Remarks at the 2004 Democratic National Convention

I’m Louise Slaughter, chair of – and speaking for – the Democratic Congressional Women’s Caucus. We stand before you 42 women strong and with your help, ready to add to our ranks in November!

Tonight is a very special night for women all across America. Women have the power to decide this next election and when we do, we will take back our country and stand up for the values important to you. What do women expect from our government?

Instead of short-changing education, we want a government that helps our children prepare to compete in the global economy. Instead of sending good jobs overseas we expect our government to encourage companies to stay and grow here.

Instead of denying child-care and after-school programs to half a million youngsters, we will support an administration that keeps our children safe and helps them learn. Instead of insisting that the minimum wage which hasn’t been raised in seven years is adequate to feed a family, we want help for working families to make ends meet.

Women know how to balance a budget, we do it in our own homes and check- books. Instead of trillion dollar debt that our grandchildren will have to pay off we want a responsible, balanced budget. And instead of government dictating women’s reproductive decisions we expect our government to respect our bodies our lives and our choices.

A wave of change is going to sweep this nation in November led by women like these! All these Democratic Congresswomen will work with women across America in the most crucial election in our lifetime.

Together, we will go into the battleground states to find the 20 million women who did not vote in the last election to register them to vote and convince them that voting for Kerry-Edwards will be the most important thing they do this November. When women vote John Kerry will win. In a Kerry-Edwards administration, the government will stand with women, not against us.

More than half of all elderly women would be living in poverty if not for Social Security. John Kerry will keep Social Security safe! John Kerry will re-instate funding for emergency shelters, crisis hotlines, and other services to protect women from violence.

Small business women – who own almost half of all businesses today – will get the credit they need to keep their businesses alive. Women will no longer fear that government is peering into their medical records they’ll win back their privacy.

All women and the families they love will have affordable health care. And when life-time appointments to the federal courts go only to judges who respect our privacy and our health again all women will be the winners.

The Kerry-Edwards administration will sustain women’s dearest values our families our communities our nation our planet. Women and the Kerry-Edwards administration is the winning ticket for America the winning ticket for all of us. Thank you.