THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN TO CONTRIBUTE IN EVERY ASPECT OF NATIONAL LIFE CONTINUED TO EXPAND AND INCREASE AT A RAPID PACE DURING 1966. OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE WAS THE AMENDMENT OF THE FEDERAL FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT WHICH EXTENDED MINIMUM WAGE AND EQUAL PAY COVERAGE TO AN ADDITIONAL 3.2 MILLION WOMEN EMPLOYEES IN PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT. THE STATE COMMISSIONS ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN WERE INFLUENTIAL IN GETTING MINIMUM WAGE LAWS ENACTED IN THREE ADDITIONAL STATES, EQUAL PAY LAWS IN FIVE, AND AMENDMENTS OF FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE LAWS IN FIVE. HEALTH AND WELFARE LEGISLATION, OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, BIRTH CONTROL INFORMATION, CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS, AND AVAILABILITY OF CHILD CARE FACILITIES IMPROVED BOTH WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT POSSIBILITIES AND STATUS AS A HOMEMAKER. AN INCREASED NUMBER OF WOMEN EARNED COLLEGE DEGREES, AND SALARIES OF WOMEN COLLEGE TEACHERS IMPROVED. THE YEAR ALSO MARKED IMPORTANT GAINS FOR DISADVANTAGED GIRLS AND WOMEN. TWELVE JOB CORPS CENTERS WERE IN OPERATION FOR WOMEN AND APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF OF 800,000 YOUNG PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED A NEW START THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH CORPS WERE GIRLS. OVER 80,000 WOMEN WERE ENROLLED DURING THE YEAR IN MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING ACT INSTITUTIONAL AND ON-THE-JOB-TRAINING PROGRAMS. THE NUMBER OF WOMEN EMPLOYED IN THE CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE INCREASED BY 1.4 MILLION OR 5.2 PERCENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT DROPPED FROM 5.1 TO 4.7 PERCENT. EVERY MAJOR ADVANCE MADE BY WOMEN IN 1966 RESULTED FROM THE COMBINED EFFORT OF MANY FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL COMMISSIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS, SOMETIMES OVER A PERIOD OF MANY YEARS. THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF STATE COMMISSIONS ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN 48 STATES WERE BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE AS Y3.IN8/21--1/966 FOR 70 CENTS FROM SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20402. (WB)