As the top Democrat on the Senate Small Business Committee, John Kerry has been hailed as the Senate's leader on initiatives that assist women-owned businesses – beginning with the Boston Center for Women and Enterprise, a national model Kerry championed.  He has been at the forefront of defending affirmative action, helping women-owned businesses in government contracting and making start-up and venture capital available to woman entrepreneurs.  As a candidate, John Kerry has appointed women to the top tiers of his campaign, just as a Kerry Administration will have women of all colors and from all backgrounds in positions of authority across the federal government.  And as President he will work to expand the number of women-owned businesses and eliminate the glass ceiling that has kept talented women out of the top positions in government and corporate America. 

John Kerry cosponsored the original Family and Medical Leave Act, which has given millions of American workers the chance to take time off for the birth of a child or to care for a sick child or family member.  John Kerry believes that we should not only protect Family and Medical Leave but should expand it to help more Americans balance the needs between work and family.

John Kerry believes that women have the right to control their own bodies, their own lives, and their own destinies.  He believes that the Constitution protects their right to choose and to make their own decisions in consultation with their doctor, their conscience, and their God.  He will defend this right as President.  He recently announced he will support only pro-choice judges to the Supreme Court.  Kerry also believes that we should promote family planning and health plans should assure women contraceptive coverage.

Women still earn, on average, only 73 cents for every dollar earned by men.  John Kerry believes that we must expand opportunities for women and work to make equal pay for equal work a reality not a slogan. He would start by improving enforcement and disclosure about payment practices.

John Kerry was an original cosponsor of the Violence Against Women Act, which has provided over $1 billion for battered women's shelters, hotlines, and other crucial resources. The Violence Against Women Act also significantly strengthened federal law by including several new federal crimes and enhanced penalties for acts of domestic violence.  John Kerry will take this commitment to the White House and support those working to help crime victims and put attackers behind bars.

For over 30 years, Title IX has helped open the doors of opportunity in education for millions of girls and young women. Title IX has enabled greater numbers of women and girls to participate in sports, receive scholarships, and obtain other important benefits that result from participating in sports. Despite this progress, the Bush Administration is considering many proposals to change Title IX that could undercut participation opportunities and scholarship dollars for women and girls, as well as other Title IX protections.  John Kerry will defend Title IX and work to expand college opportunities for women.

John Kerry has worked to ensure women receive access to health care, and he has focused particular attention on breast cancer research and funding.  Kerry was an original cosponsor of the Women's Health Equity Act, which ensures women of all ages receive information and access to the highest quality and most advanced health care.   He has worked to require health plans to cover hospital stays for breast cancer treatment and to preserve and increase funding for breast and cervical cancer research.

Kerry supports requiring insurance plans to cover contraception and he will continue to fight for a meaningful Patient's Bill of Rights, which would ensure women direct access to their OB/GYNs.