Elizabeth Warren on Families & Children Massachusetts Senator; former head of CFPB; Dem. Presidential Challenger

I experienced pregnancy discrimination; let's fix it

The principal wished me luck and gave my job to someone else. Pregnancy discrimination, you bet. But I was 21 years old. I didn't have a union to protect me. And I didn't have any federal law on my side. So I packed up my stuff, and I went home. At least I didn't have a boss who said to me, "Kill it," the way that Mayor Bloomberg is alleged to have said.

Mayor Mike BLOOMBERG: I never said that. Oh, come on. And for the record, if she was a teacher in New York City, she would never have had that problem. We treated our teachers the right way, and the unions will tell you exactly that.

WARREN: Then let the women have an opportunity to speak. They are bound by nondisclosures so that they cannot speak.

Real money into schools & housing, to fight child poverty

"Put real money into our schools, put real money into housing," said Warren, who also pushed for more robust funding for education and health care.

The best investment we can make is in our children

Fully fund IDEA for special-needs schooling

Warren: I was a special education teacher and I loved that work because it gave me a chance to work straight up with people to recognize the worth of every human being. I have a plan as a special ed teacher to fully fund IDEA, [the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act], so every child with disabilities will get the full education they need. My housing plan is about investing in more housing across this country, but it's also about making sure that people who want to live independently, people who have disabilities will have housing available to them. I will make sure that the people who want to bid on federal contracts are treating people with disabilities fairly and paying them fairly. As a nation, we believe in treating these the least of thy brethren as people of value, and that is how we make a better America.

Universal childcare for every baby aged 0 to 5

Free child care for anyone under 200% of poverty line

Federal funds to cap childcare at 7% of income

No family would have to spend more than 7% of its household income on child care, no matter the number of kids. Families with incomes below twice the poverty line, which is roughly $50,000 a year for a family of four, would pay nothing.

The campaign says the initiative will likely require approximately $700 billion in new federal spending over 10 years. That figure takes into account higher economic benefits such as making it easier for new parents to return to work. The new outlays would be at least four times what the federal government currently spends on its main early childhood programs, which include Head Start. To offset the cost of the initiative, Warren will propose using revenue from her proposal for a new tax on wealth.

America is truly a land of opportunity

I grew up in a family on the ragged edge of the middle class

Me, I was waiting tables at 13 and married at 19. I graduated from public schools and taught elementary school. I have a wonderful husband, two great children, and three beautiful grandchildren. And I'm grateful, down to my toes, for every opportunity that America gave me. This is a great country. I grew up in an America that invested in its kids and built a strong middle class; that allowed millions of children to rise from poverty and establish secure lives. An America in which each generation built something solid so that the next generation could build something better.

Talk about families from perspective of mother & grandmother

Every couple disagrees over money; solution is compromise

It is about working together, every single day, reaching compromises that work for both of you--just like you do for the rest of your relationship.
• Change What You Can Don't wait for your mate to be perfect; fix the things you can, right here, right now.
• No Nagging
• Stick to the Subject

More funding & services for victims of domestic violence.

Introduction by co-sponsor Sen. Kay Hagan (D,NC):
We have a serious responsibility to ensure that women and families are protected. The rates of violence and abuse in our country are astounding and totally unacceptable: domestic violence affects more than 12 million people each year. In my home state, 73 women and children are killed on average every year because of domestic violence.

Since 1994, the STOP Program has provided grants for services, training, officers, and prosecutors, and has transformed our criminal justice system and victim support services. And this bill includes the bipartisan SAFER Act, which helps fund audits of untested DNA evidence and reduces this backlog of rape kits. I ask you: What other victims in America have to identify the attacker before authorities will take action? None.Introduction by Sen. Chuck Grassley(R,IA):
I urge my Republican colleagues, as I will do, to support the motion to proceed. There has long been bipartisan support for the Violence Against Women Act. Too many women are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence. There is overwhelming bipartisan support for 98% of what is contained in S. 47. [Since our negative vote last session], controversial provisions have been removed. The key stumbling block to enacting a bill at this time is the provision concerning Indian tribal courts. Negotiations are continuing, and compromises would allow the bill to pass with overwhelming bipartisan support. Introduction by Sen. Pat Leahy (D,VT):
Our bill will allow services to get to those in the LGBT community who have had trouble accessing services in the past. The rates of domestic and sexual violence in these communities are equal to or greater than those of the general population. We also have key improvements for immigrant victims of domestic and sexual violence.