CONVENING!

WE STILL, IN 1920, WE WERE THE LEADING VOICE FOR THE WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE AND WHAT WE NEED, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S STILL TRUE TODAY HE OR IT .

>> Bonnie: HELLO.

WELCOME TO "TO THE CONTRARY".

I AM BONNIE ERBC THIS WEEK, A CONVERSATION WITH LAURIE TODD SMITH, PRESIDENT TRUMP APPOINTED DR. TODD SMITH AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE WOMEN'S BUREAU AT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.

SHE WORKED PREVIOUSLY IN THE MISSISSIPPI STATE GOVERNMENT AND AS A RESEARCHER AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY.

WELCOME TO YOU.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: THANK YOU.

>> Bonnie: THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: THANK YOU.

HAPPY TO BE HERE.

THANKS.

>> Bonnie: FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WOMEN SPIRIT IS, PLEASE TELL THEM WHAT YOUR MISSION IS.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WELCOME THE WOMEN'S BUREAU WAS FORMED IN 1920, 100 YEARS AGO, AS A WAY TO HELP REPRESENT WHAT WILL BE NEEDED IN THE WORKFORCE.

THEY WERE FORMED TWO MONTHS BEFORE WOMEN HAD THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND INITIALLY WE HELPED THE WOMEN'S BUREAU HELPED CONVEY TO CONGRESS INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW CONSTITUENTS THAT WENT ON TO --WE THEN WENT ON TO HELP BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF WORKING WOMEN.

ULTIMATELY, OUR MISSION IS TO HELP REPRESENT WORKING WOMEN, PATHWAYS INTO THE WORKFORCE, PATHWAYS BACK OUT OF THE WORKFORCE, AND WAYS TO HELP REMOVE BARRIERS TO HELP WOMEN TRANSITION.

>> Bonnie: HAVE YOU GONE OVER THE ORIGINAL LAWS THAT WERE PASSED AT THE BEHEST OF THE WOMEN'S BUREAU?

BECAUSE I'M THINKING IN THE 1920S, IT MAY REALLY HAVE BEEN THOSE KINDS OF LAWS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT WOMEN BUT REALLY HURT WOMEN.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WELL, I'VE BEEN REVIEWING A LOT OF INFORMATION, HISTORICAL INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS BEING OUR CENTENNIAL YEAR.

AND I KNOW THAT IN 1920, ONLY 20 PERCENT OF WOMEN WORKED, WHEREAS TODAY IT'S CLOSE TO 50 .

>> Bonnie: WHAT WERE YOU ABLE TO GET DONE IN THE MISSISSIPPI STATE GOVERNMENT?

WHAT POLICIES ABOUT EDUCATION DID YOU SEE COME INTO REALITY THAT YOU WERE THE FIRST TO ADVISE THE GOVERNOR TO PUT FORWARD?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WELL, WHEN THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF IS SOMETHING CALLED LITERACY BASED PROMOTION ACT.

WE KNEW THAT IN 2012, ONLY 48 PERCENT OF MISSISSIPPI'S THIRD GRADE STUDENTS WERE READING PROFICIENTLY.

SO WE DRAFTED A BILL CALLED THE LITERACY BASED PROMOTION ACT.

AND IT WAS ACTUALLY BASED ON FLORIDA'S LAW THAT'S SIMILAR.

BUT WHAT WE BUILT IN OR ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS FOR CHILDREN.

WE RETRAINED EVERY KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE TEACHER IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI ON THE SCIENCE OF TEACHING AND READING.

AND WE HELPED PROVIDE INFORMATION TO PARENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF READING.

AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT MISSISSIPPI IS NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION ON GROWTH IN FOURTH GRADE READING SCORES FOR THE NATION'S REPORT CARD, WHICH IS REALLY THE ONLY APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON OF STATES.

SO I THINK 80 PERCENT OF OUR CHILDREN PAST THE WRITING ASSESSMENT FOR THIRD GRADE.

>> Bonnie: VERSUS HOW MANY?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: ONLY 48 PERCENT WERE PASSING THE TIME WE STARTED THE BILL.

>> Bonnie: SO WHAT DOES THAT RANK YOU KNOW OVERALL MISSISSIPPI AS A REPUTATION OF, YOU KNOW, REALLY POOR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WELL, THAT IS NO LONGER.SO I'M VERY, VERY PROUD TO TALK ABOUT THOSE DATA POINTS.

WE ARE NOT 50th OR LAST ON ANY LIST AS REGARDS TO PUBLIC EDUCATION.

OUR GRADUATION RATES OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE AT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THE HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI, READING SCORES ARE HIGH, OUR MATH SCORES ON NATE ARE DOING QUITE WELL FOR OUR EIGHTH-GRADE GRADE STUDENTS AS WELL.

MISSISSIPPI IS LEADING THE WAY AND A LOT OF EFFORTS.

>> Bonnie: YOU HAVE MAINLY IMPROVES COURSE, I WOULD IMAGINE, IN THE LOWERING INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS WHO HAVE FEWER RESOURCES BECAUSE IT'S ALL BASED ON REAL ESTATE TAXES.

WHAT DID YOU DO TO HELP OR CHANGE THAT MISSISSIPPI?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WELL, ONE THING WE DID WITH THE LITERACY BASED PROMOTION ACT IS EACH YEAR WE HAVE BUTTON $50 MILLION IN RESOURCES AND WE CHOSE THE LOWEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF READING TO OBTAIN THOSE FUNDS FIRST GRADE WE PUT READING COACHES INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MOSTLY WENT INTO THE HIGHEST POVERTY AREAS OF THE STATE.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THE IDEA OF USING RESEARCH TO INFORM THAT POLICY, USING COACHES TO GO INTO THE CLASSROOM AND ROLE MODEL BEST PRACTICES OF TEACHING, READING AND THAT RETRAINING OF ALL TEACHERS REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE.

BUT IN MISSISSIPPI TOO, I THINK IDENTIFYING CHILDREN AT AN EARLIER AGE ALSO HAS MADE A HUGE IMPACT.

BECAUSE IF THEY GOT SCREENED THE FIRST 30 DAYS OF KINDERGARTEN, THE MIDDLE OF YEAR OF KINDERGARTEN, THE LAST END OF KINDERGARTEN, SOME PARENTS WERE BEING FORMED ALL ALONG THE WAY THREE TO FOUR TIMES DURING THE YEAR OF WHETHER STUDENT'S PROGRESS WAS.

>> Bonnie: AND HOW WILL YOU APPLY THAT AS NOW THE HEAD OF THE WOMEN'S BUREAU AT THE LABOR DEPARTMENT?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WELL, I LEARNED A LOT FROM THE YEARS AND WORKING WITH GOVERNOR BRYANT IN MISSISSIPPI AND HAVE LEARNED LEADERSHIP MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF POLICY FOLLOW THROUGH.

GOVERNOR BRYANT WAS SUCH A LEADER ABOUT THAT BILL AND ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

SO, WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK ABOUT CHILDCARE IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

I FEEL THAT'S PROBABLY MY BIGGEST STRENGTH COMING INTO THIS ROLE IN THE WOMEN'S BUREAU.

IN DECEMBER OF '19, WOMEN MADE UP 50.04 PERCENT OF THE WORKFORCE.

SOME MORE WOMEN WORKING THAN EVER BEFORE.

AND IF WE THINK ABOUT WORKING FAMILIES RIGHT NOW, THE WHITE HOUSE JUST HELD A CONVENING IN DECEMBER ON PAID FAMILY LEAVE AND ON CHILDCARE.

AND THE WOMEN'S BUREAU HELD LISTENING SESSIONS ALL ACROSS THE NATION LAST YEAR, FINDING OUT FROM WORKING PARENTS WHAT, WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS?

WHAT CAN WE HELP WITH?

SO, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO PROVIDE MY EXPERIENCE IN HELPING UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES OF CHILDCARE AFFORDABILITY, QUALITY.

THE WOMEN'S BUREAU IS DOING A STUDY RIGHT NOW LOOKING AT THE COST OF QUALITY IN EVERY COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> Bonnie: COST OF QUALITY?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: THE COST OF CHILDCARE IN EVERY STATE SO THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FULLY UNDERSTAND -- I THINK IN 33 STATES RIGHT NOW, THE COST OF CHILDCARE IS MORE THAN COLLEGE TUITION.

'S WE'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO HELP SUPPORT PARENTS AS THEY -- MORE PEOPLE ARE WORKING AND I THINK THE WOMEN'S BUREAU WE ARE HELPING ELEVATE THE SUBJECT AND THE RESEARCH ON THOSE TOPICS TO HELP WORKING FAMILIES.

>> Bonnie: NOW, HOW DO YOU DO THAT COMING INTO AN OFFICE WHERE JUST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, THE BUDGET FOR THE WOMEN'S BUREAU WAS ABOUT $10 MILLION AND NOW IT'S THREE?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WELL, ACTUALLY, I THINK LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WAS AT 13 MILLION.

IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE LOWER LEVEL, BUT WE HAVE MAINTAINED CLOSE TO $13 MILLION BUDGET.

>> Bonnie: CV KRISTIN SINCE OBAMA YEARS?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: THEY HAVE INCREASED SOMEWHAT.

>> Bonnie: HOW DID YOU DO THAT?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: I DID NOT DO THAT PART.

>> Bonnie: HOW DID YOUR PREDECESSOR DO IT?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: I BELIEVE THERE IS A GOOD UNDERSTANDING AND CONGRESS ABOUT THE NEEDS OF WORKING WOMEN.

AND WE PROVIDE RESEARCH, DATA, POLICY, CONVENING'S.

WE STILL IN 1920, WE WERE THE LEADING VOICE FOR WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE AND WHAT WE NEED.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S STILL TRUE TODAY.

WE PROVIDE BRIEFINGS AND DATA, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY HOW I HAVE MY EXPOSURE TO THE WOMEN'S BUREAU.

THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR CAME TO MISSISSIPPI AND HELD A CONVENING WITH IVANKA TRUMP AND ON CHILDCARE, AND I HELPED CONVENE THE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY THAT CAME TO THAT EVENT.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE PEOPLE IN MISSISSIPPI THAT WERE LEADING OUR ENERGY SECTOR WERE TALKING ABOUT OPENING CHILDCARE CENTERS AT THE FACTORY OR AT MANUFACTURING AS A WAY OF RETAINING MORE WOMEN INTO THE WORKFORCE.

SO I SAW WORK FIRSTHAND AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

>> Bonnie: SO IT'S DONE OF THE FACTORIES BY THE CORPORATIONS THAT OWN THEM?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: IN SOME CASES.

I MET WITH SOMEONE IN MISSISSIPPI WITH MILWAUKEE TOOLS, AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WOMEN ARE DOING REALLY WELL ON THE FACTORY LINE.

I'VE OPENED UP A HEALTHCARE FACILITY HERE.

HE SAID, DO YOU THINK IF I OPENED UP CHILDCARE, THAT MIGHT HELP MORE WOMEN BE INTERESTED IN COMING TO WORK HERE?

AND I SAID, YEAH, LET US HELP YOU FIGURE THAT OUT.

SO THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE STATE RIGHT NOW ON A PARTNERSHIP TO HELP OPEN CHILDCARE, NOT RATE ON THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT NEARBY AS A WAY TO RECRUIT MORE WOMEN INTO THAT PARTICULAR FIELD.

>> Bonnie: DO YOU EVER THINK IT WILL BE A FEDERAL PAID FAMILY LEAVE BILL THE WAY, FOR EXAMPLE, CALIFORNIA DOES IT, I BELIEVE, WITH UNUSED UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE MONIES, PLUS SOME KIND OF TAX ON THE WORKERS AND THE STATE CONTRIBUTES TO AND HOW IS THAT WORKING IN CALIFORNIA?

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT IT, COULD THAT BE A MODEL FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: YES.

I THINK THERE'S 10 STATES NOW THAT ARE DOING PAID LEAVE IN SOME CAPACITY.

AND AS YOU KNOW, WE PASSED A BILL IN DECEMBER, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BILL, THAT OFFERS 12 WEEKS OF PAID FAMILY LEAVE TO ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.

SO I -- >> Bonnie: FEDERAL OR ARE YOU TALKING MILITARY?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.

ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.

>> Bonnie: RIGHT.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: SO THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY INTERESTING TO WATCH THEM GROW AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED.

I'VE READ A FEW STUDIES.

PAID LEAVE IS FAIRLY NEW IN MOST STATES.

SO, I THINK IT'S GOING TO, LIKE ANY NEW PROJECT, IT'S GOING TO NEED TO BE TWEAKED AND FIGURED OUT WHAT WORKS.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WILL BE GATHERING DATA AND PROVIDING GOOD RESPONSE TO CONGRESS ON WAYS WE CAN ADDRESS AND LOOK AT BILLS.

THERE'S SEVERAL, I THINK AT LEAST SIX RIGHT NOW, BILLS.

I THINK WERE CLOSE TO GETTING SOMETHING PASSED EVEN MORE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.

BUT RIGHT NOW -- >> Bonnie: TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WELCOME AT THE PAID FAMILY LEAVE SOME AT THE WHITE HOUSE, WE HAD MANY REPRESENTATIVES OF CONGRESS COME AND SPEAK ABOUT THE VARIATIONS IN THOSE BILLS.

SO, THEY ARE ALL LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS.

I DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY IS THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW, BUT I KNOW CONGRESS IS LOOKING AT THAT AND -- >> Bonnie: WHAT DOES IVANKA WANT?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: I DON'T SPEAK FOR IVANKA, BUT WHAT I'VE HEARD HER TALK ABOUT, THIS IS A SUBJECT SHE SERVED REPEATEDLY, AS HAVE I OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AS A WAY TO HELP SUPPORT WORKING FAMILIES, IS NOT JUST A WOMEN'S ISSUE, IT'S A WORKING FAMILIES ISSUE.

I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO STAY HOME A LITTLE BIT WHEN I FIRST HAD MY DAUGHTER, THEN REENTER THE WORKFORCE.

SO, I THINK WE ARE ALL SUPPORTIVE OF A POLICY THAT HELPS SUPPORT WORKING FAMILIES.

OUR LOVE TO SEE THE SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, AT LEAST 12 WEEKS OR SOME FLEXIBILITY TO WOMEN TO BE ABLE TO STAY HOME, LIKE I WAS ABLE TO DO.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING REALLY HELPFUL.

>> Bonnie: IS THE MILITARY PROGRAM FULL LEAVE, FULL PAID LEAVE?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: YES.

>> Bonnie: FOR 12 WEEKS?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: 12 WEEKS.

>> Bonnie: BECAUSE I KNOW INITIALLY CALIFORNIA WAS LIKE 50 PERCENT OR 55 PERCENT OF YOUR SALARY AND WOMEN WERE NOT TAKING IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY LOW INCOME WOMEN, WHO NEEDED IT MORE THAN ANYBODY.

BUT THEY COULD NOT AFFORD TO WORK FOR -- TO TAKE LEAVE FOR HALF THE INCOME THEY HAD WHEN THEY WERE WORKING FULL-TIME.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: THAT'S RIGHT.

I THINK THE IDEA IS TO GIVE 12 WEEKS OF FULL LEAVE WOULD REALLY BE IDEAL AND HOW WE CAN HELP SUPPORT BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY AS THEY TRY TO OFFER THAT IS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IS FOCUSED ON.

>> Bonnie: HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THE PRESIDENT ABOUT THIS?

>> Bonnie: odd Smith: I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO HIM BUT I'VE TALKED TO IVANKA AND SPOKE ON THAT WHITE HOUSE PANEL WITH CONGRESS LEADER.

>> Bonnie: WHAT DOES HE WANT?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: I AGAIN DON'T SPEAK FOR THE PRESIDENT.

>> Bonnie: I WONDER IF SHE'S TOLD YOU HOW HE, WHAT HE SUPPORTS.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THE PRESIDENT SUPPORTS JOB FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICIES AND I THINK THIS PAID LEAVE FALLS RIGHT INTO THAT CATEGORY THAT HE SPOKE ABOUT MULTIPLE TIMES.

AND TAKING THE FIRST STEP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PROVIDING PAID LEAVE FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES IS A GIANT STEP.

THEY ARE ALSO VERY FOCUSED ON CHILDCARE UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION.

WE HAVE SEEN DOUBLE THE CREDIT ON SOMETHING CALLED THE CHILD CARE DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS, WHICH IS A FUNDRAISING SOURCE FOR WORKING LOW INCOME FAMILIES TO PROVIDE VOUCHERS FOR CHILDCARE.

IN AND STATES LIKE MISSISSIPPI, THAT'S A GAME CHANGER TO TRY TO HELP MORE FAMILIES GET INTO JOB-TRAINING WHILE THEIR CHILDREN ARE ATTENDING HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE CENTERS.

SO I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF PAID LEAVE AND CHILDCARE.

>> Bonnie: WHEN THEY GET THOSE VOUCHERS, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CHILDCARE DO THOSE VOUCHERS PAY FOR, BECAUSE, AS YOU JUST MENTIONED, IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE NOW THAN COLLEGE TUITION?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: I THINK IT'S BASED ON -- THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO HOW MUCH IT COVERS FOR THAT PARTICULAR FAMILY, AND EACH FAMILY HAS A CO-PAY THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT.UT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IT HELPS MORE PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO GO TO WORK GO TO WORK WHILE THE CHILD IS BEING CARED FOR.

SO THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL IN ALL STATES FOR ALL WORKING FAMILIES.

SO, IF YOU COMBINE THAT WITH PAID LEAVE, YOU'RE REALLY PROVIDING SOME GREAT SUPPORTS TO FAMILIES TO HELP COVER THOSE EXPENSES.

ANOTHER PATHWAY THAT I THINK FITS RIGHT INTO THAT THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS VERY FOCUSED ON AND AT THE WOMEN'S BUREAU WE ARE AS WELL, HIS APPRENTICESHIP!

WE DON'T TYPICALLY THINK ABOUT WOMEN IN APPRENTICESHIP!

BUT AT THE WOMEN'S BUREAU, WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED THE WOMEN IN NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATION GRANTS.

AND WE OFFER GRANTS TO STATES TO TRY TO HELP WOMEN MOVE INTO CAREERS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IN THE PAST.

>> Bonnie: CONSTRUCTION?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: CONSTRUCTION, COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSE.

I WAS JUST IN OUR REGIONAL OFFICE IN ATLANTA LAST WEEK, AND I CONTINUED FIVE WOMEN WHO HAD BENEFITED FROM HIS APPRENTICESHIP GRANT IN OUR STATE.

AND LISTENING TO THESE WOMEN WHO SAID THAT THEY HAD NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN CONSTRUCTION OR COMMERCIAL DRIVING, NOW HAVING DRIVING CAREERS IN -- ONE WOMAN IS IN THE CONSTRUCTION FIELD.

SHE SAID ON THE SIDE, SHE IS NOW BUILDING HER OWN HOUSE.

I THOUGHT, MY GOODNESS, I THINK I'D RATHER GO GET ANOTHER PHD THEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO DRIVE, YOU KNOW, BUILD A HOUSE.

BUT THEY WERE SO CONFIDENT IN THEIR SKILLS.

ANOTHER WOMAN WAS DRIVING COMMERCIALLY DELIVERING MOVIE SETS FOR DIFFERENT MOVIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND SO, THEY ALL TALKED ABOUT HOW THAT GRANT, THEY HAD BEEN INTRODUCED TO IT AT A PLACE CALLED GOODWILL INDUSTRIES IN ATLANTA AND HOW MUCH THEY WERE EXCELLING IN THOSE FIELDS NOW.

NONE OF THEM HAD CHILDREN AS THEY ENTERED INTO THOSE APPRENTICESHIPS.

SO I ASKED THEM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD, WITH THAT OF BEEN POSSIBLE?

AND THEY THOUGHT HOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD'VE BEEN FOR THEM TO DO THE TRAINING.

SO AT THE WOMEN'S BUREAU, WE REALLY WANT TO HELP FIGURE OUT HOW TO HELP MORE WOMEN ENTER INTO PATHWAYS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE CONSIDERED IN THE PAST AND HELP WITH THIS CHILDCARE NEEDS UPFRONT SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE HELP THEY NEED.

>> Bonnie: IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT, HILLARY CLINTON, WHEN SHE WAS SECRETARY OF STATE, SHE TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY A ID GRANT THAT WE GAVE TO ANOTHER -- GAVE TO A PROJECT IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, THAT THE SUBCONTRACT, A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE SUBCONTRACTS, I BELIEVE IT WAS HALF, WOULD GO TO WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES.

ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, LIKE THAT WITH CONTRACTORS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH OF COURSE THIS SET UP BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF CONTRACTS THAT STIMULATE THE U.S. ECONOMY?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: I HAVE READ ABOUT THAT AND KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT I'M NOT FAMILIAR ENOUGH TO ANSWER ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR EXACTLY WHAT WERE DOING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.

BUT I DO KNOW WITH OUR W ILA, WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT, FUNDS THROUGH OUR EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING AGENCY, ETA, THAT WE GIVE OUT MANY DOLLARS FOR APPRENTICESHIPS AND THOSE ALSO CAN BE USED FOR THOSE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR WOMEN.

WE GIVE OUT ABOUT 1.5 MILLION PER YEAR, ABOUT 4 MILLION OF THE LAST FEW YEARS, TO TRY TO RAISE AWARENESS, FIND OUT WHAT ARE SOME INNOVATIVE WAYS WE CAN GET WOMEN ON THE PATHWAY TO APPRENTICESHIP?

SO WE HAVE SO MANY JOB OPENINGS RIGHT NOW.

MY TEACHING BACKGROUND TELLS ME THAT WE'VE GOT TO REACH YOUNG WOMEN EARLIER SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEE OTHER WOMEN IN THESE TYPES OF CAREERS.

SO IN MISSISSIPPI, WE DID A PUBLICATION CALLED MISSISSIPPI WORKS.

IT WAS A MAGAZINE THAT WENT TO EVERY EIGHTH GRADER, 11TH AND 12TH GRADER WITH LESSON PLANS FOR THE TEACHER THAT SHOWED DIFFERENT PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE IN MISSISSIPPI IN THOSE TYPES OF CAREERS TO TRY TO SPARK SOME INTEREST SO WE COULD, YOU KNOW, INTRODUCE IT TO THEM AT AN EARLIER AGE.

BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD PATHWAY FOR ANY TYPE OF CAREER.

DOES NOT HAVE TO BE NONTRADITIONAL, WHERE YOU CAN TRAIN A JOB, YOU CAN GET GOOD EXPERIENCE AND THE EMPLOYER CAN ALSO CONSIDER HIRING YOU WHILE YOU ARE WORKING.

SO IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR BOTH PARTIES.

>> Bonnie: IS EQUAL PAY IN YOUR PORTFOLIO?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WE ARE WORKING ON THAT CONTINUOUSLY WITH CONGRESS.

THAT IS SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE DATA WITH THEM, DATA TO THEM AT ALL TIMES THAT IT'S REQUESTED.

>> Bonnie: HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH THE DATA?

BECAUSE ONE QUESTION I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD THIS DEBATE, BUT THERE'S A BIG DEBATE OVER WHETHER HOW FAR ALONG WOMEN ARE.

SOME CONSERVATIVE GROUPS LIKE THE INDEPENDENT WOMEN'S FORUM SAY POINT TO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, A 25-YEAR-OLD PHD FEMALE VERSUS MALE, SHE'S GOING TO MAKE 90 PERCENT OF WHAT HE MAKES.

SO THERE'S NOT, AT THAT STAGE ANYWAY, MUCH OF THE PAY GAP.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS ALSO A DEBATE OVER WHETHER YOU COUNT WOMEN WHO WORK PART-TIME VERSUS MEN'S EARNINGS, AND THAT CAN SKEW THE DATA.

SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THOSE VERY TOUCHY ISSUES ABOUT WHETHER THERE IS A PAY GAP AND HOW BIG IT IS?

WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THOSE THINGS?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF UNKNOWN STILL ABOUT THE PAY GAP.

AND I THINK THERE'S SOME STUDIES THAT ARE STARTING TO EXPLORE SPECIFIC OCCUPATIONS THAT HAPPENS.

IS A LOT OF VARIABLES UNKNOWN.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHERE THE DIFFERENCES LIE, WHY THEY ARE THERE, WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS AND FAMILY DYNAMICS THAT GO ON THAT CAUSE THE PAY GAP FORCES SO MUCH WHAT IS THE PAY GAP.

>> Bonnie: SO YOU DON'T BELIEVE THIS SORT OF COMMON THREAD THAT WOMEN MAKE 70 SOMETHING CENTS ON THE DOLLAR VERSUS MEN AND BLACK WOMEN MAKE IN THE 60s OR LESS AND LATINOS MAKE THE $0.50 OR LESS ON THE DOLLAR THAT MEN DO?

THOSE ARE THE FIGURES IN THE DATA PUT OUT BY THE PROGRESSIVE WOMEN GROUPS.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: I KNOW THERE IS A PAY GAP THAT EXISTS, ABSOLUTELY, I'M AWARE OF THAT.

BUT I'M MORE INTERESTED FROM A RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE OF HOW WE CAN HELP ADDRESS THE PAY GAP.

SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE'VE GOT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.

THE LAST STUDY THAT I READ THAT REALLY DUG INTO THAT WAS ALL THE WAY BACK IN 2007.

SO, IT'S REALLY TIME FOR SOME NEW DATA THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN THOSE AREAS.

>> Bonnie: AND WANTED TO SHOW YOU?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: IT WAS JUST ABOUT THAT THERE IS A GAP, BUT AS I SAID, WHEN YOU LOOK AT RESEARCH, I THINK IT'S SO INTERESTING TO EXPLORE MORE DETAILS ABOUT WHY.

>> Bonnie: WELL, ONE THING WE KNOW CAUSES PAY GAP IS WOMEN TAKING TIME OFF FOR HAVING CHILDREN OR CARING FOR ELDERLY RELATIVES.

AND THEY USED TO CALL THESE ON-RAMP WOMEN, MEANING THEY TOOK, YOU KNOW, THEY TOOK TIME OFF AND TRYING TO GET BACK IN THEIR FIELDS.

THEY HAD FALLEN BEHIND IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE, TECHNOLOGY, THEY HAD FALLEN BEHIND AND A LOT OF THINGS BY THE TIME THEY WERE OUT OF THE WORKFORCE.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO TO HELP ON-RAMP MOMS?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL THE PATHWAYS HELP WOMEN ENTER AND EXIT AND REENTER AS WOMEN'S PATHWAYS AND CAREERS ARE VERY DIFFERENT SOMETIMES THAN THAT OF MEN.

SO IF YOU COMBINED WILL TALKED ABOUT WITH CHILDCARE, YOU COMBINE THAT WITH APPRENTICESHIP, COMBINE IT WITH PAID FAMILY LEAVE POLICIES.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT MILITARY SPOUSES AND 92 PERCENT OF WHICH ARE WOMEN.

AND TALK ABOUT MOVING AND ENTERING AND EXITING THE WORKFORCE MULTIPLE TIMES, I THINK MILITARY SPOUSES HAVE THAT OCCUR IN THEIR LIVES MULTIPLE TIMES.

SO WE CONDUCT RESEARCH, WE GATHER DATA, WE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC, WE HOLD CONVENING AND RAISE AWARENESS ON THESE TOPICS.

I WILL BE SPEAKING THIS WEEK WITH MRS. PENCE IN TAMPA TO A GROUP OF MILITARY SPOUSES ABOUT HER WORK IN OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING AND TRYING TO SHARE INFORMATION TO HELP A MILITARY SPOUSE WHO MOVES AND HOW TO MAKE THAT LICENSING PROCESS FASTER FOR THEM -- >> Bonnie: LICENSING AS WELL?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: THE WOMEN SPARE ALSO CAME TO MISSISSIPPI LAST YEAR, MAYBE IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE, TO TALK ABOUT OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE .

I MET A WOMAN WHO HAD HER DENTAL HYGIENIST LICENSE.

SHE MOVED TO A THIS IS TO BE IN IT WAS TAKING A LONG TIME TO GET THE RECIPROCITY.

SO WHEN SHE DID, SHE CAN FINALLY START TO WORK, BUT THIS TIME, SHE WAS UNEMPLOYED.

IT WAS A LONG TIME.

SO WE MADE CHANGES IN MISSISSIPPI TO HELP BASED ON WHAT WE LEARNED.

SO THAT'S WHAT MRS. PENCE IS ALSO DOING, LOOKING AT OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING TO TRY TO HELP EXPEDITE THE PROCESS.

>> Bonnie: YOUR BUDGET, AS YOU SAY, IS ABOUT $13 MILLION NOW.

HOW MUCH OF THAT YOU GIVE AWAY, OR ARE THERE OTHER -- IS NOT JUST TO STAFF UP YOUR AGENCY AND RUN ALL THE SURVEYS, OR YOU GIVEAWAY GRANTS?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: WE GIVE AWAY FUNDS TO STATES TO STUDY.

I HAVE NOT MENTIONED OPIOID ADDICTION.

WE KNOW THAT THAT ALSO AFFECTS WORKING WOMEN AND WORKING WOMEN ARE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO ADDRESS OPIOID ADDICTION FOR FEAR OF LOSING THEIR CHILDREN.

AND SO, WE ARE TRYING TO STUDY THAT AS WELL.

SO WERE GIVING FUNDS TO STATES TO FIND OUT HOW TO HELP WOMEN WHO MIGHT HAVE ADDICTION NOT LOSE THEIR JOB AND HELP GET THEM THE HELP THEY NEED TO RECOVER.

>> Bonnie: BUT DOES THAT COME OUT OF YOUR $13 MILLION BUDGET?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: YES, YES.

>> Bonnie: SO THERE ARE NO, LIKE, BLOCK GRANTS THAT YOU HAVE ANY SAY OTHER THAN THAT TO GIVE OUT MONEY?

>> Laurie Todd Smith: THE WOMEN APPROVED IN APPRENTICESHIP AND OPIOID ADDICTION.

THE REST IS DONE IN RESEARCH AND STAFFING AND, YOU KNOW, THE WORK WE DO ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO TRY TO HELP PROMOTE ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE GATHER.

> Bonnie: WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE.

IT IS GREAT TO HEAR ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING TO HELP WORKING WOMEN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Laurie Todd Smith: THANK YOU.

>> Bonnie: THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION.

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