Delaney Hosts Panel on Challenges to Women in the Workforce at Montgomery College

WASHINGTON – Congressman John K. Delaney (MD-6) hosted a panel discussion Wednesday on the challenges faced by women in the workforce. The panel brought together experts from national nonprofit organizations, local elected officials, federal agency representatives and Sixth District constituents to discuss barriers that continue to hinder women’s professional development and success. The panel took place at Montgomery College’s Germantown campus.

Topics discussed by the panel included pay equity, the glass ceiling, and barriers to child care and gender and pregnancy discrimination. Dr. DeRionne Pollard, President of Montgomery College; Linda Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development at the Department of Health and Human Services; Mary Tiernan from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Liz Watson of the National Women’s Law Center; and Delegate Aruna Miller, representing Maryland’s 15th Legislative District, spoke on the panel, which was moderated by Congressman Delaney.

“I was honored to moderate the women’s issues panel and to host a thoughtful discussion about how we can expand opportunities for women and girls in this country,” said Congressman Delaney. “It was especially gratifying to see so many students at Montgomery College so engaged on this topic. Making sure women have equal opportunities to succeed is one of the biggest issues facing our country, as both a moral and an economic issue. While women have made tremendous gains in the workforce over the last several decades, we still have work to do empowering women to climb the ladder of success. We need to enforce the anti-discrimination laws that we have, pass commonsense bills like the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act that strengthen protections for women, and do more to create a welcoming environment for women in the workplace.”

Congressman Delaney is a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 377), which would update and strengthen the existing Equal Pay Act, and has signed a discharge petition to bring the bill to the floor of the House for a vote. Delaney is also a co-sponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 1975), which strengthens workplace protections for pregnant workers, and the Healthy Families Act (H.R. 1286), which provides workers with seven protected paid sick days each year.

After the women in the workforce panel, Delaney spoke with students in the Hillman Entrepreneurs Program at Montgomery College about his experience starting his own businesses.

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