Advertisement NH Primary Source: Ahead of NH visit, Buttigieg releases women’s equality, economic empowerment plan South Bend mayor endorsed by 10 NH women who praise plan Share Shares Copy Link Copy

NEW POLICY PLAN AHEAD OF VISIT. Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg promises to nominate women to at least 50 percent of all Cabinet and judicial posts and spend $10 billion to end workplace sexual harassment and discrimination in a new plan released Thursday.>> Download the FREE WMUR appThe South Bend, Indiana, mayor will make women’s economic empowerment and health policy a centerpiece of his two-day, six-stop visit to the Granite State today and Thursday, according to his campaign.For the full Thursday, Oct. 24, New Hampshire Primary Source column, click here.As the plan was rolled out, Buttigieg picked up endorsements from 10 New Hampshire women activists. See their names and comments below.In “A Women’s Agenda for the 21st Century,” Buttigieg promises that as president, he will close the gender gaps in pay and wealth by spending $10 billion to ensure workplace accountability by employers as well as worker oversight and prevention. He writes that he will also end gender discrimination and harassment.“Right now, the system places the burden on those who have experienced discrimination or harassment to advocate for change -- often at risk of retaliation. As a result, the vast majority of discrimination and harassment never gets reported. Pete will fund oversight and prevention efforts that make it the responsibility of employers -- not employees -- to maintain safe and equitable work environments,” the plan says.Buttigieg plans to spend more than $50 billion to grow women-owned businesses and provide “affordable child care and paid family and medical leave.”He would codify abortion rights into law and work to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. Constitution, while re-establishing the White House Council on Women and Girls to “coordinate, monitor and report the progress of federal efforts to close the wage gap, wealth gap and leadership gap between men and women across racial and ethnic backgrounds. The chair of the council will be a senior adviser to the president.Buttigieg would require public companies to disclose the gender, racial and ethnic diversity of board members and executives. He would ensure that the Securities and Exchange Commission requires “diversity disclosures” to shareholders and the public. Banks used by the federal government would be required to disclose demographic information about lending practices, and leadership and legislation would be required to make public the medan pay gap between men and women in large companies.Buttigieg would push for a federal Paycheck Fairness Act, which would ban employers from using salary history to determine wages and require employers to “justify any pay discrepancies.” He has also called for a hike in the minimum wage to $15 by 2025.Buttigieg wrote that he would work to give workers more control over their work schedules and would restore overtime regulations to ensure that workers receive overtime pay for working more than eight hours in a day or more than seven consecutive days.Buttigieg would support several bills to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination, ensure 12 weeks of paid family leave and expand protections for domestic workers.Buttigieg also proposes symbolic moves. He would set up a commission to recommend new national monuments dedicated to women and would issue a new $20 bill with the image of renowned abolitionist and civil rights header Harriet Tubman.“Progress for women has come despite systemic sexism and racism, and persistent gender bias,” Buttigieg said in a statement. “And now, with women’s rights under assault, we can’t wait any longer to ensure women have the power they deserve,” said Buttigieg. “Women’s freedom can’t depend on Washington. It can only come from systematically building women’s power in our economy, our political system, and in every part of our society.”10 NH women endorse ButtigiegKathy O’Donnell of Keene called the plan “the most well thought out, comprehensive, and inclusive policy I have seen in support of women.“Too often, women’s rights are reduced to reproductive rights, the wage gap, or family leave, but Pete’s plan address everything from health care to housing, the pay gap to the retirement gap, domestic violence to online harassment for women of all ages and backgrounds,” O’Donnnell said. “What really stood out to me was his pledge to appoint at least 50 percent women to his cabinet and the judiciary. The cumulative effects of his policy, and his appointments in particular, would be nothing less than game-changing.”Joining O’Donnell in endorsing Buttigieg are disability rights activist Alicia Buono of Newmarket; Linda Quintanilha of Bennington, a ConVal School Board member and former board president of the nonprofit ABLE-NH; Mont Vernon School Board member Jessica Hinkley; New Hampshire Democratic Party convention delegates Christine Hounsell of Rochester, Carolyn Sundquist of Center Tuftonboro, Jennifer Buck of Webster and Judith Ackerson of Franklin; and activists Juliana Stevens of Alstead and Patricia Provencher of New Hampton.The plan was also praised by former state Sen. Bette Lasky of Nashua, who, while not endorsing Buttigieg, said, “For too long, women have had to accept lower wages and too often overlooked for advancement, while their most intimate health decisions have been dictated by male politicians. Pete’s plan would finally guarantee equal pay and promotion and guarantee a woman’s right to choose. Pete’s plan calls for equality in every sphere of life.”