Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2019

Biden for President Launches Grassroots Movement ‘Women for Biden’

Today, Biden for President launched Women for Biden, a national network of supporters working to recruit and rally voters around Joe Biden’s transformative message of unity and his strong record fighting for women’s health care, economic security, safety, and a bright future for American families. 

Founded by a broad leadership committee of nearly 60 women in 16 states, Women for Biden will build a grassroots movement to organize supporters, and help Joe Biden defeat Donald Trump and restore the soul of our nation.  Women for Biden is a team of supporters from across the country from all classes, ages, races, gender identities and sexual orientations, who believe - like Joe does - that our best days still lie ahead. Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden, will serve as the honorary chair.

With so much at stake in this election – reproductive freedom, climate change, health care, education, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, strengthening the middle class – Women for Biden will bring together women who know that Biden is the strong and steady leader best positioned to reverse Trump’s war on women, put an end to the partisan rancor in Washington, and unite Americans to actually get things done. Women for Biden will host women-to-women phone banks, events, days of action, and fundraising activities.

"Everything is at stake in this election, and winning is going to take us all coming together, knocking on doors, making calls, and reaching out to our mothers and sisters and friends to get them involved, too,” said Ambassador Denise Bauer, Executive Director of Women for Biden. “Joe will bring not just policy expertise, but deep personal experiences as a father and caregiver with him to the White House, and make sure that all families across this country have the support they need to thrive."

"Joe Biden knows how far we’ve come, and how much farther we need to go in the fight for women’s rights all across this country,” said Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. "That’s why we’re building this movement to help him – to raise the voices and resources needed to make sure that Joe is elected, that we keep moving forward, and that we all win the battle to restore the soul of this nation."

From writing and spearheading the Violence Against Women Act, to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with President Obama to pass the Affordable Care Act, Joe Biden has an unmatched record of turning bold progressive policies into tangible results for women. 

As Senator and Vice President, Biden built a long record of achievement for women – fighting for their safety, health care, paychecks, and families:

Safety: In the 1990s, Biden wrote and won passage of the groundbreaking Violence Against Women Act, transforming the way our nation combats violence against women. Since then, he has worked to curb gender-based violence around the world, and built a national movement to end sexual assault on college campuses.

As president, Biden will ensure the Violence Against Women Act is reauthorized, and close gun law loopholes to keep women and their families safe. He’ll end the rape kit backlog, speed access to justice, and expand the safety net for assault survivors. And he’ll push for new ways to combat the scourge of online harassment and abuse, protecting women from often paralyzing threats and intimidation.

Health Care: As Vice President, Biden played a key role in passing the Affordable Care Act, freeing 100 million people from the fear that they could be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition – or charged more just for being a woman. Obamacare also requires health insurers to cover critical recommended preventive services like diabetes testing, mammograms, and contraception free of charge, boosting access to preventive care and birth control for millions of women.

As president, Biden will protect and build on Obamacare – not throw it out – expanding coverage, lowering costs, and making quality, affordable care a right for everyone. His plan will lower costs and slash drug prices; and it supports innovative partnerships to reduce maternal mortality, which disproportionately affects women of color. Biden has also vowed to reverse Trump’s assault on a woman’s right to choose, restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood, work to  guarantee access to a safe and legal abortion and codify Roe v. Wade, and repeal the Hyde Amendment.

Equal Pay: Throughout his career, Biden has fought for middle class families and the working women who keep them strong. As Senator, he cosponsored legislation to protect pregnant women from workplace discrimination, and to stop banks from discriminating against women. As Vice President, he was part of the Obama-Biden Administration’s historic work for equal pay, helping to ensure women aren’t paid less than men for doing the same job, and boosting access to post-secondary education, opening new doors to advanced training, college, and higher wages.

As president, Biden will keep fighting for women’s right to earn a good living – increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, encouraging unionization and collective bargaining, expanding access to retirement savings for caregivers, and strengthening Social Security. He’ll also expand educational opportunities, including by providing two years of community college without debt and halving income-based payments on student loans.

Families: When Biden lost his first wife and baby daughter in a car accident, he became a single parent to his two young sons. He took care of his sick son. He’s taken care of aging parents. And, he’ll draw on those experiences to help other working families overcome tough times. In the Senate, Biden worked to increase the minimum wage; to pass the Family and Medical Leave Act; and to extend the child tax credit, property tax relief, and Pell Grants. As the “Sheriff” of the Obama-Biden Administration’s Recovery Act, he oversaw the administration of more than $800 billion in middle class tax cuts and investments in health care, education, and housing to help recession-wracked families get back on their feet.

As president, Biden will go farther, creating a $5,000 tax credit to help cover long-term care and working to guarantee paid time-off so that people are able to  care for a newborn, elderly parent, or sick loved one. He’ll also provide an $8,000 child care tax credit and invest in universal pre-K, so that regardless of their zip code, parents’ income, race, or disability, every child is prepared to succeed in tomorrow’s economy. And he’ll fight to ensure that every community has clean air and water, standing up to polluters and pushing the world to take drastic action to address the climate crisis.

Women for Biden launched today with a video of women sharing why they support Joe Biden, and  a fact sheet highlighting his policies to advance women and families.

The full leadership committee for Women for Biden includes:

• Former U.S. Senator and U.S. Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, Illinois 
• Former U.S. Secretary of Labor and Los Angeles County  Supervisor Hilda Solis, California
• U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Texas
• U.S. Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, Florida
• U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware
• Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Georgia
• Former U.S. Representative Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire
• Florida State Representative Amy Mercado
• California Democratic Party State Assembly Delegate Kerry Jacob 
• Story County Auditor Lisa Heddens, Iowa
• Massachusetts State Representative Claire Cronin 
• California State Senator Melissa Hurtado 
• Clive County Councilwoman Susan Judkins, Iowa
• Scotty County Auditor Roxanna Moritz, Iowa
• Colorado State Representative Adrienne Benavidez 
• Florida State Representative Barbara Watson 
• Firefighter and Veteran Sarah Orwig, Iowa
• Pennsylvania State Representative Morgan Cephas 
• Polk County Treasurer Mary Maloney, Iowa
• Florida State Senator Lori Berman 
• President and CEO, Goodwill of Central Iowa Jackie Norris 
• Colorado State Representative Bri Buentello 
• Utah State Representative Susan Duckworth
• Dubuque Assistant City Manager Teri Goodmann, Iowa 
• Latina Business Leader Tish Maes, Colorado 
• Corporation Commissioner Sandra Kennedy, Arizona 
• Community Activist Connie Gronstal, Iowa
• Former President of the Denver Area Labor Federation Sheila Leder, Colorado
• Minnesota State Representative Rena Moran
• Lake County Sheriff Amy Reyes, Colorado
• Former Democratic State Party Chairwoman Megan Holbrook, Utah
• Latina Community Leader Denise Maes, Colorado
• Arizona State Representative Alma Hernandez 
• Former Democratic State Party Disabilities Caucus Chair Miriam Hyde, Utah
• Community Activist Sarah Riley, Iowa
• New Hampshire State Representative Julie Radhakrishnan
• Dubuque County Denise Dolan, Iowa
• Richland City School Board Member Yolanda Anderson, South Carolina
• Community Activist Nancy Riley, Iowa
• Community Activist Jennifer D. Bishop, South Carolina
• Community Activist Rae Ann Dickinson, Iowa
• Labor Leader Betty Brim Hunter, Iowa
• Small Business Owner Dr. Joann Thompson, South Carolina
• Community Leader Katrina Lantos Swett, New Hampshire
• Former South Carolina State Representative Vida Miller 
• Labor Leader Terri Donovan, New Hampshire
• Former United States Consumer Product Chair Inez Tenenbaum, South Carolina 
• LGBTQ Activist Renee Thomas, Iowa
• New Hampshire State Representative Mary Freitas 
• Nevada State Senator Yvanna Cancela 
• Furman Mayor Francenia Ellis, South Carolina
• Community Leader and Veteran Miyoko Hikiji, Iowa
• Nevada State Assemblywoman Susan Martinez 
• South Carolina State Representative Beth Bernstein 
• Nevada State Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod 
• Community Activist Nancy Pregler, Iowa
• Community Activist Doris Bauer, RN, Nevada
• Community Leader Devonne Young, South Carolina 
• Florida State Senator Janet Cruz