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An independent nonprofit organization, the Women's Research & Education Institute "gathers, synthesizes, and analyzes policy-relevant information on issues that concern or affect women, and serves as a resource for federal and state policymakers, advocates for women, scholars, the media, and the interested public." WREI was founded in May 1977 by the bipartisan Congresswomen's Caucus as its non-partisan data/policy analysis arm. Since then it has followed the Caucus's agenda, organizing Capitol Hill briefings, and researching and reporting on a range of issues including healthcare, Social Security, women in uniform, affirmative action, Title IX, sexual harassment, etc. In the 1980s the Congresswomen's Caucus Corporation changed its name to the WREI and became an independent research center but it continued to provide timely and non-partisan information to Congressional representatives. Among its projects are a series of books, The American Woman, detailing almost every aspect of women's lives; grants for Congressional fellowships on women and public policy; research on women in the military and women veterans; studies on women's health; etc.

In 1977, the Women's Research & Education Institute was created as the non-partisan data and research arm of the Congresswomen's Caucus Corporation (Washington, D.C.). The bipartisan Congresswomen's Caucus joined together the 20 women serving in the U.S. Congress in 1977 to become an effective advocate for women's issues and equity. As the research arm of the Congresswomen's Caucus, the Institute gathers and distributes information on the lives of women and provides data that guides impending legislation on the status of women. The Institute facilitates and strengthens the link between legislators, women's research and policy centers, and women's advocacy groups across the country and is a leading source of information on the lives, health, family, workplace, etc., of American women. In 1980, the Institute became an independent nonprofit organization, which continues to provide information, research, and policy analysis to the Congresswomen's Caucus (renamed the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues in 1982) and members of Congress. The Institute also provides information to state and local officials, the media, the public, and other women's advocacy organizations. Among the Institute's continuing projects are the Congressional Fellowships on Women and Public Policy, the American Woman book series, Women and the Military, Connecting the Dots ... Women, Religion, and Public Policy, Crossing Boarders, Women Writing Africa, Women's Health, and the American Woman Award. In addition, the Institute continues to provide ongoing research reports and briefing sheets and sponsors conferences, discussion groups, and other research projects that help inform and shape the public policy debate on women's issues.