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As the proud father of two daughters, and grandfather of a granddaughter, every vote I make regarding women is a personal one. Decisions I make in my role as U.S. Representative will not only affect the lives of my loved ones but also the lives of women in California and across the nation.

Nationwide over the last 50 years, women have witnessed very real improvements in their political, economic and social status. However, there is still much room for improvement. Not all women enjoy equal access to the country's political, economic, and social resources, not all experience equally our nation's progress and prosperity. Women also face unique health, social and economic challenges. Also, while the number of women representatives has been growing, women still need strong advocates in the United State's most prestigious law-making bodies to ensure that their thoughts and concerns are being heard and honored. I am and will continue to strive to be such an advocate. Throughout my tenure in the U.S. Congress, as I did during my career in the California State Legislature, I have worked to ensure that the interests of all women are represented.

In the 107^th Congress, I sponsored the following women's health legislation:

• H.R. 1295. Breast Cancer License Plate Matching Grant Act of 2001: Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make matching grants available to the States in order to encourage the establishment of State license plate programs to provide funds for the treatment of breast cancer, for research, and for educational activities regarding such cancer.

In the 107^th Congress I co-sponsored the following key women's health legislation:

• H.R. 326. Ovarian Cancer Research and Information Amendments of 2001: Authorizes funding for ovarian cancer research; provides for a comprehensive education program to provide information to patients and the public; requires that the National Cancer Advisory Board include at least one individual who is at high risk of developing ovarian cancer.
• H.R. 536. The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act: Puts critical health care decisions back in the hands of breast cancer patients and their doctors. It will ensure that women receive the care they need and deserve while recovering from breast cancer surgery.
• H.R. 633. WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation) Expansion Act of 2001:Enacts several measures to combat heart disease, the leading cause of death for women.
• H.R.1111 To require equitable coverage of prescription contraceptive drugs and devices, and contraceptive services under health plans.
• H.R. 1202. Providing Annual Pap Tests to Save Women's Lives Act of 2001: Improves important preventative care benefits for women by requiring Medicare to cover Pap tests annually (including a pelvic and clinical breast exam).
• H.R. 1354. The Assure Access to Mammography Act: Provides enhanced reimbursement for, and expanded capacity to, mammography services under the Medicare Program.
• H.R. 1383. Native American Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Technical Amendment Act of 2001: Improves the coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment for American Indian and Alaska Native women.
• H.R.2610. Mothers and Newborns Health Insurance Act.
• H.R. 2725. Breast Cancer Research Stamp Act of 2001: Supports the extension of the Breast Cancer Research stamp.
• H.R. 3327 To amend title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the 7-year restriction on eligibility for widow's and widower's insurance benefits based on disability.
• H.R. 755. Global Democracy Promotion Act of 2001: Prohibits the application of certain restrictive eligibility requirements to foreign non-governmental organizations with respect to the provision of assistance under part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
• I voted against an amendment that would prevent U.S. population assistance funds from being made available to foreign community based organizations that provide desperately needed family planning assistance including counseling and referral services - a restriction that would be unconstitutional if imposed on American organizations.
• I voted against H.R. 503, because the law would have established new and bad precedent, restricting women's rights in new areas of the law and because it would not have detered criminal behavior.
• H.R. 2866 To restore freedom of choice to women in the uniformed services serving outside the United States.
• I voted for H. Res. 371, expressing solidarity with National Women's History Month.
• I voted against H.R. 4965. This was a poorly crafted bill that would be unconstitutional if enacted as it would prohibit certain procedures necessary to saving women's lives. Women facing life and death decisions must be able make these decisions with their families, and not have them mandated by Congress.
• I urged the California Family Health Council to deny a request from the San Bernardino County Health Council to be exempted from requirements to provide certain forms of contraception to family planning patients under Title X . I believe that limiting birth control options for women, would be a great disservice to women in San Bernardino County.

Equal rights for women include equal access to quality health care and equal consideration of women's health interests. I think it is a disgrace that the number of women without health insurance has increased in most states.

In the 107^th Congress, I have sponsored the following legislation to promote and protect equal rights and to fight discrimination:

• H.R. 1164 The Native American Hate Crimes and Criminal Justice Grant Program Act dedicating specified funds for grants to Indian tribal governments or law enforcement agencies for carrying out activities with the purpose of reducing violence and hate crimes against Native Americans and reducing incidents of crime on reservations.

In the 107^th Congress, I have co-sponsored the following legislation to promote and protect women's equal rights and to fight discrimination:

• H. Res. 18. Urging the Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention in the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
• H. Con. Res. 94. Recognizing the significance of Equal Pay Day to demonstrate the disparity between wages paid to men and women.
• H.J.Res.40. Makes the Equal Rights Amendment part of the Constitution.
• H.R. 781. The Paycheck Fairness Act: Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 875. The Restoration of Women's Citizenship Act: Grants U.S. citizenship posthumously to the women who were wronged in 1907 and were unable to benefit from the 1952 law (1907 law held that women who married men that were not US citizens would lose their US citizenship.)
• H.R. 1536. "Go Girl": Increases girls' participation in math, science, engineering, and technology education and careers.
• H.R. 2692. Employment Non Discrimination Act: Extends federal employment discrimination protections that are currently provided based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability, to sexual orientation.

I believe Equal Rights for women include the right not to fear domestic violence, the right to be protected from domestic violence.

In the 107^th Congress I co-sponsored the following anti-domestic violence legislation:

• H.R. 28. Establishes the Violence Against Women Office within the Department of Justice.
• H.R. 2670 To promote the economic security and safety of victims of domestic and sexual violence.
• H.R. 4089. To educate minority communities about domestic vilence.
• H.R. 4091. The Domestic Vilence Courts Assistance Act. To create separate domestic violence courts.

Women's progress over the past century has involved great achievement and contribution. I believe it is important to recognize and commemorate such accomplishments legislatively.

In the 107^th Congress I co-sponsored the following legislation honoring women:

• H. Con. Res. 38. Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued honoring Martha Matilda Harper, and that the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.
• H. Con. Res. 169. Honors the contributions of minority women to women's suffrage and to making America a more just nation by creating a statue to recognize be placed in the Capitol Rotunda.
• H. Con. Res. 177. Expressing the sense of Congress that all workers deserve fair treatment and safe working conditions, and honoring Dolores Huerta for her commitment to the improvement of working conditions for children, women, and farm worker families.

Women's rights are human rights. I will continue in the 107th and beyond to promote and protect the rights women and men together have fought so hard to acquire. I look forward to working on issues that benefit us all.

Updated August 28, 2002.