Nearly Two Decades Later, Clinton Wins on Healthcare

By Jessica Rettig, Washington Whispers

It's taken nearly two decades, but Hillary Clinton is finally making a difference on healthcare. Clinton, who as first lady tried but failed to win congressional and public approval of national healthcare, is hitting home runs on the issue as President Obama's secretary of state. But instead of working domestically, where Obama finally did win on healthcare, Clinton is working on the global stage helping women find better access to care.

This week, she received credit for her efforts from Women's Policy Inc. and the Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues. At a breakfast sponsored by Women's Policy, Rachel Vogelstein, State's senior policy adviser for the Office of Global Women's Issues, said that Clinton has played a fundamental role in the implementation of her department's recently-launched global health initiative. The plan will dedicate $63 billion over six years to its mission, with a focus on the well-being and empowerment of girls and women in particular, who generally provide the care-giving roles in third-world households.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues, also gave a shout out to Secretary Clinton at the conference, lauding both her leadership and willingness to address little-discussed topics out loud, such as reproductive health and family planning.

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