History

Business and Professional Women / USA (BPW/USA), founded in 1919, promotes equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education and information. With 30,000 members in more than 1,600 local organizations represented in every congressional district in the country, BPW/USA includes among its members women and men of every age, race, religion, political party and socio-economic background.

Mission

The mission statement of BPW/USA is to achieve equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education, and information.

Leadership

Among the first of women's organizations to endorse the Equal Rights Amendment in 1937, BPW/USA has been a leader in promoting and passing legislation affecting working women ever since. In addition, BPW educates its members on policy issues and encourages them to become involved in policy development in their own workplaces, and in grassroots efforts at the local, state and federal government levels. BPW's Political Action Committee (BPW/PAC) provides contributions and endorsements to women and pro-women candidates who support BPW's legislative priorities.

Legislative Agenda

Throughout the years, three major issues shaped BPW's legislative agenda: elimination of sex discrimination in employment, the principle of equal pay, and the need for a comprehensive equal rights amendment.

The legislative platform at both the national and state level of BPW include working for improvements in women's health care issues such as availability of reproductive choice and expanding research on diseases that primarily affect women; education and services concerning violence against women, children and the elderly; working to secure quality dependent care for all ages; and appointment and election of women to policy level positions and public office.