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2017 the Year of the Woman? Trump Touts Female Empowerment at Women's Panel

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WASHINGTON – Approximately one year has passed since President Donald Trump took office and he's made a lot of promises. In 2018, the president and the administration are looking to women in particular for feedback on the last year. 
 
The president made a surprise appearance at the Conversations with the Women of America panel Tuesday. The administration hosted women from across the country in order to analyze areas where they found success in 2017.  

Besides the president, guest speakers included presidential advisor Ivanka Trump, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon, and White House aide Kellyanne Conway.  

The speakers were slated to cover three topics: the economy, healthcare and national security. 

"Women represent half of the population, but they care about 100 percent of the issues," said Trump. 
 
The president addressed the group by touting his wins in 2017, specifically tax reform. 
 
"Women-owned small businesses in America will now be able to deduct 20 percent of their business income, which is something people really didn't expect they would be seeing," Trump told the gathering. 
 
He also made some really big claims. 

"Had the other side gotten in, the market would have gone down 50 percent from where it was," said Trump. 
 
Beyond first-year achievements, the president used the opportunity to praise the women working in the White House. 
 
"I'm honored to stand here with the women of the administration. From all across the administration, they have been incredible," Trump lauded them. 
 
Ivanka Trump also celebrated the tax bill, specifically the increase to the child tax credit. 
 
"In addition to doubling the standard deduction, a central component of the tax plan is an expanded child tax credit, doubling to 2000 dollars per child," said Ivanka, who was a fierce proponent for the measure.   
 
Next on the docket is paid maternity leave. 
 
"We are working with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and thought leaders across this country, many of which are in this room today, to build strong coalitions of support for a national paid family leave program," the first daughter said. 
 
The first daughter and McMahon also made a push for young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 
 
While the event had a major focus on healthcare, there was very little on the future of Obamacare. 
 
The Trump administration has all but dismantled the Affordable Care Act by getting rid of the individual mandate.  
 
Instead, the women of the panel and the president focused on the looming opioid epidemic. 
 
"We have a tremendous massive drug problem and drug population and we have dealers all over the country. And we are hitting them hard," the president stated. 

Conway pointed to recent legislative measures where the president and Democrats came together on the issue. 

The White House believes its efforts in fighting the epidemic should come to fruition since, unlike healthcare, it has bipartisan support. 

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About The Author

Amber C.
Strong

Amber Strong joined the CBN News team in Washington, D.C., in 2014 as a producer and field producer. Currently, she works as a correspondent, producer, and backup anchor for "The Brody File." Her beat includes national politics and The White House. And while she loves her current backyard of Washington, D.C., she’s a Hoosier girl at heart. Amber lives and breathes all things entertainment and politics and has had the privilege of interviewing some of the biggest names in both industries, including late night host Jimmy Fallon and presidential contender Rick Santorum. However, her true love is