EMILY’s List Applauds President Obama’s Fifth State Of the Union : Obama Prioritizes Equal Pay, Expanded Economic Opportunity For Women

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tonight, EMILY’S List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics applauds President Obama for prioritizing jobs and women’s economic security during his State of the Union address.

“President Obama trusts women – and women can trust President Obama,” said Stephanie Schriock, President of EMILY’s List. “Tonight he made it clear that strengthening women’s economic health is vital for moving our country forward. The EMILY’s List community – now more than two million members strong – was thrilled that the first bill he signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. And we’re thrilled to see his continued commitment to ending wage discrimination. Getting the economy working for women shouldn’t be a controversial issue, but House Republicans have predictably done everything in their power to block progress, even going so far as to oppose the Violence Against Women Act, which would help both the economic and physical security of American women.

“President Obama is committed to expanding economic opportunity for women and families – he and the EMILY’s list women in Congress are more ready than ever to hold Republicans accountable for their efforts to roll back the clock on women’s rights and opportunities.”    

During the 2011- 2012 election cycle, EMILY’s List helped elect an historic number of candidates – the only pro-choice Democratic woman governor in the country, 19 new women to the House, six Senate incumbents, and three new Senators – all the first women to represent their states in the Senate. And this cycle, women we’ve helped elect include the first Hindu and first female combat veterans to serve in the House, the first openly gay Senator, and the first Asian American woman to serve in the Senate. With a community that has quintupled since 2010 – now more than two million members strong – EMILY's List is one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY's List has worked to elect 100 pro-choice Democratic women to the House, 19 to the Senate, 10 governors, and over five hundred women to state and local office. In the 2011-2012 cycle, EMILY's List had the largest number of members and donors in our 28 year history, and raised a record-breaking $52 million dollars.