that all women understand the stakes of this election. This November, John McCain is no choice for women. Vote for Barack Obama!

Birth Control - It's Prevention!

2008-07-25T16:47:00.000-07:00

Access to birth control for millions of women is under attack.In its final days the Bush administration is drafting a new regulation that deliberately confuses the definitions of contraception and abortion and could seriously jeopardize women's access to birth control. The new rule would allow doctors and health-care companies to deny women birth control. NARAL Pro-Choice America helped break this story in the media and, with your help, we can stop this attack on birth control in its tracks. Purchase your “Birth Control - It’s Prevention!” pack of pills for $10 and help us show the administration just how ridiculous this regulation would be! When you contribute, we will send your symbolic “Birth Control - It’s Prevention!” pill pack to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) -- which is where this egregious rule has surfaced. It’s outrageous that the Bush administration wants to block access to birth control -- which is one of the best ways to prevent unintended pregnancies. Since federal regulations don’t need approval from Congress, the administration was apparently hoping to sneak it through without you and me finding out about it. The proposed regulation is an eleventh-hour attack before Bush’s far right appointees leave office. If enacted it would:
Allow hospitals, HMOs and health plans to refuse to provide services or make referrals for birth control.
Undermine state laws that require hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape survivors … ensure pharmacies stock and fill women’s prescriptions for birth control … and mandate health plans that cover prescription medications to include birth control in their plans.
Affect Medicaid and Title X family-planning programs by enabling staff at clinics to refuse contraception to women.
Buy your "Birth Control - It’s Prevention!" pack today and tell the Bush administration we will not stand for this attack on reproductive freedom. Our goal is 1,000 packs by July 31st.
Together, we will stop this assault on birth control.
Sincerely,

Nancy Keenan, PresidentNARAL Pro-Choice America

Bush attacks women's access to birth control

2008-07-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

We found out some truly disturbing news.
Just hours ago The New York Times reported that the Bush administration is proposing a new regulation that could discourage doctors and health-care clinics from providing birth control to women who need it.
Pro-birth-control members of Congress are calling on the Bush administration to reconsider this terrible idea. Please let your members of Congress know that you strongly oppose this attack on birth control!
This proposed regulation deliberately confuses the definitions of contraception and abortion and could seriously jeopardize state laws and policies that protect women’s access to birth control. For example, state laws that require hospitals to provide sexual-assault survivors with access to emergency contraception could be jeopardized.
This issue makes it all the more clear why we must elect pro-choice Sen. Barack Obama as our next president. Sen. John McCain has repeatedly voted against allowing women to obtain birth control and there’s no doubt he will carry on Bush’s anti-choice legacy. Sen. Obama has a consistent record in strong support of women’s access to contraception and is the chief sponsor of legislation to make birth control more affordable.
Take action today. Don’t let the Bush administration’s attacks on birth control go unanswered.
Thank you for remaining vigilant against the Bush administration and taking action today.

Nancy KeenanPresident, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Birth Control: Don't Let McCain Take It Away

2008-07-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

We must keep the momentum going as we get ever closer to the election. I am counting on you, today. Please join NARAL Pro-Choice America immediately and help us ensure that the anti-choice, anti-birth control candidate, John McCain, does not become president.

Click here to become a member of NARAL Pro-Choice America today.

Dottye, in honor of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, our goal is to recruit 73 new members each week until Election Day. Be one of this week’s 73 new members - you will be making us stronger both politically and financially, enabling us to do our work at every level to protect the right to choose.

Pro-choice Republican and Independent women - key blocs of swing voters in this year’s election - are less likely to support John McCain for president when they learn he has repeatedly voted against allowing women to obtain birth control. What concerns these voters even more about McCain’s record is that John McCain voted to ban abortion for many women, even in cases of rape, incest, or when a woman's life is in danger.

It’s critical that we contact the almost 200,000 pro-choice women we identified in 2004 and 2006 in battleground states who will be this year's swing voters and tell them about the threats to choice we can expect if John McCain picks up where George W. Bush left off.

Become a member of NARAL Pro-Choice America today to protect choice from McCain and elect pro-choice Sen. Barack Obama.

Not yet convinced to join? Look at McCain’s rigid, anti-choice track record. What hasn’t he already tried to take away from women?

Birth control? McCain is against a woman’s access to it, and he voted more than 20 times to block it.

Health-care coverage? McCain opposes equal access to it. He voted to eliminate Title X and deny millions of women basic health-care services ranging from birth control to breast cancer screenings.

The right to choose? McCain won't protect it. In fact, he's voted against choice 125 times out of 130 opportunities since 1983. And he said Roe v. Wade should be overturned!

Join NARAL Pro-Choice America for $10 or more today to be one of the 73 who will help protect the liberties and access to basic health care that McCain would deny to women.

Please act on this opportunity to join today as part of our Membership Drive for Choice and be one of this week’s 73 for choice. The future of women’s reproductive freedom is hanging in the balance!

Sincerely,

Nancy Keenan, President
NARAL Pro-Choice America

P.S. Every dollar we can bring in at this point is critical to defeating John McCain’s bid for the presidency. Help NARAL Pro-Choice America recruit 73 new members each week until Election Day! Please forward this message to your friends and family members to urge them to join today! If you are already a member, I ask that you please consider making an additional gift to help our fight for choice.

Bad News for McCain

2008-06-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

We had a strong hunch, and our latest poll confirms that pro-choice Republican and Independent women - key blocs of swing voters in this year’s election - will not support John McCain for president when they learn he thinks "abortion is a human tragedy," and he believes that we must end abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade.

Here’s what you can do to help. Donate today so that NARAL Pro-Choice America can contact the almost 200,000 pro-choice women we identified in 2004 and 2006 in battleground states who will be this year's swing voters. We must get this message out, so please support our Membership Drive by being one of 73 who will stand up for choice today.

Can you imagine the fallout if McCain is elected? He will likely nominate one or more anti-choice Supreme Court Justices! We must do everything we can to ensure John McCain does not become president. What can you do? Easy. Step up today as a leader to defeat McCain and donate $10 or more to NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Membership Drive for Choice!

Click here to become a member of NARAL Pro-Choice America today.

Our goal is to recruit 73 new members each week until the election in honor of the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. Dottye, we need you to be one of the 73. Every member makes us stronger politically and financially, and allows us to do our work at every level to protect a woman’s right to choose. All it takes is $10 from every person like you for us to have the resources to defeat John McCain and elect Barack Obama. Please become a member today.

We simply cannot succeed without supporters like you becoming active, financial supporters of our electoral and advocacy work nationwide.

Not convinced to join? Look at McCain’s rigid, anti-choice track record. What hasn’t he tried to take away from women?

Birth control? McCain is against women’s access to it, and voted more than 20 times to block it.
Reproductive health care services? McCain doesn’t seem to believe in equal access to them. He voted to eliminate Title X and deny millions of women health-care services ranging from birth control to breast cancer screenings.
The right to choose? McCain won’t protect it. In fact, he’s voted against choice 125 times out of 130 opportunities since 1983. And he said Roe v. Wade should be overturned!

If Sen. McCain wins the White House, he won’t just continue the same anti-choice Bush legacy, he will be an even greater threat to a woman’s right to choose than President Bush. McCain’s voting record demonstrates he will take every opportunity to deny your mother, your sister, your daughter, or you these basic freedoms.

Join NARAL Pro-Choice America for $10 or more today to be one of the 73 who will help protect the liberties and access to basic health care that McCain would deny women.

With your help, our Membership Drive for Choice will succeed. Please be one of 73 … I’m sure a woman you know will thank you for it.

Sincerely,

Nancy Keenan, President
NARAL Pro-Choice America

P.S. Already a member? Please consider making an additional gift to help our fight for choice.

Granholm: McCain not good for women

2008-06-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

Gordon Trowbridge / The Detroit News

Seeking to block an effort by John McCain to draw support from Hillary Clinton supporters, Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Saturday called for women to unify behind Barack Obama and attacked McCain's record on women's issues and the economy.

McCain's outreach to Clinton-backing women "is an effort to mask his effort on the issues important to the women who supported (Clinton)", said Granholm, who supported Clinton during her primary campaign against Obama.

Granholm spoke to reporters on a conference call organized by the Obama campaign.

McCain on Saturday was holding a "virtual town hall" teleconference with former Clinton supporters, other Democrats and independents, seeking to capitalize on divisions created by Democrats' long and at times bitter primary campaign. The McCain campaign released a list of more than two dozen Democrats and independents it said were supporting McCain.

Granholm singled out McCain's record on abortion, calling him "in lockstep with the Bush administration with respect to appointments to the Supreme Court, with the anti-choice crowd on committing to overturn Roe versus Wade." That's the Supreme Court decision upholding the legality of abortion, a decision anti-abortion activists have long sought to overturn.

"The depth of Sen. McCain's deceit when it comes to issues important to women can't be overstated," said another former Clinton supporter, Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, D-Fla., who also was on the call.

Wasserman-Schultz pointed to McCain's opposition to a minimum-wage increase, which she said especially benefited women, and his opposition to expansion of a federal children's health insurance program.

McCain aides have said the campaign believes it can attract the votes of independents and conservative Democrats in Michigan, particularly in areas such as Macomb County and in Northern Michigan. McCain strategists believe those voters could be won over by McCain's moderate reputation and high personal approval ratings, as well as distrust of Obama and displeasure with the Michigan primary controversy.

"No matter what Sen. McCain says when he comes here, the question is, what has he done for struggling families?" Granholm said.

"Has he stood for working people, and has he stood apart from the Bush administration, which has offered no help whatsoever to the manufacturing industry in this country?"

Choking off family planning $

2008-06-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

Title X provides basic health care to millions of low-income women.

Sen. John McCain and his anti-choice allies want to cut off funding.

Take a strong stand for reproductive-health care. Write to Congress today.

No woman should have to go without basic health care.

In 1970, this fundamental belief spurred a bipartisan coalition in Congress to set up a new program for low-income Americans, called the Title X ("ten") family-planning program.

Title X provides vital services, including pap smears, mammograms, and birth control to five million women and men every year. Family-planning services prevent unintended pregnancies and thus reduce the need for abortion. By investing in preventive health care, Title X saves taxpayers money in the long run.

Now, as our country faces a health-care crisis, anti-choice ideologues in Congress are trying to deny women access to this successful and proven program.

Click here to tell your member of Congress to fight back and fully fund Title X.

Right now, pro-family-plannning lawmakers outnumber our opponents in Congress, but by the very slimmest of margins. Last year, with new pro-choice leadership in Congress, we secured the first significant increase in Title X funding since President Bush took office, but anti-choice politicians aren't giving up.

Just last year, presidential candidate Sen. John McCain and other anti-choice senators tried to deny federal funding to health centers, including Title X clinics, that use their own privately raised dollars for abortion care (they lost). And McCain has voted to terminate the program altogether!

Help us launch the counterattack, Dottye. Title X needs your help in the face of an onslaught by McCain and his far-right allies.

Programs like Title X should remind us all why it's so important to elect pro-choice leaders this November to beat back these attacks on family planning and invest in programs like Title X that so many women rely on.

Title X has been the cornerstone of our nation's family-planning services for nearly 40 years. By providing vital care, such as cancer screenings and STD treatment, it has undoubtedly saved lives. Let's return the favor by saving Title X. Click here to send a letter to your member of Congress today.

Thank you so much for all you do.

My best,

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Paid for by NARAL Pro-Choice America, http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Big news - NARAL endorses Obama

2008-05-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

'm excited to announce that today, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president!

We have been so fortunate to have two fully pro-choice candidates running for the Democratic nomination, and we praised both Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama for their leadership in standing up for women's reproductive rights. But only one candidate can advance to the general election.

NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC is making our endorsement now because every day that passes, Sen. McCain gets a free ride on the issue of choice. That free ride ends today.

Too many voters think that McCain is a moderate. Can someone who's voted anti-choice 125 times out of 130 opportunities on abortion and other reproductive-rights issues be a moderate?

It's time to put that myth to rest. To win in November, NARAL Pro-Choice America will educate swing voters who can tip this election: Republican and Indepdendent women. And we cannot let one more day go by without comparing Sen. Obama's fully pro-choice record to Sen. McCain's anti-choice record.

On one hand, we have Sen. Obama—who has been a fully pro-choice ally from day one and whom women can trust.

And on the other hand, we have Sen. John McCain—who has gone even further than George W. Bush in his anti-choice rhetoric by directly calling for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

I believe that Sen. Obama is the leader who can unify our country behind commonsense ways to prevent unintended pregnancy.

We need you to be a part of our work to defeat Sen. McCain and elect Sen. Obama.

Send an ecard to your friends to educate them about Sen. Obama's record on choice.
Make a donation to our work to elect Sen. Obama, other pro-choice candidates, and protect choice at all levels.
Share your thoughts by visting Blog for Choice and posting a comment.

Thank you for your support and I look forward to working with you for a pro-choice White House in 2008!

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Paid for by NARAL Pro-Choice America, http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

The HPV Vaccine: Preventive Care or Human Sacrifice?

2008-05-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

Reports of adverse reactions to the new HPV vaccine Gardasil are escalating. One particularly heart-wrenching example is the story of 12-year-old Brittany who lost all feeling in her leg and collapsed two weeks after receiving the Gardasil vaccine.

Adding insult to injury, people who are injured by the vaccine cannot even sue Merck, the maker of the Gardasil vaccine, because it is part of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund.

While the FDA claims adverse reactions to Gardasil are rare, a review of the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) data shows that several thousands of adverse reactions have been reported in the United States alone. And hundreds of Australian girls have experienced side effects like paralysis, dizzy spells and seizures, but Australia's Department of Health and Ageing refuses to release any details.

Further, The European Medicines Agency reported that two women died not long after they received the vaccine, one in Austria and one in Germany. The Financial Times also reported that there have been 11 deaths and a wide array of other adverse reactions, including:

Bells Palsy
Guillan-Barre syndrome
Seizures
Blood clotting and heart problems
Miscarriages and fetal abnormalities amongst pregnant women who received the vaccine

Sources:

Natural News April 22, 2008

Be a Member of My Select Group of Health-minded People…

If you want to be on the inside track when it comes to information about your health, take a peak inside the Mercola Inner Circle. As an exclusive member, you’ll have private access to up-to-date health information straight from the experts themselves, including CD and Video interviews. As a member, you’ll receive 5 information-packed COMPLEMENTARY bonuses just for signing up!

Find Out More

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Thanks to Merck’s aggressive advertising campaign for Gardasil -- the one that features young girls chanting “I want to be one less” -- mothers and daughters across the United States are lining up to be vaccinated.

Yet, once you know the facts about this vaccine and HPV, the virus it supposedly prevents, it becomes very clear just how useless -- and dangerous -- this vaccine really is.

Getting the Facts About HPV

There are more than 100 types of human papillomaviruses (HPVs). Of them, only 10-30 can cause cervical cancer. The rest can lead to skin infections that cause genital warts or common warts on your hands and feet.

These are very common viruses, and an estimated 25 million Americans have HPV infections. However, this is NOT cause for alarm because, as even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states: “In 90% of cases, your body’s immune system clears the HPV infection naturally within two years.”

This is true whether the infection is the type that can cause warts or cancer.

Meanwhile, Merck’s Gardasil vaccine contains just four types of HPV. If you contract one of the 96+ types that aren’t included, you’re out of luck. And, if you’ve already been exposed to one of the four types of virus in the vaccine, it doesn’t work against those either.

Some Scary Facts About Gardasil

The long-term effects of using this vaccine on young girls is unknown, and in the short-term, many girls have already begun to suffer. Common side effects include:

Pain, swelling, itching and redness at the injection site
Fever
Nausea
Dizziness
Vomiting
Fainting

Severe allergic reactions, including difficulty breathing, have also been reported, as has:

Swollen glands
Guillain-Barre syndrome
Headaches
Joint pain
Aching muscles
Unusual tiredness and weakness

As of last October, 3,461 complaints about Gardasil had been filed with the FDA's Vaccine Adverse Event Report System, and 11 women died after exposure to the vaccine.

Meanwhile, aside from being injected with four types of HPV proteins, girls and women who receive this vaccine should know what else is in the shot:

1. Aluminum adjuvants, which have been linked to neurological damage including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

2. Polysorbate 80, which has been linked to infertility in mice.

3. Sodium borate, a main ingredient in roach killer.

Be “One Less” To Get Gardasil

I think this would be a more appropriate message to send out to young women. There is absolutely no reason to risk the serious side effects of this vaccine to prevent an infection that goes away on its own 90 percent of the time. And there’s no guarantee that you’ll be protected anyway, since you can still get HPV once you’ve had the vaccine. It’s really a no-win situation for those who receive it.

Of course, you can radically reduce your risk of getting HPV in the first place if you follow safe-sex practices, or wait to have sex until you’re in a committed relationship. Then, keep your immune system in tip-top shape, and it will be more than able to shake any HPV virus that comes its way.

Looks like we struck a nerve...

2008-05-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

This is going to come as a surprise to you, but you made a man named Dick Wadhams very, very angry last week. And we couldn't be prouder.

Here's what happened. Last Thursday, Public Campaign Action Fund's Campaign Money Watch project started airing new TV and radio ads in Colorado. The ads call attention to Senate candidate Bob Schaffer's connections to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his clients who are sweatshop owners on the Northern Mariana Islands. The U.S. government found that women employees were mistreated and abused. But Schaffer defended the sweatshops and took thousands in campaign donation from their owners.

Bob Schaffer's campaign manager, Dick Wadhams, seemingly nostalgic for the playground taunts of yore, called Campaign Money Watch a "sham" organization funded by "scumbags."

Call me crazy (and I've been called worse) but that sounds like the response of a political operative who can't handle the truth, and chooses to attack us instead.

Make a donation today to send a message to the political operatives that their days are numbered. We own this democracy and we'll take it back.

We hit a nerve. And, if we're going to see a substantive change in the way our candidates for office finance their campaigns it's a nerve we need to keep hitting over and over again from the Pacific to Rockies to the Great Lakes to New England and everywhere in between.

To do that we need your support, and that's why I'd like to ask you for a donation today to help us continue to shine a spotlight on politicians who take campaign contributions with one hand and do favors with their other.

Let's keep making the Dick Wadhams' of the world nervous. While he's busy calling us names, we'll be busy telling the truth.

Thanks for all your hard work,

David Donnelly
Director
Campaign Money Watch

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
Tell-a-friend!

If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Public Campaign Action Fund and Public Campaign.

Help For Women Entrepreneurs

2008-05-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Programs to Help Women Entrepreneurs

Considering Flex-time?
Flex-Options Guide provides information on the different types of work schedules which allow your employees some flexibility from the 9-5 work week. The Guide shows you the benefits and how to establish these programs in your workplace. It also outlines issues and concerns which need to be addressed for each option. To view the guide, go to http://www.we-inc.org/flexguide.pdf. For more information you can visit the Flex-Options site at the Women Entrepreneurs Inc.: www.we-inc.org or contact the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor at 202-693-6710; www.dol.gov/wb

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Other
Contact: For more information you can visit the Flex-Options site at the Women Entrepreneurs Inc. www.we-inc.org
Application: NA

Help From The SBA
The Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO) assists women achieve their dreams and improve their communities by helping them start and run successful businesses, regardless of social or financial disadvantage, race, ethnicity or business background. OWBO promotes the growth of women-owned businesses through programs that address business training and technical assistance, and provide access to credit and capital, federal contracts, and international trade opportunities. With a women's business ownership representative in every SBA district office, a nationwide network of mentoring roundtables, women's business centers in nearly every state and territory, women-owned venture capital companies, and the Online Women's Business Center, OWBO is helping unprecedented numbers of women start and build successful businesses. For more information contact Office of Women's Business Ownership, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Sixth Floor Washington, DC 20416; 202-205-6673; http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlinewbc/aboutus/index.html

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Loan/Service
Contact: For more information contact Office of Women's Business Ownership, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Sixth Floor Washington, DC 20416; 202-205-6673; http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlinewbc/aboutus/index.html
Application: NA

Business Centers Just For You
The SBA's womens business center (WBC) program is a national network of WBCs providing educational resources to help women start and grow successful small businesses. The program's mission is to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs still facing unique obstacles in the business world. There are 115 Centers throughout the country and can found at http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_program_office/sba_pr_wbc_ed.pdf. For more information contact Office of Women's Business Ownership, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Sixth Floor Washington, DC 20416; 202-205-6673; http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlinewbc/aboutus/index.html

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Loan/Service
Contact: For more information contact Office of Women's Business Ownership, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Sixth Floor Washington, DC 20416; 202-205-6673; http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlinewbc/aboutus/index.html
Application: NA

A Person Who Understands
In addition, there are SBA representatives for women's issues and programs (WBORs) available in every SBA district office across the country. These representatives are specifically trained for assisting women entrepreneurs. The listing for these can be found here http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_program_office/wbc_women's_bus_reps.pdf. For more information contact Office of Women's Business Ownership, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Sixth Floor Washington, DC 20416; 202-205-6673; http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlinewbc/aboutus/index.html

Free Online Course
The SBA provides information on the various programs that can help you position your business for contracting opportunities throughout the Federal Government. Business Opportunities: A Guide to Winning Federal Contracts reviews how the Government buys and provides an overview on regulations, policies, and best practices. In addition, it provides a step-by-step process on how to register your small business for various contracting programs including business matchmaking events and review small business certification programs. Finally, it walks you through the process of preparing your bid. To register for this free course go to: http://www.sba.gov/services/contractingopportunities/index.html

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service
Contact: To register for this free course go to http://www.sba.gov/services/contractingopportunities/index.html
Application: NA

What is the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Procurement Program?
5% of all prime contracts should go to small business concerns owned by women according to The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (P.L.103-355) (FASA). The WOSB Procurement Program has a required goal set by law, but there are no set-aside procurement programs or incentives for awarding a contract to a woman-owned small business. SBA is actively working to foster women's share of the Federal marketplace. At SBA we are implementing initiatives that will help increase women's share of the Federal procurement dollars, and we are actively searching for new and innovative methods. Because of the 5 percent procurement goal for women established by FASA, agencies have a strong incentive to look for qualified women-owned businesses when filling contractual needs. Most federal agencies have designated a point of contact for women business owners in the Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBUs). These contacts, or the OSDBUs, can help you determine the appropriate procurement personnel to whom you should market. You can find a listing of these at: http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/gc/programs/GC_ADVOCATES.html. Also, you can request information on procurement fairs, agency procurement forecasts, and other research that will help you profit in the federal marketplace. SBA ON-LINE FOR LISTINGS: 1-800-697-4636.

OSDBU Womens Contacts

U. S. Department of Agriculture/ OSDBU
Director: James House
WOBREP: Sherry Cohen
VOBREP: Stella Hughes
14th Street & Independence Ave. SW, Room 1566
Washington, DC 20250-9501
202-720-7117 (office) 202-720-3001 (fax)
sherryR.Cohen@usda.gov

Air Force Department/OSDBU
Director: Joseph Diamond
WOBREP: Sara Mitcho
901 North Stuart Street
Suite 802
Arlington, VA 22203
703 696-1103 (office) 703 696-1170 (fax)
smitcho@intecs.com

Department of Army
The Pentagon
Director: Tracey L. Pinson
WOBREP: Judy Shifflett
Washington, DC 20310-0106
703-697-2868 (office) 703-693-3898 (fax)
shiffjb@hqda.army.mil

Department of Commerce / OSDBU
Director: La Juene Desmuke
WOBREP: Brenda Black
14 & Constitution Ave. NW, Room H-6411
Washington, DC 20230
202-482-1472 (office) 202-482-0501 (fax)
bblack1@doc.gov

Defense Logistics Agency / OSDBU
Director: Thomas D. Ray
WOBREP: Pat Cleveland
8725 John J. Kingman Road, DB
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6221
703-767-1652 (office) 703-767-1670 (fax)
patricia.cleveland@dla.mil

Department of Education/OSDBU
Director: Dr. Kristi Wilson
WOBREP: Marcella Coverson
400 Maryland Ave., SW, Room 3120, ROB-3
Washington, DC 20202-0521
202-245-6300 (office) 202-245-6304 (fax)
ma_Coverson@ed.gov

Department of Energy / OSDBU
Acting Director: Teresa Speake
WOBREP: Marcia Haynes
1000 Independence Ave., SW, Room 148
Washington, DC 20585
202-586-7377 (office) 202-586-5488 (fax)
Marcia.Haynes@hq.doe.gov

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Director: Jeanette Brown
WOBREP: Trina Porter
1200 Penn. Ave., NW, Code 1230-A
Washington, DC 20460
202-564- 4100 (office) 202-501-0756 (fax)
Porter.trina@epa.gov

GSA Office of Small Business Utilization
Associate Administrator: Felipe Mendoza
WOBREP: Liz Ivey
1800 F Street, NW Room 6029|
Washington, DC 20405
202-501-1021 (office) 202-208-5938 (fax)
Liz.Ivey@gsa.gov

Department of Health and Human Srvs./ OSDBU
Director: Debbie Ridgely
WOBREP: Angel Graves
200 Independence Ave., SW Room 517D
Washington, DC 20201
202-690-6670 (office) 202-260-4872 (fax)
Angel.Graves@hhs.gov

Department of HUD/ OSDBU
Director: Valerie T. Haye
WOBREP: Judith Stackhouse
451 7th St., SW, Room 3130
Washington, DC 20410
202-708-1428 ext. 3213 (office)
202-708-7642 (fax)
Judith_M._Stackhouse@hud.gov

Department of Homeland Security /OSDBU
Director: Kevin Boshears
WOBREP: Angela Williams
7th & D Streets, SW (Attn: OSDBU/Rm 3514)
Washington, DC 20528
202-692-4343 (office)
202-777-8467 (fax)
angela.williams@dhs.gov

Department of Interior/OSDBU
Director: Mark Oliver
WOBREP: LaVanna Stevenson-Harris
1849 C St., NW, Room 2252
Washington, DC 20240
202-208-3493 (office) 202-208-7444 (fax)
LaVanna_Stevenson@ios.doi.gov

Department of Justice / OSDBU
Director: David Sutton
WOBREP: Ramona Glover
1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Room 1010 National Place (The Shops)
Washington, DC 20530
202-616-0521 (office) 202-616-1717 (fax)
Ramona.M.JohnsonGlover@usdoj.gov

Department of Labor / OSDBU
Acting Director: Jose Lira
WOBREP: Elaine Murrell
200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room C2318
Washington, DC 20210
202-693-6460 (office) 202-693-6485 (fax)
murrell-elaine@dol.gov

NASA/ OSDBU
Associate Administrator: Glenn Delgado
WOBREP: Shirley Perez
300 E Street, SW, Room 9F70, Code K
Washington, DC 20546-0001
202-358-2088 (office) 202-358-3261(fax)
Shirley.Perez@hq.nasa.gov

Department of the Navy/OSDBU
Director: Nancy Tarrant
WOBREP: Linda G. Wright
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Code FAC-00J
720 Kennon Sr., N.E.,
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20734-50165
202-685-6485 (office) 202-685-6863 (fax)
Linda.g.wright@navy.mil

Department of State/OSDBU
Director: Gregory Mayberry
WOBREP: Trish Culbreth
SA-6, Room L500
Washington, DC 20522-0602
703-875-6822 (office) 703-875-6825 (fax)
Culbrethpb@state.gov

Department of Transportation / OSDBU
Director: Denise Rodriguez-Lopez
WOBREP: Pat Hodge
400 7th Street, SW, Room 9414
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-1930 (office) 202-366-7228 (fax)
Pat.Hodge@ost.dot.gov

Department of Treasury / OSDBU
Director: Virginia Bellamy-Graham
WOBREP: Renee Fitzgerald
1300 G St., NW, Room 400 West
Washington, DC 20220
202-622-0530 (office) 202-622-4963 (fax)
Renee.Fitzgerald@do.treas.gov

Veterans Affairs/OSDBU
Director: Scott Denniston
WOBREP: Ilene Waggoner
801 I Street, NW, 00SB - Room 1221
Washington, DC 20420-0001
202 565 8124 (office) 202 565-8156 (fax)
gail.wegner@mail.va.gov

U.S. Agency for International Dev.
Ronald Reagan Building\
USAID/OSDBU/MRC
Director: Marilyn Marton
WOBREP: Rhoda Issac
1300 Penn. Ave. NW, Suite 7.8 E
Washington, DC 20523-7800
202-712-1500 (office) 202-216-3056 (fax)
risaac@usaid.gov

Defense Finance & Accounting Service
Director, Contract Services Directorate, Ed Roden
Office: (703) 607-5106
WOBREP: Lois Byrne
Code RA, CM3 Room 905 1931 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Arlington, VA 22240-5291
(703) 607-0573 (office)
lois.byrne@dfas.mil

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service
Contact: You can find a listing of these at http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/gc/programs/GC_ADVOCATES.html
Application: NA

Website to Help Sell to Government
Womenbiz.gov states that it is the gateway to selling to the federal government. The site is sponsored by the National Women's Business Council (NWBC) which is a bi-partisan federal advisory council established to advise the President, Congress, and others about issues important to women-owned businesses. The site takes you through five steps to government contracting: Meeting the Basics, Finding your Market, Getting Started, Finding Federal Contract Opportunities, and Key Contacts. Each step has links to hundreds of resources to get you on your way. Check out the website at: http://www.womenbiz.gov/

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service
Contact: Check out the website at http://www.womenbiz.gov/
Application: NA

Federal Business Opportunities
Fedbizopps.gov (well, actually, www.fob.gov) is the government's one-stop virtual marketplace. Through this single point-of-entry commercial vendors and government buyers are invited to post, search, monitor, and retrieve opportunities solicited by the entire Federal contracting community. There are user guides, search engines, news, and more to help you get your contract. Check out Fedbizopps.gov at: https://fob.gov

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service
Contact: Check out Fedbizopps.gov at https://fob.gov
Application: NA

Women Business Research
The National Women's Business Council, which is a bi-partisan federal advisory council, promotes initiatives and programs to support women's business enterprises. They conduct research, connect individual women business owners to a larger community, and more. They recently did a study on different Mentoring programs, identifying best practices and those that may be geared specifically towards women. To view the report and links to mentoring programs go to http://www.nwbc.gov/Mentoring/default.html For more information on the Council contact National Women's Business Council, 409 Third St., SW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20024; 202-205-3850; http://www.nwbc.gov

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service
Contact: For more information on the Council contact National Women's Business Council, 409 Third St., SW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20024; 202-205-3850; http://www.nwbc.gov
Application: NA

Do I Need To Get Certified?
The federal government does not require that your business be certified as a woman-owned business, as there are not specific set-aside programs for women. They do have a goal of giving a certain amount of government contracts to women-owned businesses, but you can "self-certify" that your company is woman-owned. But prime contractors who give out sub-contracting opportunities may require an official certification. The Women's Business Enterprise National Council is one of several non-profits that certifies a business as women-owned. They state that this certification can be an important marketing aspect for your company. Many corporations are striving for diversity in the procurement process. To become certified, your business must go through a rigorous process, and there are some fees involved. In addition the Council offers a wealth of sourcing tools, and a database of certified women's businesses for use by purchasing managers. They state that over 700 companies and government agencies rely on this certification. For more information contact Women's Business Enterprise National Council, 1120 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 950, Washington, DC 20036; 202-872-5515; http://www.wbenc.org

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service
Contact: For more information contact Women's Business Enterprise National Council, 1120 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 950, Washington, DC 20036; 202-872-5515; http://www.wbenc.org
Application: NA

Start A Business While On Unemployment
Self-Employment Assistance is designed to encourage and enable unemployed workers to create their own jobs by starting their own small businesses. States can pay a self-employed allowance, instead of regular unemployment insurance benefits, to help unemployed workers while they are establishing businesses and becoming self-employed. Participants receive weekly allowances while they are getting their businesses off the ground. This is a voluntary program for States and, to date, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Pennsylvania have Self Employment Assistance programs. The State Workforce Agency web sites for these states can be accessed at: http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/map.asp. Generally in order to receive these benefits, an individual must first be eligible to receive regular unemployment insurance under the State law. Individuals who have been permanently laid off from their previous jobs and are identified as likely to exhaust regular unemployment benefits are eligible to participate in the program. Individuals may be eligible even if they are engaged full-time in self-employment activities - including entrepreneurial training, business counseling, and technical assistance. You should contact the State Unemployment Insurance agency as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. At the time you file your claim you should ask whether a Self Employment Assistance program operates in your State. http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/self.asp

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service/Other
Contact: At the time you file your claim you should ask whether a Self Employment Assistance program operates in your State. http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/self.asp
Application: NA

Help For The Small Business
A microenterprise is generally thought of as having 5 or fewer employees, and requires less than $35,000 in initial capital. According to the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), there 24 million microenterprises in the United States, representing 87% of all businesses. Some of these businesses provide a service, while others sell products. AEO member organizations offer programs for entrepreneurs that provide the support they need to grow and develop. Services vary from organization to organization, but they can provide business training, microloans, technical assistance, access to markets, and asset development. Some of these organizations provide these services for free while others charge a minimal fee. Many of these programs target women or low-income entrepreneurs. To find an organization near you go to: http://www.microenterpriseworks.org/index.asp?bid=282. For more information contact Association for Enterprise Opportunity, 1601 North Kent St., Suite 1101, Arlington, VA 22209; 703-841-7760; www.microenterpriseworks.org

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Loan/Other/Service
Contact: For more information contact Association for Enterprise Opportunity, 1601 North Kent St., Suite 1101, Arlington, VA 22209; 703-841-7760; www.microenterpriseworks.org
Application: NA

Help For Low-Income Business Owners
FIELD (Microenterprise Fund for Innovation, Effectiveness, Learning and Dissemination) has a mission to help identify, develop and disseminate best practices for microenterprises. They have a listing of microenterprise programs throughout the United States. Each program operates a little differently. Some charge a fee, while others are free. Some have small microlending programs, while others provide only business training and services. Check out the directory to find a program that serves your needs. Many of these programs target women or low-income entrepreneurs. Contact: The Aspen Institute, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036; 202-736-1071; http://fieldus.org/Publications/Directory.asp

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Housing
Money Type: Loan/Other/Service
Contact: Contact The Aspen Institute, One Duport Circle, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036; 202-736-1071; http://fieldus.org/Publications/Directory.asp
Application: NA

Child Care Funding
Do you want to start a day care at home or open a day care center? There is a variety of funding opportunities available, as well as licensing and regulation information. The National Child Care Information Center just published a resource guide titled, "Starting and Operating a Child Care Business." It lists basic steps, types of centers, financial assistance, and state information to get you started. Some states may provide financing through their Child Care and Development Fund or Community Development Block Grant, which the resource guide provides links to each state. The National Child Care Information Center can also direct your local offices for more information, although check out a wealth of help in the guide first! You can contact them at National Child Care Information Center, 10530 Rosehaven St., Suite 400, Fairfax, VA 22030; 800-616-2242; www.nccic.org; for resource guide, go to: http://nccic.org/poptopics/startup.pdf

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Loan/Other
Contact: You can contact them at National Child Care Information Center, 10530 Rosehaven St., Suite 400, Fairfax, VA 22030; 800-616-2242; www.nccic.org; for resource guide http://nccic.org/poptopics/startup.pdf
Application: NA

State Child Care Funding
Some states offer special funding resources for child care centers. Some examples include Ohio and Virginia. The Community Capital Development Corporation offers a microloan of up to $25,000 for child day care anywhere in Ohio. For more information, contact: Community Capital Development Corporation, 900 Michigan Ave., Columbus, OH 43215; 888-756-CCDC; http://www.ccdcorp.org/programs.htm

Virginia Child Day Care Financing provides low-interest loans to Family Home Providers (up to $5,000) or Child Care Centers (up to $50,000). Contact the Virginia Department of Business Assistance, 707 E. Main Street, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23219; 866-248-8814; http://www.dba.state.va.us/financing/programs/child.asp

Child Care Online provides resources and links to other loan programs for Child Care financing. Check them out at http://childcare.net/grantsfinance.shtml or contact your state Department of Economic Development which you can find at www.govengine.com

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Loans
Contact: Child Care Online provides resources and links to other loan programs for Child Care financing. Check them out at http://childcare.net/grantsfinance.shtml or contact your state Department of Economic Development which you can find at www.govengine.com
Application: NA

Money For Low-Income People To Start Business
The Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals (JOLI) is a program whose purpose is to create new jobs to be filled by low-income individuals. The ultimate goal is economic self-sufficiency. A minimum of twenty percent of the total JOLI funds must be used toward the provision of direct financial assistance to participants. Financial assistance may be provided through the use of revolving loan funds or the provision of direct cash assistance to a micro enterprise or self-employed business owner. Beneficiaries are TANF recipients and other low-income individuals whose income level does not exceed 100 percent of the official Federal poverty guidelines. Organizations receive funding for JOLI then distribute the funds to individuals. To see a list of current grantees, go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/joli/index.html For more information contact Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals Program, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., 5th Floor East, Washington, DC 20447; 202-401-5663; http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/joli/index.html

Income: up to $100,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Loans/Service
Contact: For more information contact Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals Program, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., 5th Floor East, Washington, DC 20447; 202-401-5663; http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/joli/index.html
Application: NA

Training is Key
Training is the business buzzword for the year. Almost every state has money to help companies in their state train new or existing employees. Most of it is in the form of grant money that you don't have to pay back. States like Connecticut, Tennessee, and Kentucky will give grants from $3,000 to $25,000 to train your employees. Some states will pay for 50% of your costs. And in Louisiana and Iowa you can send your employees to the state's vocational schools and community colleges for free. Contact your state Office of Economic Development for information (www.govengine.com).

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Housing
Money Type: Service/Grants
Contact: Contact your state Office of Economic Development for information (www.govengine.com)
Application: NA

Join Other Women Business Owners
Roundtables are informal group discussions among professional people who voluntarily serve as information and support resources for each other. Participants meet regularly and learn from each other's experiences. Practical support and guidance from individuals with varied backgrounds who understand the ups and downs of being a business owner and know you and your business is extremely powerful. Roundtables provide an excellent, economical way to gain fresh ideas, new perspectives, and detailed answers to even your most specific business questions. Look in the Women's Network for Entrepreneurial Training (WNET) Roundtables, which are sponsored by the Small Business Administration Office of Women's Business Ownership (SBA-OWBO). WNET Roundtables stem from the SBA-OWBO's one-to-one mentoring programs, which often use groups in addition to individual mentoring. For more information, contact: Office of Women's Business Ownership, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Sixth Floor Washington, DC 20416; 202-205-6673; http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlinewbc/aboutus/index.html; http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/lead/SERV_ROUNDTABLE.html

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Other
Contact: For more information contact Office of Women's Business Ownership, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Sixth Floor Washington, DC 20416; 202-205-6673; http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlinewbc/aboutus/index.html; http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/lead/SERV_ROUNDTABLE.html
Application: NA

Money For Women Running A Taxi Company
Actually, the money can be used by women in almost any kind of transportation-related business. The U.S. Department of Transportation works hard at trying to help women succeed by helping them get contracts as well as offering short term working capital loans at prime interest rates while working on transportation related contracts. Businesses need to be certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), which means a firm must be a small business owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (including women). The Department of Transportation has a goal of 10% of all funds going to DBEs. For more information, contact: National Information Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, W56-485, Washington, DC 20590; 800-532-1169; http://osdbuweb.dot.gov

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Loan/Service
Contact: For more information contact National Information Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, W56-485, Washington, DC 20590; 800-532-1169; http://osdbuweb.dot.gov
Application: NA

NY Minority Women's Assistance
Black Women Enterprises offers free services and programs to help the minority women business owner. They have business plan workshops, and provide assistance to those enterprises seeking Minority Business Enterprise/Womens Business Enterprise Certification. They also offer one to one business counseling and a monthly program on how to do business with the federal government. Black Women Enterprises also host meeting, conferences and special interest groups. For more information, contact: Black Women Enterprises, 730 Fulton Ave., Hempstead, NY 11550; 516-485-5900; http://www.blackwomenenterprises.org/bwe-benefits.html

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: NY
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service/Other
Contact: For more information contact Black Women Enterprises, 730 Fulton Ave., Hempstead, NY 11550; 516-485-5900; http://www.blackwomenenterprises.org/bwe-benefits.html
Application: NA

Join The Largest Organization For Business Women
The Business and Professional Women/USA is one of the largest organizations that support women business issues. For a small annual fee you have access to seminars, support, and more to keep your business going strong. There are state and local organizations where you can network with other business owners, as well as scholarships, publications, and resource centers. They even have a section devoted to women leaving the military (including a free one-year membership for the vets!). To learn more, contact: Business and Professional Women/USA, 1900 M St., NW, Suite 310, Washington, DC 20036; 202-293-1100; http://www.bpwusa.org

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service/Other
Contact: To learn more contact Business and Professional Women/USA, 1900 M St., NW, Suite 310, Washington, DC 20036; 202-293-1100; http://www.bpwusa.org
Application: NA

The Latest Research
Want to know how other women are operating their businesses? Want to know the trends in benefits, and employment issues? What about the current state of minority women business owners? All these questions and more and researched and studied at the Center for Women's Business Research. You can look at the latest facts, trends, and research to see what is working and what isn't. For more information, contact: Center for Women's Business Research, 1411 K Street NW, Suite 1350, Washington, DC 20005; 202-638-3060; http://www.cfwbr.org/

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Other
Contact: For more information contact Center for Women's Business Research, 1411 K Street NW, Suite 1350, Washington, DC 20005; 202-638-3060; http://www.cfwbr.org/
Application: NA

Help For The Self-Employed
The National Association for the Self-Employed is one of the leading resources for businesses. For a minimal annual fee they offer a wide range of benefits and services to the small business owner. You get access to health, life, dental and prescription insurance, discounts on a variety of services such as travel, entertainment, and legal and accounting. They even have a Business Development Grant Program. You can get quick answers to your tax and finance questions and help with understanding your taxes. To learn more, contact: National Association for the Self-Employed, P.O. Box 612067, DFW Airport, 75261; 800-232-6273; http://www.nase.org

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service/Other
Contact: To learn more contact the National Association for the Self-Employed, P.O. Box 612067, DFW Airport, 75261; 800-232-6273; http://www.nase.org
Application: NA

The First Women Business Enterprise Certifier
The National Women Business Owners Corporation was the first organization to certify businesses as "women owned." This certification provides proof of ownership which is valuable when going after contracts and business opportunities. Most corporations and government purchasing agencies track women business contracts, so this certification could be to your advantage. To learn more about the process, contact: National Women Business Owners Corporation, 1001 W. Jasmine Drive, #G, Lake Park, FL 33403; 800-675-5066; http://www.nwboc.org/

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service
Contact: To learn more about the process contact National Women Business Owners Corporation, 1001 W. Jasmine Drive, #G, Lake Park, FL 33403; 800-675-5066; http://www.nwboc.org/
Application: NA

Grab That Government Contract
Long ago offices were established to help people get contracts from the Department of Defense. These offices have now expanded their scope and help businesses get federal, state, and local government contracts all for free or nominal cost. The offices are operated through the Defense Logistics Agency and are called Procurement Technical Assistance Program Centers (PTAP). To find an office near you, go to: http://www.dla.mil/db/procurem.htm and click on your state. To learn more, contact Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Office, Cameron Station, Room 4B110, Defense Logistics Agency, Alexandria, VA 22304; 703-767-1661

Income: up to $1,000,000
State: All
Age: All
Subject Category: Business
Money Type: Service
Contact: To find the office nearest you, contact Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Office, Cameron Station, Room 4B110, Defense Logistics Agency, Alexandria, VA 22304; 703-767-1661; http://www.dla.mil/db/procurem.htm
Application: NA

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers

ALABAMA
PTAC OF ALABAMA
1500 1ST AVENUE NORTH, R118
BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203-1821
Point of Contact: PAT PHILLIPS
205-307-6513
Fax: 205-307-6511
E-mail: patphill@uab.edu
http://www.asbdc.org/procurement.htm

ALASKA
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE SBDC
430 W 7TH AVE STE 110
ANCHORAGE, AK 99501-3550
Point of Contact: MARY SHEEHAN (INTERIM)
907-456-7232
Fax: 907-456-7233
E-mail: fnmhs@uaf.edu
http://www.ptacalaska.org/

ARIZONA
THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR AMERICAN INDIAN ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
NATIONAL CENTER HEADQUARTERS
953 E JUANITA AVENUE
MESA, AZ 85204
Point of Contact: ELAINE YOUNG
480-545-1298 x230
Fax: 480-545-4208
E-mail: elaine.young@ncaied.org
http://www.ncaied.org/

ARKANSAS
ARKANSAS PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER
UNIV. OF ARK. DIV. OF AG. COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
127 WEST FIFTH STREET (AT THE CORNER OF LOCUST)
MALVERN, AR 72104
Point of Contact: SUE COATES
501-337-5355
Fax: 501-337-5045
E-mail: scoates@uaex.edu
http://www.arcommunities.org/APAC.htm

CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES COUNTY OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS
PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
1100 N. EASTERN AVENUE, ROOM G115
LOS ANGELES, CA 90063-3200
Point of contact: DEBBIE CABREIRA JOHNSON
323-881-3964
Fax: 323-881-1871
E-mail: dcabreira-johnson@isd.lacounty.gov
http://www.laosb.org/

THE FEDERAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER
PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
4600 ROSEVILLE ROAD, SUITE 100
SACRAMENTO, CA 95660
Point of contact: JACK TONEY
916-334-9388
866 FTC PTAC
Fax: 916-334-9078
E-mail: Jack@TheFTC.org
http://www.theftc.org/PTAC

RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT (RCCD)
PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER (PAC)
CORPORATE CONNECTION
14745 RIVERSIDE DRIVE
RIVERSIDE, CA 92518-1880
Point of Contact: DEBORAH SLAYTON
951-571-6475
Fax: 951-653-1051
E-Mail: deborah.slayton@rcc.edu
http://www.rcchelpsbusiness.com

SAN DIEGO CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES CENTER
4007 CAMINO DEL RIO SOUTH, SUITE 210
SAN DIEGO, CA 92108-4189
Point of Contact: J. GUNNAR SCHALIN
619-285-7020
Fax: 619-285-7030
E-mail: gschalin@ptac-sandiego.org
http://www.ptac-sandiego.org

PACIFIC AMERICAN INDIAN DEVELOPMENT
2000 EAST IMPERIAL HIGHWAY
BUILDING R1
EL SEGUNDO, CA 90245
Mailing: PO BOX 902, MAIL STATION R01/A501
EL SEGUNDO, CA 90245
Point of Contact: OSCAR PADILLA
310-563-2360 OR 310-200-8344
Fax: 310-563-2379
E-mail: oscar.padilla@p-aid.org

COLORADO
PROCUREMENT LEARNING FOR AMERICAN INDIAN NATIONS SOCIETIES
PHYSICAL LOCATION (LOCKHEED MARTIN BUILDING):
12257 SOUTH WADSWORTH BLVD
LITTLETON, CO 80125
MAILING ADDRESS:
PROCUREMENT LEARNING FOR AMERICAN INDIAN NATIONS SOCIETIES
C/O LOCKHEED MARTIN SPACE SYSTEMS COMPANY
P.O. BOX 179, BUILDING GPL L-191, MS H0191
DENVER, CO 80201-0179
Point of Contract: RICK LANDERS - PROGRAM MANAGER
303-977-3756
Fax: 303-977-8330
E-mail: rick.landers@plns.org

CONNECTICUT
CONNECTICUT PTAP
190 GOVERNOR WINTHROP BLVD, SUITE 400
NEW LONDON, CT 06320
Point of Contact: BRIEN J ROBERTSON
860-437-4659 x208
888-6-secter
Fax: 860-437-4662
E-mail: brobertson@secter.org
http://www.ctptap.org/

DELAWARE
PTAC OF DELAWARE
ONE INNOVATION WAY, SUITE 301
NEWARK, DE 19711
Point of Contact: JUANITA BEAUFORD
302-831-0780
Fax: 302-831-0771
E-mail: jbeau@udel.edu
http://www.delawarecontracts.com/

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
There is no PTAC located in the District of Columbia

FLORIDA
UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA
FLORIDA PTAC
401 EAST CHASE ST SUITE 100
PENSACOLA, FL 32502
Point of Contact: LAURA SUBEL
850-473-7806
Fax: 850-473-7813
E-mail: Lsubel@uwf.edu
http://www.fptac.org

GEORGIA
GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORPORATION
GEORGIA TECH PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER
505 TENTH STREET NW
ATLANTA, GA 30332-0420
Point of Contact: ZACK OSBORNE
478-953-1460
Fax: 478-953-3169
E-mail: zack.osborne@innovate.gatech.edu
www.gtpac.org

UIDA BUSINESS SERVICES
86 SOUTH COBB DRIVE, MZ0510, Col. J16
MARIETTA, GA 30063
Point of Contact: GEORGE WILLIAMS
770-494-0117
Fax: 770-494-1236
E-mail: georgew@uida.org
http://www.uida.org

HAWAII
There is no PTAC located in Hawaii

IDAHO
IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
OFFICE OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
PHYSICAL: 700 WEST STATE STREET
BOISE, ID 83720-0093
Mailing: PO BOX 83720
BOISE, ID 83720-0093
Point of Contact: JAMES A. VESTERMARK, PROGRAM MANAGER
208-334-2650 X2132
Fax: 208-334-2631
E-mail: jim.vestermark@business.idaho.gov
http://cl.idaho.gov

ILLINOIS
STATE OF ILLINOIS
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
620 E ADAMS ST
SPRINGFIELD, IL 62701
Point of Contact: RICHARD ALTON
217-557-7808
Fax: 217-524-0171
E-mail: richard.alton@illinois.gov
http://ienconnect.com

INDIANA
PARTNERS IN CONTRACTING CORPORATION
2646 HIGHWAY AVEHIGHLAND, IN 46322
Point of Co, , ,, ntact: MARY KACZKA
219-916-5660
Fax: 219-838-5550
E-mail: mkkaczka@piccorp.org
http://www.piccorp.org

IOWA
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
CENTER FOR INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH & SERVICE
2272 HOWE HALL, SUITE 2620
AMES, IA 50011-2272
Point of Contact: DAVID BOGACZYK
515-289-0280
800-458-4465
Fax: 515-294-4925
E-mail: bogaczyk@iastate.edu
http://www.ciras.iastate.edu/procurement/

KANSAS
PTA services provided by:
MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY
HEARTLAND PTAC
3950 E NEWMAN RD
JOPLIN, MO 64801-1595
Point of Contact: TERRI BENNETT
417-625-9538
Fax: 417-625-9782
E-mail: heartlandptac@mssu.edu
http://www.heartlandptac.org
http://www.mssu.edu/heartlandptac/

KENTUCKY
KENTUCKY PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
500 MERO ST
23RD FLOOR, CAPITAL PLAZA TOWER
FRANKFORT, KY 40601
Point of Contact: DEBBIE McKNIGHT
800-838-3266
Fax: 502-564-5932
E-mail: debbie.mcknight@ky.gov
http://www.thinkkentucky.com/KYEDC/proassist.aspx

LOUISIANA
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA - LAFAYETTE
LOUISIANA PTAC
241 E LEWIS STREET
PO BOX 44172
ROOM 110
LAFAYETTE, LA 70504-4172
Point of Contact: SHERRIE MULLINS
800-206-3545
Fax: 337-482-5837
E-mail: sherlm@louisiana.edu
http://www.la-ptac.org

NORTHWEST LOUISIANA GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT CENTER
GREATER SHREVEPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
400 EDWARDS ST
SHREVEPORT, LA 71101
Point of Contact: KELLY FORD
318-677-2532
Fax: 318-677-2534
E-mail: kellyford@shreveportchamber.org
http://www.lagpc.org

MAINE
MAINE PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
40 HARLOW STREET
BANGOR, ME 04401
Point of Contact: PATRICIA RICE
207-942-6389
Fax: 207-942-3548
E-mail: price@emdc.org
http://www.maineptac.org

MARYLAND
MARYLAND PTAC
7100 BALTIMORE AVENUE, SUITE 402
COLLEGE PARK, MD 20740-3627
Point of Contact: MARY LEE KOLICH
301-403-2740 x26
Fax: 301-403-2743
E-mail: mkolich@mdptap.umd.edu
http://www.mdptap.umd.edu

MASSACHUSETTS
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
MSBDC/PTAC
121 PRESIDENT'S DRIVE, ROOM 227
AMHERST, MA 01003
Point of Contact: PETER J COKOTIS
413-545-6303
Fax: 415-545-1273
E-mail: ptachelp@msbdc.umass.edu
http://www.msbdc.org/ptac

MICHIGAN
GENESEE REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
519 SOUTH SAGINAW STREET, SUITE 210
FLINT, MI 48502
Point of Contact: DUSTIN FRIGY
810-600-1432
Fax: 810-600-1461
E-mail: dfrigy@thegrcc.org
http://www.michigantac.org

THE ENTERPRISE GROUP OF JACKSON, INC
Physical: ONE JACKSON SQUARE - SUITE 1100
JACKSON, MI 49201
Mailing: PO BOX 80
JACKSON, MI 49204
Point of Contact: PENNIE KAY SOUTHWELL
517-788-4680
Fax: 517-782-0061
E-mail: pennie@enterprisegroup.org
www.enterprisegroup.org

KALAMAZOO REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
346 WEST MICHIGAN AVENUE
KALAMAZOO, MI 49007-3737
Point of Contact: JANICE CAMPBELL
269-381-2977 x3243
Fax: 269-552-4435
E-mail: jcampbell@kazoochamber.com
E-mail: www.kazoochamber.com

SCHOOLCRAFT COLLEGE
18600 HAGGERTY ROAD
LIVONIA, MI 48152-2696
Point of Contact: TAMMY THOMSON
734-462-4438
Fax: 734-462-4673
E-mail: tthomson@schoolcraft.edu
http://www.schoolcraft.edu/bdc

DOWNRIVER COMMUNITY CONFERENCE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
15100 NORTHLINE
SOUTHGATE, MI 48195
Point of Contact: PAULA BOASE
734-362-3477
Fax: 734-281-6661
E-mail: paula.boase@dccwf.org
http://www.dccwf.org/

NORTHWEST MICHIGAN COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
PTA CENTER
Physical: 1209 SOUTH GARFIELD AVENUE
TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49686
Mailing: PO BOX 506
TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49685
Point of Contact: PATRICK BUBIN
231-929-5036
Fax: 231-929-5042
E-mail: patrickbubin@nwm.cog.mi.us
www.nwm.org

MACOMB COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
7900 TANK AVENUE
WARREN, MI 48092
Point of Contact: ROSANNE OLIVER, DIRECTOR
586-498-4122
Fax: 586-498-4101
E-mail: oliverr@macomb.edu
http://www.macomb.edu/ptac

MUSKEGON AREA FIRST PROCUREMENT CENTER
900 THIRD STREET, SUITE 112
MUSKEGON, MI 49440
Point of Contact: PAMELA VANDERLAAN-POORT
231-722-7700
Fax: 231-722-6182
E-mail: psvander@wmis.net
http://www.muskegon.org

NORTHEAST MICHIGAN CONSORTIUM
Physical: 20709 STATE STREET
ONAWAY, MI 49765
Mailing: PO BOX 711
ONAWAY, MI 49765
Point of Contact: DENISE HOFFMEYER
989-733-8548
Fax: 989-733-8069
E-mail: denise@miworks-nemc.gen.mi.us
http://www.michigantac.org/region2.html

MINNESOTA
METROPOLITAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
250 SOUTH SECOND AVE STE 106
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55401-2214
Point of Contact: SHERRI KOMROSKY
612-259-6565
Fax: 612-317-1002
E-mail: skomrosky@meda.net
www.ptac-meda.net

MISSISSIPPI
MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
501 N. WEST STREET
JACKSON, MS 39201
Point of Contact: CAROL HARRIS
601-359-2386
Fax: 601-359-5290
E-mail: charris@mississippi.org
http://www.mscpc.com/

MISSOURI
MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY
HEARTLAND PTAC
3950 NEWMAN ROAD
JOPLIN, MO 64801-1512
Point of Contact: TERRI BENNETT
417-625-9538
Fax: 417-625-9782
E-mail: heartlandptac@mssu.edu
http://www.heartlandptac.org
http://www.mssu.edu/heartlandptac/

M0 PTAC
410 S. SIXTH STREET
200 ENGINEERING NORTH
COLUMBIA, MO 65211
Point of Contact: MORRIS HUDSON
573-882-3597
Fax: 573-884-4297
E-mail: hudsonm@missouri.edu
www.missouribusiness.net/ptac

MONTANA
BIG SKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
222 NORTH, 32 STREET
BILLINGS, MT 59101-1911
Point of Contact: MAUREEN JEWELL
406-256-6871
Fax: 406-256-6877
E-mail: jewell@bigskyeda.org
http://bigskyeda.org

NEBRASKA
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
NBDC/PTAC
6001 DODGE STREET, RH-308
OMAHA, NE 68182-0072
Point of Contact: ANDREW ALEXANDER
402-554-6253
Fax: 402-554-6260
E-mail: alalexander@mail.unomaha.edu
http://ptac.unomaha.edu

NEVADA
PROCUREMENT OUTREACH PROGRAM
COMMISSION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
555 E WASHINGTON AVENUE, SUITE 5400
LAS VEGAS, NV 89101
Point of Contact: RICK HORN
702-486-2716
Fax: 702-486-2701
E-mail: rhorn@bizopp.state.nv.us
http://www.nvoutreachcenter.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
OFC OF BUS & INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
PO BOX 1856, 172 PEMBROKE RD
CONCORD, NH 03302-1856
Point of Contact: DAVID PEASE
603-271-7581
Fax: 603-271-7583
E-mail: david.pease@dred.state.nh.us
http://www.nheconomy.com/ptac

NEW JERSEY
FOUNDATION AT NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
PTA CENTER
323 MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD
490 FENSTER HALL
NEWARK, NJ 07102-1982
Point of Contact: DOLCEY CHAPLIN
973-596-3105
Fax: 973-596-5501
E-mail: chaplin@admin.njit.edu
http://www.njit.edu/DPTAC/

UNION COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
PTA PROGRAM
1085 MORRIS AVE STE 531 LIB HALL CENTER
UNION, NJ 07083
Point of Contact: MARYANN WILLIAMS
908-527-1166 X20
Fax: 908-527-1166 X21
E-mail: mwilliams@ucedc.com
http://www.ucedc.com/

NEW MEXICO
There is no PTAC located in New Mexico.
For referral information to a servicing PTAC:
Point Of Contact: MICHAEL VINYARD
505-827-0472
Fax: 505-827-2484
E-mail: michael.vinyard@state.nm.us

NEW YORK
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES
PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
110 WILLIAM STREET, 2ND FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10038
Point of Contact: COLLEEN GALVIN
212-618-8935
Fax: 212-618-8899
E-mail: cgalvin@sbs.nyc.gov
http://www.nyc.gov

RESEARCH FOUNDATION CUNY
31-10 THOMSON AVENUE, C-918
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101
Point of Contact: BENJAMIN HUNT
718-482-5306
Fax: 718-609-2091
E-mail: benh@lagcc.cuny.edu

ROCKLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PTAC
TWO BLUE HILL PLAZA
PO BOX 1575
PEARL RIVER, NY 10965-1575
Point of Contact: HERMAN WAGNER, Acting Program Manager
845-735-7040
Fax: 845-735-5736
E-mail: hermanw@redc.org
www.redc.org

SOUTH BRONX OVERALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
SoBRO PTAC
555 BERGEN AVENUE - 3rd Floor
BRONX, NY 10455-1368
Point of Contact: MIRIAM JOHNSON
718-732-7540
Fax: 718-292-6645
E-mail: mjohnson@sobro.org
www.sobro.org

CATTARAUGUS COUNTY
DEPT OF ECON DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING & TOUR
303 COURT ST
LITTLE VALLEY, NY 14755
Point of Contact: JOSEPH J WILLIAMS, JR
716-938-9111 x2331
Fax: 716-938-9431
E-mail: jjwilliams@cattco.org
http://www.cattco.org

COUNTY OF MONROE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (COMIDA)
ROCHESTER PTAC
50 WEST MAIN STREET, SUITE 8100
ROCHESTER, NY 14614
Point of contact: PAULETTE BIRCH
585-753-2015
Fax: 585-753-2028
E-mail: pbirch@monroecounty.gov
http://www.RochesterPTAC.com

NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH CAROLINA PTAC
SMALL BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBTDC)
5 W HARGETT STREET, SUITE 600
RALEIGH NC 27601
Point of Contact: TOM ELAM
919-715-7272
Fax: 919-715-7777
E-mail: telam@sbtdc.org
http://www.sbtdc.org/services/gov_procurement.asp

NORTH DAKOTA
There is no PTAC located in North Dakota

OHIO
LAWRENCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
PROCUREMENT OUTREACH CENTER
Physical: 216 COLLINS AVE
SOUTH POINT, OH 45680
Mailing: PO BOX 488
SOUTH POINT, OH 45680
Point of Contact: VIVIAN VALLANCE
800-408-1334
740-377-4550
Fax: 740-377-2091
E-mail: sppoc@zoominternet.net
http://www.lawrencecountyohio.org

OHIO DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT
PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTERS OF OHIO
77 SOUTH HIGH STREET, 26TH FLOOR
PO BOX 1001
COLUMBUS, OH 43216-1001
Point of Contact: VIRGINIA MULLENAX
614-644-1637
800-848-1300
Fax: 614-466-4172
E-mail: vmullenax@odod.state.oh.us
http://www.odod.state.oh.us/DMBA/ptac.htm

MAHONING VALLEY TECHNICAL PROCUREMENT CENTER
4319 BELMONT AVENUE
YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44505-1005
Point of Contact: STEPHEN J DANYI
330-759-3668 x24
Fax: 330-759-3686
E-mail: steve@mvedc.com
www.mvedc.com

OKLAHOMA
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT INSTITUTE
421 EAST COMANCHE, SUITE B
NORMAN, OK 73071
Point of Contact: ROY ROBERT GANN, JR.
405-329-5542
Fax: 405-329-5543
E-mail: tgi@coxinet.net
http://www.tgiok.com

OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER & TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
OKLAHOMA BID ASSISTANCE NETWORK
1500 WEST SEVENTH AVE
STILLWATER, OK 74074-4364
Point of contact: CARTER MERKLE
405-743-5592
Fax: 405-743-6821
E-mail: carter@okbid.org
http://www.okbid.org

OREGON
THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC INITIATIVES
GOVERNMENT CONTRACT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
1144 GATEWAY LOOP SUITE 203
SPRINGFIELD, OR 97477
Point of Contact: DEE EDWARDS
541-736-1088
Fax: 541-736-1090
E-mail: dedwards@gcap.org
http://www.gcap.org

PENNSYLVANIA
NW PENNSYLVANIA REGIONAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
395 SENECA STREET
OIL CITY, PA 16301
Point of Contact: WAYNE WILLIAMSON
814 677-4800 X116
Fax: 814-677-7663
E-mail: waynew@nwcommission.org
http://www.nwcommission.org

CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
GOVERNMENT AGENCY COORDINATION OFFICE (GACO)
250 UNIVERSITY AVE
CALIFORNIA, PA 15419
Point of Contact: DEBORAH S WOJCIK
724-938-5881
Fax: 724-938-4575
E-mail: wojcik@cup.edu
http://www.cup.edu/advancement/gaco/

SOUTHERN ALLEGHENIES PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
541 58TH STREET
ALTOONA, PA 16602
Point of Contact: DANIEL R SHADE
814-949-6528
Fax: 814-949-6505
E-mail: shade@sapdc.org
http://www.sapdc.org

INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (GCAP)
650 SOUTH 13TH STREET
5 ROBERT SHAW MAIN
INDIANA, PA 15705-1087
Point of Contact: RON MOREAU
724-357-7824
Fax: 724-357-3082
E-mail: rfmoreau@iup.edu
http://www.eberly.iup.edu/gcap/

JOHNSTOWN AREA REGIONAL INDUSTRIES PTAC
245 MARKET STREET, SUITE 200
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15901
Point of Contact: JAMES SCHIRF
814-539-4951
Fax: 814-535-8677
E-mail: jschirf@jari.com
http://www.jari.com/

SEDA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
201 FURNACE ROAD
LEWISBURG, PA 17837-8043
Point of Contact: ROBERT BROWN
570-524-4491
Fax: 570-524-9190
E-mail: rbrown@seda-cog.org
http://www.seda-cog.org/ptac

TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
3733 SPRUCE STREET
VANCE HALL, 4th FLOOR
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19104-3246
Point of Contact: M CLYDE STOLTZFUS
215-898-1219
Fax: 215-573-2135
E-mail: clydes@wharton.upenn.edu
http://www.pasbdc.org

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL OF NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT
1151 OAK ST
PITTSTON, PA 18640
Point of Contact: DAVID KERN
570-655-5581
Fax: 570-654-5137
E-mail: dkern@nepa-alliance.org

PUERTO RICO
COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO
PUERTO RICO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (PRIDCO)
Physical: 355 FD ROOSEVELT AVENUE
HATO REY, PR 00918
Mailing: PO BOX 362350
San Juan, PR 00936-2350
Point of Contact: MARCOS POLANCO (INTERIM)
787-753-6861
Fax: 787-751-6239
E-mail: mpolanco@pridco.com
http://ptacpr.com

RHODE ISLAND
RHODE ISLAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
BUSINESS EXPANSION DIVISION
315 IRON HORSE WAY, SUITE 101
PROVIDENCE, RI 02908
Point of Contact: DOROTHY REYNOLDS
401-278-9100 x175
Fax: 401-273-8270
E-mail: dreynolds@riedc.com
http://www.riptac.com

SOUTH CAROLINA
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
MOORE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
COLUMBIA, SC 29208
Point of Contact: FRANCIS L. HEAPE
803-777-4555
Fax: 803-777-4403
E-mail: fheape@moore.sc.edu
www.mooreschool.sc.edu

SOUTH DAKOTA
THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA
SOUTH DAKOTA PTAC
414 CLARK STREET
VERMILLION, SD 57069-2390
Point of Contact: KAREEN H. DOUGHERTY
605-367-5252
Fax: 605-677-5427
E-mail: kareen.dougherty@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/sdptac

TENNESSE
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE (UT)
CENTER FOR INDUSTRIAL SERVICES (CIS)
193 POLK AVENUE, SUITE C
NASHVILLE, TN 37210
Point of Contact: JOE FLYNN
615-532-8885
Fax: 615-532-4937
E-mail: joe.flynn@tennessee.edu
http://www.cis.tennessee.edu/PTAC

TEXAS
SAN ANTONIO PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
Physical: 1901 S ALAMO, SUITE 283
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78204-1605
Mailing: PO BOX 839966
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78283-3966
Point of Contact: PATRICIA TOVAR
210-207-3900
Fax: 210-207-3909
E-mail: pat.tovar@sanantonio.gov
http://www.sanantonio.gov/edd/

DEL MAR COLLEGE
WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
101 BALDWIN, CED 146
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78404
Point of Contact: SEAN SMITH
361-698-2221
Fax: 361-698-1024
E-mail: spsmith@delmar.edu
http://www.delmar.edu/sbdc

ANGELINA COLLEGE PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER
PO BOX 1768
LUFKIN, TX 75902-1768
Point of Contact: JAMES R (JIM BOB) ROLLINS
936-633-5432
888-326-5223
Fax: 936-633-5478
E-mail: acpac@consolidated.net
http://www.acpactx.org

VALLEY PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT BROWNSVILLE/TSC
301 MEXICO BLVD, SUITE F6-A
BROWNSVILLE, TX 78520
Point of Contact: ROSALIE MANZANO
956-882-4107
Fax: 956-882-4109
E-mail: rosalie.o.manzano@utb.edu
http://wtce.utb.edu/vptac/

TEXAS TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER
2579 S LOOP 289, SUITE 210
LUBBOCK, TX 79423
Point of Contact: OTILO CASTELLANO
806-745-1637
Fax: 806-745-6207
E-mail: o.castellano@nwtsbdc.org
http://www.nwtsbdc.org

EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES CENTER
1359 LOMALAND, ROOM 536
EL PASO, TX 79935
Point of Contact: JOE CONWAY
915-831-7748
Fax: 915-831-7755
E-mail: josephc@epcc.edu
http://www.elpasococ.org

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON
CROSS TIMBERS PROCUREMENT CENTER
7300 JACK NEWELL BLVD SOUTH
FORT WORTH, TX 76118
Point of Contact: GARY HARLIN
817-272-5978
Fax: 817-272-5992
E-mail: gharlin@arri.uta.edu
http://arri.uta.edu/crosstimbers/

PANHANDLE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UNIT
PHYSICAL: 415 W EIGHT AVENUE
AMARILLO, TX 79105
MAILING: P.O. Box 9257
AMARILLO, TX 79101
Point of Contact: EDMOND ESPARZA
806-372-3381
Fax: 806-373-3268
E-mail: eesparza@theprpc.org
http://www.prpc.cog.tx.us

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
2302 FANNIN, SUITE 200
HOUSTON, TX 77002
Point of Contact: CAREY WHITE
713-752-8466
Fax: 713-756-1515
E-mail: cwhite@uh.edu
http://www.sbdc.uh.edu

UTAH
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (GOED)
UTAH PTAC CENTER (UPTAC)
324 SOUTH STATE STREET
SUITE 500
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84111
Point of Contact: FRED LANGE
801-538-8733
Fax: 801-538-8888
E-mail: fglange@utah.gov
http://www.goed.utah.gov/PTAC

VERMONT
STATE OF VERMONT
DEPT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
NATIONAL LIFE BUILDING DRAWER 20
MONTPELIER, VT 05609
Point of Contact: GREGORY MAGUIRE
802-828-5237
Fax: 802-828-3258
E-mail: greg.maguire@state.vt.us
http://www.thinkvermont.com/gmac

VIRGINA
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
MASON ENTERPRISE CENTER PTAP
4031 UNIVERSITY DRIVE, SUITE 200
FAIRFAX, VA 22030
Point of Contact: JAMES REGAN
703-277-7700
Fax: 703-352-8195
E-mail: ptap@gmu.edu
http://www.vaptap.org

CRATER PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION
CRATER PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER
1964 WAKEFIELD STREET
PO BOX 1808
PETERSBURG, VA 23805
Point of Contact: JOANNE TOMPKINS
804-861-1666
Fax: 804-732-8972
E-mail: jtompkins@cpd.state.va.us
http://www.craterpdc.state.va.us/PAC/PACmain.htm

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Physical: 369 COLLEGE ROAD
RICHLANDS, VA 24641-1101
Mailing: 6 MILES SOUTH OF CLAYPOOL HILL
US ROUTE 19
PO BOX SVCC
RICHLANDS, VA 24641
Point of Contact: GLENDA D CALVER
276-964-7334
Fax: 276-964-7575
E-mail: glenda.calver@sw.edu
http://www.sw.edu/ptac

WASHINGTON
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL OF SNOHOMISH COUNTY
728 134TH STREET, SW
SUITE 128
EVERETT, WA 98204-5322
Point of Contact: ERIN NIELSEN
425-743-4567
Fax: 425-745-5563
E-mail: ptac@snoedc.org
http://www.washingtonptac.org

NORTHWEST AMERICAN INDIAN DEVELOPMENT
3400 188TH STREET, SW
SUITE 310
LYNWOOD, WA 98037
Point of Contact: MEREDITH EDWARDS
425-744-0738
Fax: 425-771-6838
E-mail: meredith.edwards@nwaid.org

WEST VIRGINIA
REGIONAL CONTRACTING ASSISTANCE CENTER, INC. (RCAC)
1116 SMITH STREET
SUITE 202
CHARLESTON, WV 25301
Point of Contact: JESSICA HUDSON
304-344-2546
Fax: 304-344-2574
E-mail: jhudson@rcacwv.com
http://www.rcacwv.com

MID-OHIO VALLEY REGIONAL COUNCIL PTAC
PO BOX 5528
VIENNA, WV 26105
Point of Contact: BELINDA SHERIDAN
304-428-6889
Fax: 304-428-6891
E-mail: belinda@cssiwv.com
http://www.wvptac.org

WISCONSIN
MADISON AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE
BUSINESS PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER
3513 ANDERSON STREET, SUITE 108
MADISON, WI 53704-2607
Point of Contact: DENISE REIMER
608-243-4484
Fax: 608-243-4486
E-mail: dmreimer@matcmadison.edu
http://matcmadison.edu/bpac

WISCONSIN PROCUREMENT INSTITUTE, INC.
756 N MILWAUKEE STREET
MILWAUKEE, WI 53202
Point of Contact: JOSEPH ENDRES
414-270-3600
Fax: 414-270-3610
E-mail: josephe@wispro.org
http://wispro.org

WYOMING
UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
GOVERNMENT RESOURSES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS (GRO-BIZ)
1400 DEWAR DRIVE, SUITE 208C
ROCK SPRINGS , WY 82901
Point of Contact: PAT STILLE
307-362-2110
Fax: 307-382-3217
E-mail: stille@wyoming.com
http://www.gro-biz.com

Senator McCain said what?

2008-04-25T15:39:00.001-07:00

This week our members hit the phones to call on their senators to enact the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. On Wednesday, we came close but fell three senators short of the 60 necessary to force a vote.

As disappointed as I was by the result, I was even more upset when I came across a news report regarding the reaction of Senator John McCain, who failed even to show up for the vote.

McCain said the gap between the pay of women and men in this country isn't due to discrimination. Women just need more "education and training" to earn as much as men.

Tell Senator McCain that what women need is equal justice under the law.

Lilly Ledbetter worked 19 years at Goodyear before she learned the men at her level were earning far more for the same work. She sued, and stood up for inequality by taking her case all the way to the Supreme Court—where five male justices ruled her claim invalid because she filed it more than 180 days after the discrimination started. Now, Senator McCain is blocking a vote on legislation to correct this injustice—and in the process, he seems willing to roll back 50 years of women's rights.

Sign our petition asking Senator McCain to take back his sexist statements and stop blocking this crucial vote.
Another vote will be called soon, possibly within days. If we can stop senators like John McCain from blocking a vote on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the bill, which has already passed the House, will surely pass the Senate as well.

I'm asking all my friends to stand up for the rights of women in the workplace. I hope you will, too.

Sincerely,
Laura Scher, CEO
CREDO Mobile

More prevalent than Facebook and American Idol

2008-04-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

What's the latest trend among teen girls? Unfortunately, it's not just Facebook or American Idol.

It's the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases.

Last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the shocking fact that at least one in four teenage girls nationwide has a STD. One in four!

Even as the teen STD crisis deepens, the Bush administration continues to funnel millions in taxpayer dollars to dangerous and discredited "abstinence-only" programs that replace lessons about birth control with lies about contraceptive failure.

Now that the House of Representatives has returned to pro-choice leadership, Congress is finally taking action and I hope you do, too.

Please urge your lawmakers to end funding for President Bush's reckless "abstinence-only" programs.

Yesterday, a House committee—led by pro-choice champion Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)—held its first-ever oversight hearing on Bush's dangerous "abstinence-only" policy.

What disturbing information was revealed?

Expert after expert testified that, ten years and $1.5 billion in taxpayer dollars later, "abstinence-only" programs still do not work.
Worse yet, by denying teens information about how to protect themselves, these ineffective programs are doing active harm.

Your action today can make a difference. Yesterday's hearing was a huge step in the right direction. Now we need your help to flood House members with emails opposing funding for these discredited programs.

Please take action right now; it will take only a few minutes. Thank you for your continued support.

My best,

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Prevent a Disaster

2008-04-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

McCain is peddling his “moderate” message unchallenged across the country.

The unthinkable is happening …

McCain’s candidacy is growing stronger since he’s become the Republican nominee for president. You and I know there’s nothing moderate about John McCain when it comes to a woman’s right to choose. That is why I am asking you to take the next step in your commitment to women’s reproductive freedom and choice -- become a Partner for Choice with NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Click here - join Partners for Choice today.

Quite simply, Partners for Choice are our most important, dedicated members. Each partner of this exceptional group pledges to make a modest but vital gift of $10, $20 or more a month. The ongoing power that these gifts give us is incredible, especially now as McCain grows stronger.

Our goal is to recruit at least 35 new Partners for Choice in the next two weeks -- in honor of the 35 years that abortion has been safe and legal. I hope you, Dottye, will be among them.

McCain has already voted against choice 125 times out of 130 opportunities since 1983. He has:

Supported anti-choice Supreme Court nominees -- like Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and even Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork!

Voted against insurance coverage for birth control.

Supported “abstinence-only” programs.

Dottye, help us reach our goal of 35 new Partners for Choice. But hurry, we need you on board within the next two weeks.

The ongoing support of our valued Partners for Choice helps ensure we have a steady, reliable revenue stream, month after month to plan long-term strategies as John McCain tries to sneak into the White House posing as a moderate. Or, when opponents of women’s reproductive rights try to restrict access to legal means of birth control or even accurate sex education.

Click here to make your first secure monthly online donation right now. You’ll be instrumental in our fight to keep John McCain out of the White House.

Make no mistake. The consequences of a McCain presidency would be disastrous. Our next president may appoint TWO Supreme Court Justices, dramatically changing the make-up of the Court, the future of Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose. We CANNOT allow John McCain to be that president!

Sincerely,

Nancy Keenan, President
NARAL Pro-Choice America

P.S. I hope you will be one of 35 new Partners for Choice. Please make your monthly contribution today.

Supreme Court

2008-04-08T15:27:00.001-07:00

As the Political Director for NARAL Pro-Choice America, I want to personally thank you for everything you do to protect a woman’s right to choose. Since Nancy wrote you just four days ago, we’ve made great progress toward our Choice Challenge 2008 Fund goal of raising $65,000. We have just $15,254 to go, and you can help us get there! There is no better time than now to give, because by making a donation today, you’ll double the impact of your gift.

The next president of the United States will likely appoint two Supreme Court Justices. Sen. John McCain voted to confirm Justices Thomas, Roberts, and Alito. But he’s not just anti-choice….he’s anti-birth control! Sen. McCain has never cosponsored or supported legislation that would prevent unintended pregnancy or reduce the need for abortion. We can’t let John McCain become our next president.

I cannot overstate how reliant we are on your financial support for our work this year. The political team has our work cut out for us in 2008, but your commitment makes it possible for us to step up our efforts, when so much is at stake for choice, while continuing to safeguard choice day-in and day-out.

We must succeed in defeating Sen. John McCain and electing a pro-choice president, so please, help us reach our $65,000 goal and contribute today.

Thank you!

Elizabeth J. Shipp, Political Director
NARAL Pro-Choice America

U.S. Funded Health Search Engine Blocks 'Abortion'

2008-04-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

By SARAH LAI STIRLAND
April 4, 2008

A U.S. government-funded medical information site that bills itself as the world's largest database on reproductive health has quietly begun to block searches on the word "abortion," concealing nearly 25,000 search results.

Called Popline, the search site is run by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland. It's funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, the federal office in charge of providing foreign aid, including health care funding, to developing nations.

The massive database indexes a broad range of reproductive health literature, including titles like "Previous abortion and the risk of low birth weight and preterm births," and "Abortion in the United States: Incidence and access to services, 2005."

But on Thursday, a search on "abortion" was producing only the message "No records found by latest query."

Stephen Goldstein, a spokesman for Johns Hopkins, said he wasn't aware of the censorship, and couldn't immediately comment.

Under a Reagan-era policy revived by President Bush in 2001, USAID denies funding to non-governmental organizations that perform abortions, or that "actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations."

A librarian at the University of California at San Francisco noticed the new censorship on Monday, while carrying out a routine research request on behalf of academics and researchers at the university. The search term had functioned properly as of January.

Puzzled, she contacted the manager of the database, Johns Hopkins' Debbie Dickson, who replied in an April 1st e-mail that the university had recently begun blocking the search term because the database received federal funding.

"We recently made all abortion terms stop words," Dickson wrote in a note to Gloria Won, the UCSF medical center librarian making the inquiry. "As a federally funded project, we decided this was best for now."

There was no notice of the change on the site.

Dickson suggested other kinds of more obscure search strategies and alternative words to get around the keyword blocking.

"In addition to the terms you're already using, you could try using 'Fertility Control, Postconception'. This is the broader term to our 'abortion' terms and most records have both in the keyword fields," she wrote.

She also suggested using a euphemistic search strategy of "unwanted w/2 pregnancy." But the workarounds don't satisfy critics of the censorship.

"The main function of their site is keyword search, and if you use a phrase that contains the word 'abortion,' it ignores it," notes Melissa Just, the library director at the cancer research institute and hospital named City of Hope in Duarte, California. Just followed the conversation on a listserv and said she was outraged when she found out about the censorship incident.

"Even if you were trying to make an argument to someone that abortion is a bad idea for them -- whether it's a health risk, or you're concerned about their mental well being, you wouldn't be able to find articles about your claim," she notes. "It's shutting off both the pro and the con access."

John McCain said Roe v. Wade is flawed and must be overturned.

2008-04-01T15:33:00.001-07:00

Do you want him choosing our next Supreme Court Justice? We need $65,000 right away.

Donate today to double the money for our Choice Challenge 2008 Fund!

Sen. John McCain is anything BUT a moderate when it comes to a woman’s right to choose. Since 1983 Sen. McCain has cast 125 anti-choice votes out of 130 opportunities.

But it gets worse. Sen. McCain has never cosponsored or supported legislation that would prevent unintended pregnancy or reduce the need for abortion. We can’t let John McCain become our next president. Not if we value women's reproductive freedom!

McCain’s record is deplorable! And it’s going to be an uphill battle to spread the truth about “The Real McCain.”

That’s why a group of your fellow NARAL Pro-Choice America members have stepped up to the plate with half of the funds to challenge you -- and all of us -- to make a difference now by getting us to $65,000.

Donate to the Choice Challenge 2008 Fund immediately to double our resources dollar for dollar!

We need you to help us reach the goal of $65,000 for our Protect & Elect campaign, as well as our daily work nationwide to protect a woman's right to choose.

If you can help meet the $65,000 challenge, then we will have twice as much money in-hand to fight for choice.

This opportunity comes when NARAL Pro-Choice America desperately needs the resources to defeat John McCain and keep all of our work going!

The fact is, during a quarter century in Congress, Sen. McCain has shown nothing but contempt for our reproductive freedoms. Now we have a chance to stop him from taking his contempt for choice to the next level!

With your help, we will identify more than one million voters nationwide, tell them the truth about “The Real McCain” through the mail, phone, and other media, and persuade 1.23 million pro-choice Republican and Independent women in key congressional districts to vote pro-choice -- something no other group can or will do.

Please donate now to the Choice Challenge 2008 Fund and DOUBLE what we can do to protect a woman’s right to choose.

Donate to the Choice Challenge 2008 Fund immediately! We can’t afford to fail.

Sincerely

Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

r u 4 choice?

2008-03-06T21:05:00.000-08:00

Can Big Telecom Block "Unsavory" Messages?

Tell the FCC to outlaw content-based discrimination by text-messaging providers like Verizon.

Actions speak louder than words. That's what I was thinking when I heard that Verizon, the second-largest U.S. mobile company, rejected NARAL Pro-Choice America's application for a "short-code" to send opt-in text messages to its members (then reversed its decision after a storm of criticism).

We've been working to make sure that kind of censorship can't happen -- and now there's something you can do to help. You can speak up today to support free speech by posting a comment with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to end the practice of discrimination in setting up text-messaging services.

Click here to send your comment. Don't delay -- the comment period ends March 14.

In initially turning down the program, Verizon had told NARAL Pro-Choice America that it does not accept programs from any group "that seeks to promote an agenda or distribute content that, in its discretion, may be seen as controversial or unsavory to any of our users."

Unsavory? How's this for unsavory: Verizon believes it can quash an organization's communications to its own members. It was only because of enormous public outcry that Verizon changed its tune.

The fact that Verizon feels it can reject or block politically motivated messages should leave us all very worried. After all, how would you feel if Verizon decided to drop your phone calls the minute you started discussing a "controversial" issue like reproductive freedom? Please submit a comment today to help stop discrimination in text-messaging services.

As CEO of CREDO Mobile, I don't just call for choice: I marched for choice on Washington, D.C. in 2004. I advocated for family planning in Ethiopia, where I saw how, thanks to the Bush administration's global gag rule, families have no more access to reproductive services. And I run a proudly pro-choice phone company.

The good news is, as consumers, we still have a voice -- and we still have a choice. We can speak out against text-messaging censorship by posting a comment with the FCC today. And we can choose to be a part of a pro-choice company, like CREDO Mobile, which has donated more than two million dollars to women's organizations -- $267,000 to the NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation alone.

If you agree with us on this issue, we hope you visit our website and take action today. Thank you for your continued commitment.

Laura Scher, CEO
CREDO Mobile

Take the Dollar-a-Day Challenge!

2008-03-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

Take the Dollar-a-Day Challenge to change women's lives!

One billion people - 1 out of every 6 human beings -live in extreme poverty, struggling to survive on less than $1 a day. Most Americans can't imagine trying to support their families on only a dollar a day. But millions of women around the world are forced to do exactly that. In honor of International Women's Day (March 8) and Women's History Month (March), Ritu Sharma Fox, Women Thrive's president and co-founder, traveled to Nicaragua to try to live on a dollar a day. Read Ritu's diary, see pics, and watch videos of her experience and join her in committing to donate one dollar a day for the next year to Women Thrive's efforts to end poverty for women and their families.

Read More:
http://www.womenthrive.org

Join Ritu in taking the Dollar-a-Day Challenge and make your dollars change women's lives! Make a gift or pledge to Women Thrive for $365 - only $30.50 per month. Share the challenge with your friends, and join with us as we create transformative change for $1 a day.

As a challenge-taker, you will get a badge to display on your website, blog, or emails to let your friends and family know about your generosity and commitment. If you decide to recruit your friends, you will get the chance to win a beautiful color print, personally autographed by award-winning photojournalist Paola Gianturco (learn more).

Most of all though, you will get the knowledge that your dollars are going as far as they can go to reducing world poverty - by empowering women, and their families, to escape it.

Make your dollars count! Take the Dollar a Day Challenge!

Thank you.

Women Thrive Worldwide
www.womenthrive.org

FREE Surgeries for Victims of Domestic Violence

2008-02-29T19:56:00.000-08:00

The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary R.O.S.E. Partnership funds six surgeries each year for facial reconstruction to women who have suffered injury to the face due to violence. Assistance includes pre- and post-operative care deemed necessary to patients selected by The R.O.S.E. Fund. Contact: The R.O.S.E. Fund, Inc., 175 Federal St., Ste. 455, Boston, MA 02110; 800-253-6425; 617-482-5400; Fax: 617-482-3443; www.rosefund.org/programs/ReconSurgery.asp
Income Eligibility: Need determined on a case-by-case basis

Financial Help for Abortion

2008-02-29T19:37:00.001-08:00

Some of the 850 Planned Parenthood clinics will help women seeking an abortion during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy starting at $350 for those not covered by health insurance. In some cases they even have special funds to help women pay for services.

To investigate what your local clinic offers, call 1-800-230-PLAN. Contact Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 434 West 33rd Street, New York, NY 10001; 800-230-7526 or 212-541-7800; Fax: 212-245-1845; www.plannedparenthood.org. There is another consumer hotline that can also handle your abortion-related questions: Contact The National Abortion Federation, 1755 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036; 800-772-9100 or in Canada 800-424-2282; www.prochoice.org/
Income Eligibility: None