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Another WAND Woman in Congress By Kimberly Robson
(Update since going to press: Diane won this election!) In a special election on April 10, 2001, the Los Angeles, California congressional district will have the opportunity to elect the 60th woman to Congress! Former WiLL member, CA State Senator and Ambassador Diane Watson holds a commanding lead in the polls, but needs the support of WAND members to raise the money necessary for the April 10 primary. The winner of the primary is virtually guaranteed to win the general election in this democratic stronghold. Diane Watson will join the WAND women who vote 90% of the time in support of progressive issues, compared to 58% by women overall and 48% by men. Diane has been endorsed by Emily’s List and National Women’s Political Caucus. If you are a WAND member and would like to help Diane Watson become the 60th woman in the U.S. Congress, send contributions to:
WAND PAC
WiLL Spotlight: By Ann Ober Senator Sandy Pappas, former WAND national board member and seventeen-year veteran of the Minnesota State Legislature, brings a powerful political voice to issues affecting women and children. In her view: “The economic future of [Minnesota] depends on government investing in job training and early-childhood education.”
This belief has led her to sponsor many pieces of legislation and to run for Mayor of St. Paul in 1997. Sandy is now chair of the enhanced Senate Education Policy and Finance Committee, overseeing 50 percent of the state’s budget. In 1998, she distinguished herself within the WiLL community as the creator of the Better Budget sign-on letter addressed to Minnesota members of the U.S. Congress, asking that they vote to cut excessive military spending in favor of returning money to the states for programs that address unmet human needs. Sen. Pappas has been a member of the WiLL program for over five years, and is currently serving as the Minnesota WiLL State Director. She has worked with WAND and Minnesota women to establish a women’s economic policy think tank.
The Federal Checkbook:
Education is a high priority for WiLL women, but pentagon demands drain dollars from issues they support. For the past twenty years, states have seen continued cuts in funding for human needs programs and envi-ronmental protection, while billions are doled out to the pentagon — even more dollars than it requests. At the same time, in a process known as devolution, more responsibilities and programs keep shifting to the states. As a result, state legislators have been forced to do more with less. Each year, WiLL members introduce the Better Budget Resolution (BBR), calling on the U.S. Congress to redirect excessive pentagon spend-ing to the states. The passage of the BBR at the state level sends a power-ful message to Washington, letting policy makers know that state legisla-tors and their constituents need federal funding to create a safer and stron-ger community. Two state legislators are taking on the pentagon budget this year: Rep. Joan Hurdle (Montana) and Assemblywoman Dion Aroner (California). Their work brings attention to the sacrifices ordinary citizens make to support military spending, and provides a legislative focus for activism. |
Senator Sandy Pappas
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