GOP rep touts efforts to expand opportunities for women

Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.) on Saturday touted the efforts being made in Congress to expand opportunities for women as she marked Women’s History Month.

The House Republican Conference vice chair said female members make up only 20 percent of the House now, but that number is growing.

{mosads}“It is now possible to see the day when we no longer use ‘only’ as a precursor when we speak to the number of women serving as elected officials,” she said in the GOP’s weekly address. 

“The challenge we face is encouraging more women to put themselves forward — in public service and in the private sector.” 

Jenkins touted bills that that have passed to help victims of sex trafficking, create tax-free savings accounts for individuals with disabilities, improve education and expand middle-class college savings plans.

She added that Republicans are working on “bold agenda” to tackle other challenges facing women and families.

“So if you’re a female entrepreneur trying to get your business off the ground, we’ll offer ideas to fix the tax code and rein in crippling red tape,” she said. 

“If you’re a mother caring for a child or an aging parent, we will offer patient-centered solutions to improve access and quality of care and lower health care costs. If you’re worried about the safety of the world we live in nowadays, we will offer ideas to protect our homeland and confront the national security threats we face. 

“And Republicans will take on poverty, so we can empower everyone to live their own American dream.”