Appendixes-Continued Appendix 2. Chronological list of witnesses' prepared statements-May 8: Page Jo Oberstar.. Margaret Reuss.. Nancy K. Schlossberg Betty Friedan.... Cristine Candela. Geraldine R. Eidson. Dr. Dolores A. Davis. Jane Porcino___ 161 163 165 166 168 169 174 179 183 Jane Fleming Appendix 3. Addition to the record by the Association of American Foreign A. Report on the Concerns of Foreign Service Spouses and Families.... A. "Some Reasons Why the Use of Psychotherapeutic Drugs Is Sub- 186 199 201 B. "Put Her Down on Drugs: Prescribed Drug Usage in Women" by C. City and County of San Francisco Commission on the Status of E. Women's Center of San Francisco State University F. Task Force on Women, Westchester County.. H. National Farmers Union.. I. National Advisory Council on Women's Educational Programs. L. George Washington University, College of General Studies for M. Denver Research Institute__ N. Consumers United Group, Inc.. Appendix 6. Letters from individuals.. 215 218 219 220 226 227 229 233 235 238 240 245 247 251 NATIONAL POLICY PROPOSALS MONDAY, MAY 7, 1979 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON RETIREMENT INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:20 a.m. in room 345, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. John L. Burton (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Members present: Representatives John L. Burton of California, Pepper of Florida, Oakar of Ohio, Drinan of Massachusetts, Evans of Indiana, Ferraro and Green of New York, Hopkins of Kentucky, Grassley of Iowa, and Whittaker of Kansas. Staff present: Merrill S. Randol, staff director and counsel; Valinda Jones, professional staff member; Ann Foote Cahn, consultant; Jean Lee, secretary; Nancy E. Hobbs, minority staff director; Bob Branand, minority counsel; and Mary E. Garver, minority staff assistant. OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN JOHN L. BURTON Mr. BURTON. The committee will come to order. The Subcommittee on Retirement Income and Employment meets today to consider a problem which has never before been examined in depth by either the Congress or the administration. In focusing for the first time on national policy issues affecting midlife women, I believe we are correcting a serious and longtime flaw in American social policy. That flaw has been the Nation's tardiness in dealing with elderly women's poverty only after it has occurred, instead of trying to prevent it beforehand in midlife. This poverty is not only one of financial need, but also poverty of employment opportunities and social interaction. Millions of women now 60 years and over are experiencing economic deprivation. For them, the Nation has no alternative but to provide for humanitarian programs and economic justice at a substantial Federal cost. But what of the 26 million midlife women between the ages of 40 and 60 who will reach age 65 some years down the road? What national policies should we adopt right now to enable them to enjoy an old age liberated from the nightmare of poverty which so many of today's elderly women experience? For answers to that question, the subcommittee already has the benefit of literally scores of suggestions, as presented by 29 experts on 18 subjects in the subcommittee's study, "Women in MidlifeSecurity and Fulfillment." (1) Our goal in today's and tomorrow's hearings is twofold: One, to receive at first hand the additional judgment of groups of experts, including organizational representatives, as well and individual women who will share with us their personal experiences. Two, to determine if there is consensus as to specific actions which the subcommittee might recommend, after due consideration, to the select committee as a whole, to the Congress, to the executive branch, and to the Nation. The subcommittee wishes to acknowledge a number of excellent statements which we have received from individuals and organizations throughout the United States. I shall ask that these statements be placed in the appendix of this transcript and we will hold the record open for some time in order to allow additional statements which we anticipate. One of the finest such statements from an organization is appropriately enough from the Nation's first displaced homemaker's center which opened in April 1976 at Mills College in Oakland, Calif. In the 3 brief years since its establishment, the Oakland displaced homemaker's center has become an inspiration for the enactment of displaced homemaker laws by numerous States. In its statement, the Oakland center commends the subcommittee for its work. It then proceeds to make an effective analysis of the critical lack of resources which impedes services to midlife women. It points out that its services represent one of the most cost effective programs ever financed by the State in the human services field. Yet its State support has ended and the center has "been forced to resort to a waiting list because the request for services has expanded beyond our limited capabilities." The statement stresses the serious age discrimination which places older women at virtually the bottom of priorities. Quoting from a Federal age discrimination study, the Oakland center cites what it regards as the ultimate in discriminatory attitudes: Vocational Rehabilitation clients are often referred to as the "4 h's" that is hernia, hemorrhoids, hysterectomies, and hearing aids which equal "homemakers." The statement than asks, "Is it any wonder that older women suffer from feelings of low self-esteem?" And I ask, is it any wonder that we of this subcommittee are determined to help raise that self-esteem and bring about a new era of opportunity for midlife and older women? Another excellent statement is from the Commission on the Status of Women for the City and County of San Francisco. The gist of the statement is contained in this paragraph: The real tragedy of midlife women is that most of them have deferred their own pleasures to serve as helpmates to their husbands. They worked to launch their husband's careers only to discover that there is no job security for the homemaker. They are now left with the terrible injustice of having lived their lives in the past for others and having their future collapse. The statement recommends "A complete turnaround in social policy regarding midlife women," and contains no less than 24 specific recommendations, all of which are constructive and many of which are very innovative, such as the proposed G.I. bill for homemakers. I should also like to acknowledge the contributions of the 29 experts who wrote the 18 papers in the compendium, and the services of Ann Foote Cahn, who suggested the concept of the study to the full committee and subcommittee, and carried out the project as editor. We welcome our witnesses. Their presence today attests to their awareness that our subject merits the Nation's attention. But first I would like to introduce the members of the committee and request them to make whatever statements they might care to make. It is with great pleasure that I get to introduce someone whom I idolized when I was still a very young man, and he is still a very young man, the chairman of the House Select Committee on Aging, Řepresentative Pepper from Florida. STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN CLAUDE PEPPER Mr. PEPPER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. I came here today to hear some of the testimony and to congratulate you and your colleagues upon initiating this most significant and interesting hearing. This may be, I think, one of the most significant hearings that our committee has had, and I especially commend the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Burton, for his foresight in the selection of the subject, and in the calling of this hearing. This is exactly the kind of effort that I have always encouraged each of our four subcommittees to undertake. To me it symbolizes the unique cooperation we have on our Aging Committee. Rather than block and discourage subcommittee action, we hope to facilitate them. As chairman of the full committee, I pledge the complete cooperation of our full committee in assisting the subcommittee in pushing the enactment of important recommendations I hope will come out of today's hearing. This committee has long been concerned about the plight of the elderly, of course. But for too many American women the problems of poverty, lack of health care, substandard housing, and inadequate food are even more severe than those of the elderly as a whole. For example, 16 percent of those persons over 65 live under the so-called poverty level; that cruel euphemism for life on a starvation diet that is calculated using an outdated concept of the actual cost of living on what is necessary to humanely survive. Yet the poverty rate is even higher for older women; 18 percent compared to 11 percent for older men. In fact, the poverty rate among elderly women is the single highest of any age group. A woman who ages in America today greatly increases her chances of becoming mired in the deprivation and degradation of poverty. Many of our hearings, including our recent hearing on pensions at which noted pollster Lou Harris testified, have shown the important role of the private pension system in supplementing limited social security benefits and alleviating poverty among older persons. Yet, as far as women are concerned, the private pension system has been an abysmal failure. More than twice as many retired men as women receive private pensions. The lower coverage of women coupled with certain aspects of the social security system which blatantly discriminates against women on the basis of sex mean that too many women are left economically helpless against the ravaging impact of runaway inflation on limited incomes. This committee has always viewed the problems of old age as a challenge for Americans of all ages. Old age is not an isolated chapter of the human life cycle but a direct outgrowth and reflection of earlier periods, especially middle age, as a joint report which you, Mr. Chairman, and I have issued together has shown. To the extent that we identify the roots of the problems during their earlier years, they can be better responded to. For example, a special task force of our committee and this subcommittee is now considering how best to end sex discrimination in social security. I am hopeful that today's hearing will identify other areas where Congress can take action to respond to the special needs of midlife women so as to ease the struggle for the elderly women of the future. Again, Mr. Chairman, I congratulate you. I commend you again upon the high quality of the witnesses that you have, and I assure you that as chairman of the full committee-and I am sure that I speak for our colleagues we will do everything we can to implement the good recommendations I know will come from your subcommittee and this hearing. Thank you. Mr. BURTON. Thank you very much, Senator. At this time, I wish to include in the record the prepared statement of the ranking minority member of our subcommittee, Bill Wampler, of Virginia. Hearing no objection, it is so ordered. [The prepared statement of Representative William C. Wampler follows:] PREPARED STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM C. WAMPLER Mr. Chairman, I commend your initiative and foresight in scheduling today's hearing on "National Policy Proposals Affecting Midlife Women". It is with sincere concern for the economic security of our nation's midlife and older population, that I join with you in welcoming today's distinguished witnesses. Today's witnesses represent a wide spectrum of knowledge and their expertise will provide major contributions to the deliberations of the Subcommittee on Retirement Income and Employment, on which I serve as the Ranking Minority Member. The interrelationship of discriminations, such as ageism combined with sexism has conspired to bring poverty and financial insecurity to many midlife and older women. As the post World War II baby boom reaches middle age between 1990 and 2010, the number of midlife women, aged 45 through 64, will peak to an estimated 36 million. Responsive programs for meeting the needs of present and future midlife women should be a priority of the 96th Congress and the present Administration. Midlife is not merely a particular span of years, 40 to 60 or 65, but a concept. Middle years may be characterized by: reaching the peak in one's occupational career, departure of children from the home, grandparenthood, retirement, or the onset of illness and widowhood. Today we hope to develop viable legislative policies in the areas of: job reentry, continuing education, job counseling, needs of displaced homemakers, and preretirement planning for women. While these issues were discussed in the Subcommittee compendium of papers on "Women in Midlife-Security and Fulfillment" compiled during the 95th Congress, we hope to go beyond a mere discussion of the issues. Today we hope to go one step further and develop innovative legislative policies. The unique problems of women and retirement must not be overlooked. During the 95th Congress, the Subcommittee on Retirement Income and Employment held hearings on "Alternatives to Retirement." The hearings revealed that the differential life expectancy between women and men has resulted in women facing an estimated eleven years of widowhood. In order to insure financial security in later years, programs must be designed to inform women of their retirement benefits, employment options, and opportunities for continued education. |