In the Lead2021-01-07T17:39:15-05:00


In the Lead

Senate CERH hearing
Senate Holds Key Hearing on the Economic Impact of Abortion Restrictions

IWPR's research shows that abortion restrictions harm women’s health and education leading to disproportionate impacts on the national and state economy. A key Senate committee took up this important issue at a hearing on February 28 and IWPR was there.

FAFSA delay blog
FAFSA Delays-Navigating the Thorny Landscape of College Unaffordability

For many low-income college students, the prevailing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) delays are causing added panic to our ever-growing educational crisis of soaring college costs. IWPR's Policy Team weighs in.

Moms EPD 2023
Mothers’ Wage Inequities Go Beyond Paid Labor

August 15 was Mom's Equal Pay Day and IWPR's research shows that In 2021, working moms made just 62 cents on the dollar compared to working fathers.

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Mothers’ Wage Inequities Go Beyond Paid Labor

This year, August 15th marks Mothers' Equal Pay Day. This date highlights the inequalities that mothers in the United States face in their pay. Mothers had to work nearly eight more months into 2021 in order to earn the same amount fathers earned in the previous year. In 2021, for all workers with earnings, working mothers only earned 61.7 cents for every dollar a working father made. For those working full-time year-round, working mothers made 73.5 cents compared to [...]

Black Women’s Equal Pay Day 2023: No Matter What State They Live In, Black Women Make Less Than White Men

Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is a symbolic commemoration of a stark reality: no matter which state they live in, whether they work part- or full-time, or part-year or year-round, Black women make substantially  less  than White men . This year, Black Women's Equal Pay Day falls on July 27th. While  Equal Pay Days used to be described as the day when women “caught up” to men’s earnings from the previous year, IWPR senior researcher Ariane Hegewisch explains, "Equal [...]

FDA Approval of First Daily Over the Counter Oral Contraceptive

This week, the FDA announced its approval for the first daily oral contraceptive in the U.S. without a prescription. After decades of scientific research on the safety, effectiveness, and overall benefits of the availability of over-the-counter contraceptives for people of all ages, the FDA’s decision means that Opill,, a progestin-only birth control pill produced by HRA Pharma, will soon be accessible over the counter.  This is a significant milestone for reproductive healthcare in the U.S., and a critical step toward [...]

Maine’s Latest Budget Establishes State’s First Paid Leave Program and Boosts Child Care

This week, Governor Janet Mills signed into law Maine’s latest budget, which invests $25 million in a state paid family and medical leave program. The passage of the budget represents a major victory for workers and advocates, who fought to establish critical protections for workers who must take time away from work due to caregiving obligations or health needs.   With passage of this budget bill, Maine becomes the 14th state (including D.C.) to require mandatory paid leave for workers who [...]

Dismantling Barriers to Degree Attainment for Black Single Mother Students

A college degree can be a critical tool to economic stability, security, and advancement, yet structural and systemic issues create challenges for some students. Black single mothers pursuing higher education are disproportionately impacted by factors including lack of child care, educational affordability, and housing. Because of the compounding impact of intersecting forms of discrimination, policymakers must take an intersectional approach, targeting the structural disadvantages that affect Black women’s experiences within higher education.  Due to a history of discrimination and educational [...]

Supreme Court Blocks Biden Student Debt Relief Program

Today, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the Biden Administration’s student debt relief program is unlawful and beyond the scope of executive authority. The program would have eliminated up to $10,000 of student debt for borrowers earning up to $125,000 per year ($250,000 for married couples) and up to $20,000 of student debt for borrowers who participated in the Pell Grant program. The Court’s striking down of this program is a devastating blow to efforts to improve college accessibility and [...]