The Difference Women Make

by Swers, Michele L.

• ISBN13: 9780226786490
• ISBN10: 0226786498
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-10-01
• Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr

Summary

What if there were more women in Congress? Providing the first comprehensive study of the policy activity of male and female legislators at the federal level, Michele L. Swers persuasively demonstrates that, even though representatives often vote a party line, their gender is politically significant and does indeed influence policy making. Swers combines quantitative analyses of bills with interviews with legislators and their staff to compare legislative activity on women's issues by male and female members of the House of Representatives during the 103rd (1993-94) and 104th (1995-96) Congresses. Tracking representatives' commitment to women's issues throughout the legislative process, from the introduction of bills through committee consideration to final floor votes, Swers examines how the prevailing political context and members' positions within Congress affect whether and how aggressively they pursue women's issues. Anyone studying congressional behavior, the role of women, or the representation of social identities in Congress will benefit from Swers's balanced and nuanced analysis.

Author Biography

Michele L. Swers is an assistant professor of government at Georgetown University.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	ix
Acknowledgments	xi
Does Electing Women Have a Policy Impact?	1	(19)
Women, the Political Parties, and the Gender Gap	20	(12)
Bill Sponsorship: Placing Women's Issues on the National Agenda	32	(25)
Cosponsorship: Registering Support for Women's Issues	57	(16)
Amendments in Committees: Working behind the Scenes for Women's Issues	73	(24)
Fighting for Women's Issues on the Floor	97	(16)
Roll-Call Voting: Taking a Public Position on Women's Issues	113	(13)
Conclusion: Does Electing Women Matter? The Impact on Policy Development and Democracy	126	(9)
Appendix A: Identifying Committees and Subcommittees That Considered Women's Issue Bills	135	(5)
Appendix B: Women's Issue Bills Considered in Committee Markup and/or on the Floor	140	(15)
Notes	155	(14)
References	169	(12)
Index	181