CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER, HOW
ONE DEADLY BREATH CAN MOVE
THROUGH THE WORLD.
>> JOINING ME NOW IS VALERIE
JARRETT, OF COURSE, FORMER
SENIOR ADVISER TO PRESIDENT
BIDEN AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK
"FINDING MY VOICE: WHEN THE
PERFECT PLAN CRUMBLES, THE
ADVENTURE BEGINS."
VALERIE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
AND IN JANUARY, NEARLY 80% OF
ADULTS WHO LEFT THEIR JOB WERE
WOMEN AND WOMEN STILL WORKING
25% ARE CONSIDERING DOWNSIZING
THEIR CAREERS OR LEAVING THE
WORKFORCE ENTIRELY ACCORDING TO
A RECENT SURVEY, SO WE’VE GOT A
REAL CHALLENGE HERE AS WE COME
OUT OF THE PANDEMIC TO GET WOMEN
BACK IN THE GAME.
>> THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT, ANDREA.
AND HELLO, AS WE CELEBRATE
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, I
THINK WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND
THIS PANDEMIC LAID BEAR AND
EXACERBATED THE CHALLENGES
FACING WOMEN HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD.
HERE WOMEN STILL ONLY MAKE 82
CENTS ON THE DOLLAR COMPARED TO
MEN, FAR LESS FOR WOMEN OF
COLOR.
WE KNOW DISPROPORTIONATELY THE
RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHILDCARE
FOR WOMEN AND CHILDCARE IS NOT
AFFORDABLE, SO WOMEN TRYING TO
WORK AT HOME ARE ONES TRYING TO
MAKE SURE THEIR CHILDREN ARE ON
ZOOM, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THE
FAMILY IS WORKING FUNCTIONALLY
IN THIS EXTRAORDINARILY
STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT.
WE’RE ALSO SEEING AN INCREASE
WITH WOMEN WITH POSTPARTUM
DEPRESSION DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
ALL OF THIS JUST LAYS BAESH THER
ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITIES AND
BURDENS FALLING ON WOMEN, AND AS
YOU POINTED OUT, WOMEN ARE
LOSING THEIR JOBS IN THE
WORKPLACE 3-1K COMPARED TO MEN.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT DO WE DO
ABOUT IT AND HOW DO WE CLOSE
THAT GAP?
AND WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO
SEE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
TODAY ANNOUNCE A CREATION ON
POLICY OF GENDER POLICY EQUITY
TO ENSURE THAT WOMEN AND GIRLS
ALL ACROSS AMERICA AND THE WORLD
ARE ABLE TO CLOSE THAT GAP, AND
TAKING AN ALL OF GOVERNMENT
APPROACH TO IT, WORKING WITH THE
PRIVATE SECTOR AND
NOT-FOR-PROFIT SECTOR TO BE SURE
WE CLOSE THAT GAP.
ANDREA, CHAIR THE UNITED STATES
OF WOMEN WHO GREW OUT OF OUR
WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL ON WOMEN AND
GIRLS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
THE GENDER EQUITY COUNCIL THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FORMED AND
TAKE WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE
HORRENDOUS PANDEMIC AND BE SURE
WE’RE FOCUSING ON THOSE ISSUES
SO IMPORTANT TO WOMEN, PAID
LEAVE, PAID SICK DAYS, WORKPLACE
FLEXIBILITY, AFFORDABLE
CHILDCARE, ENVIRONMENT FREE FROM
SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
WE KNOW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS
GONE UP DURING THIS PANDEMIC AS
WELL AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT
ISN’T HAPPENING IN THE
WORKPLACE.
ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN
WHICH BARRIERS AND STRUCTURAL
AND CULTURAL HAVE IMPEDED THE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND
GIRLS.
>> HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THE
CHILDCARE CREDIT MIGHT HELP?
>> OH, IT’S ENORMOUS.
EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, IF YOU
WERE TO ASK WOMEN WHAT ARE THE
PRIMARY REASONS THEY DROP OUT OF
THE WORKPLACE IT’S BECAUSE THEY
CAN’T AFFORD CHILDCARE.
ON TIMES THEY’RE PAYING MORE FOR
CHILDCARE THAN THEY WERE MAKING
THEMSELVES.
SO RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF
THAT CHILDCARE CREDIT AND
OVERALL RELIEF PACKAGE, WHICH I
SHOULD MENTION I’M SO HEARTENED
TO SEE IT IS MOVING FORWARD.
AND FORGET THE SAUSAGE-MAKING IN
WASHINGTON.
I LOOK AT IT THROUGH THE LENS OF
THE IMPACT IT’S GOING TO HAVE
FOR AMERICANS WORRYING ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL PAY
THEIR RENT, GET EVICTED FROM
THEIR HOMES, HAVE ACCESS TO THE
SHOT, SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO
SCHOOL WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL
CONTRACT THE VIRUS.
THESE ARE ALL ISSUES THAT ARE
BEING ADDRESSED IN THIS BILL.
IS IT THE PERFECT BILL?
NO, BUT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LET
PURPOSE BE THE ENEMY OF THE
GOOD.
IT WILL BRING IMPORTANT RELIEF
IMMEDIATELY TO AMERICANS
STRUGGLING ALL ACROSS OUR
COUNTRY.
>> AND I WANTED TO ALSO CONVEY
MY PERSONAL CONDOLENCES TO YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE I FLOW
THAT VERNON JORDAN IS YOUR FIRST
COUSIN THROUGH MARRIAGE, AND SO
VERY CLOSE TO YOU, AND AS WE
REMEMBER HIM AND ALL OF THE
TIMES THAT YOU WERE SO CLOSE
WITH HIM, I KNOW, AT HOWARD
UNIVERSITY, WHERE HIS FUNERAL
WILL BE HELD.
WITH THAT HIS LEGACY IS SO
POWERFUL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANDREA.
AND THAT YOU FOR THAT PHOTO.
WE WERE HAVING A QUIET, GOSSIPY
MOMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF A
TREMENDOUS COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
AND HE WAS A HUGE PART OF MY
LIFE, OVER THREE DECADES.
I WILL MISS HIM ON A VERY
PERSONAL LEVEL, NOT TO MENTION
THE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTION
THAT HE MADE TO SO MANY PEOPLE
AROUND OUR COUNTRY.
HE WAS A MENTOR TO COUNTLESS
PEOPLE, AND I APPRECIATE YOU
REMEMBERING HIM.
HE CERTAIN WILL I CONSIDERED YOU
A DEAR FRIEND.
>> AND, OF COURSE, THE MEMORIES
WILL OVERFLOW TOMORROW AT HOWARD