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Council on Women and Girls Weekly Highlights

Summary: 
Weekly highlights from the Council on Women and Girls Weekly Highlights.

Welcome to the Council on Women and Girls Weekly Highlights. If you have friends or family who would like to support the efforts of the Council on Women and Girls, please visit our website and share this link with others on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s been a busy week here at the White House – check out West Wing Week to get updated on what's happening in the President's world. Staying consistent with the President’s mantra for the week, we can’t wait to ensure a better future for America’s Women and Girls. We can’t wait for congress to act – the stakes are too high, the problems too serious. So we will continue to work with congress to pass the American Jobs Act, but the President will also continue to take executive actions that fight for the middle class because the American people simply can’t wait.

That’s why this past week, President Obama announced new efforts to make college more affordable by helping millions of borrowers better manage their federal student loan debt. America cannot lead in the 21st century without the best-educated, most competitive workforcein the world. Nations that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow, which is why we must supply our workforce with the skills they need to compete.

Over the past several days, the administration announced measures to help struggling homeowners and to prevent prescription drug shortages. On October 24th, the President traveled to Las Vegas to highlight a set of steps announced by the Federal Housing Finance Agency to make it easier for some homeowners to refinance their mortgages. And yesterday, October 31st, the President signed an Executive Order that will lead to earlier FDA notification of any impending shortages for certain prescription drugs. Early notification can help prevent a shortage from becoming a crisis by allowing hospitals, doctors and manufacturers to take action to ensure medications remain available.

$1.1 billion

American Jobs Act By the Numbers
 

The American Jobs Act is right for the American Economy and right for American women. Among many things, it includes funds that will save or create 400,000 teacher jobs. With 78 percent of teachers being women – that’s a lot of jobs for women. In Pennsylvania alone, the American Jobs Act will invest in hiring and retaining 14,400 teachers. For State-by-State numbers click here.

Stay Engaged

The Office of Public Engagement launched the new Engage page, a one-stop-shop for all the ways you can engage with the White House online. This website features upcoming engagement opportunities, the latest news on White House policies and programs, links to community pages, and much more. Visit the page and share your point on how the White House can advance initiatives to help women and girls.

Please join Senior White House Policy Officials for a review of the Executive Actions announced last week.

We will cover: Housing, Veterans Employment, Student Loan Repayment, and two new steps to help businesses expand and create jobs, including the new BusinessUSA:

  • When: Wednesday, November 2nd
  • Start Time: 3:00 p.m. EDT
  • Dial In: (800) 398-9367
  • Passcode Title: White House Update Call
  • This call is off the record and not for press purposes. Please RSVP here to join us and learn more.

Feedback: Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Please share comments on our outreach for Domestic Violence and Breast Cancer Awareness over the past month here.

Highlights

4-H Science day

Students at the National 4-H Center testing wind turbine models

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Avra Siegel is the Deputy Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls.