[Pages H3887-H3891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

{time} 1800
STATUE TO HONOR UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE SANDRA
DAY O'CONNOR AND STATUE TO HONOR UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE
JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 3294) to obtain and direct the placement in the Capitol or on
the Capitol Grounds of a statue to honor Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States Sandra Day O'Connor and a statue to
honor Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Ruth
Bader Ginsburg.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

S. 3294

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

(a) Sandra Day O'Connor.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Sandra Day O'Connor was born in 1930 in El Paso, Texas,
and spent her childhood on her family's isolated Arizona
cattle ranch. She lived with her grandmother in El Paso
during the school year, away from her home and parents.
(2) O'Connor matriculated to Stanford University at the age
of 16, and combined her undergraduate and law school
curricula, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics
and a law degree in just 6 years. She was third in her law
school class, behind William Rehnquist, her future colleague
on the Supreme Court of the United States (in this section
referred to as the ``Supreme Court'').
(3) Despite her qualifications, O'Connor could not find
work as an attorney because of bias against women in the law.
She ended up negotiating for an unpaid position in the San
Mateo County District Attorney's office at a shared desk,
while her husband, John, finished at Stanford Law School 1
year later.
(4) O'Connor traveled to Frankfurt, Germany, in 1954 with
her husband John, who had joined the United States Army Judge
Advocate General's Corps, where she was able to find work as
a civilian attorney with the United States Army Quartermaster
Corps. In 1957, O'Connor returned to Arizona and still could
not find work with a traditional law firm due to her gender,
so she ``hung out a shingle'' as a sole practitioner.
(5) In 1965, O'Connor was hired as an Assistant Attorney
General for the State of Arizona.
(6) Active in Republican Party politics and well-received
for her work at the Arizona State Capitol, O'Connor was
appointed to an Arizona State Senate seat in 1969 when the
incumbent, also a woman, was appointed to a Federal position
and vacated the office.
(7) In 1970, O'Connor was elected to the Arizona State
Senate and served 2 consecutive terms. In 1972, she was
selected as Majority Leader of the Arizona State Senate, the
first time a woman held such a position in any State.
(8) In 1974, O'Connor ran for office as a trial court
judge. She won and was later appointed to the Arizona Court
of Appeals in 1979.
(9) On August 19, 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated
O'Connor to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, to
fill the seat vacated by Associate Justice Potter Stewart. On
September 21, 1981, the Senate confirmed O'Connor's
nomination by a unanimous vote, making her the first woman to
serve on the Supreme Court.
(10) O'Connor established herself as a pragmatic,
independent voice on the Supreme Court, casting decisive
votes during a time when the Court was being asked to resolve
politically charged issues.
(11) In the 1982 case of Mississippi University for Women
v. Hogan, O'Connor wrote the majority opinion holding that
the State could not prevent men from enrolling in an all-
women's nursing school, writing that laws discriminating on
the basis of sex would be allowed only if there was an
``exceedingly persuasive justification'' for them.
(12) O'Connor sought, when possible, to find the middle
ground between her often-divided colleagues, frequently
joining the majority decision but presenting her views in
concurring opinions that eschewed broad constitutional
doctrine in favor of resolving the cases before the Court.
(13) O'Connor put a very public face on the role of the
Supreme Court, domestically and around the world. She became
the Court's most prolific public speaker, traveling to all 50
States and to countless law schools, libraries, and public
events to describe how the Court works and its role in our
constitutional form of government. She traveled worldwide as
an ambassador for the Rule of Law and the independence of
judiciaries everywhere.
(14) After 24 years on the Supreme Court, O'Connor
announced her retirement to care for her ailing husband, who
had Alzheimer's disease. President George W. Bush nominated
John Roberts, Jr., for the vacancy, but before Roberts was
confirmed, Chief Justice Rehnquist passed away, creating a
second vacancy. President Bush personally appealed

[[Page H3888]]

to O'Connor to remain on the Court so he could nominate
Roberts for the Chief Justice vacancy and have more time to
make a second nomination to the Court. In yet another act of
public service, O'Connor agreed to serve until Samuel Alito
was confirmed to fill her seat on January 31, 2006.
(15) O'Connor began her retirement with 2 goals. One was to
convince more States to adopt merit selection of judges for
filling vacancies in State courts. The second was to educate
the public on the importance of an independent judiciary. Her
judicial independence work led to her awareness of a national
civics education deficit.
(16) In 2009, O'Connor created iCivics.org to educate young
Americans about civics and what it means to be a citizen.
That endeavor grew to become the largest civics education
platform in the country, with over 7,000,000 students
annually enrolling in the programs. Its popularity was due to
a captivating online, interactive gaming approach. The
program was free to all and had no advertising. iCivics
played a crucial role in Educating for American Democracy, a
federally funded initiative to improve civics and history
education, which released its reports in March 2021.
(b) Ruth Bader Ginsburg.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born in 1933 in Brooklyn, New
York, and grew up in a low-income, working-class
neighborhood.
(2) Ginsburg graduated from Cornell University in 1954,
finishing first in her class. Following her graduation,
Ginsburg enrolled at Harvard Law School in 1956, entering
into a class of 552 men and only 8 other women.
(3) As a law student, Ginsburg became the first female
member of the Harvard Law Review, a prestigious legal
journal. She also cared for her husband, Martin Ginsburg, who
had been diagnosed with cancer, and their young daughter.
Ginsburg finished her legal education at Columbia Law School,
where she graduated first in her class in 1959.
(4) Ginsburg taught at Rutgers University Law School from
1963 to 1972 and at Columbia Law School from 1972 to 1980,
where she became the school's first female tenured professor.
(5) During the 1970s, Ginsburg served as the director of
the Women's Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties
Union. In this position, she led the fight against gender
discrimination and successfully argued 6 landmark cases
before the Supreme Court.
(6) Ginsburg won 5 cases on gender discrimination before
the Supreme Court, including the case Weinberger v.
Wiesenfeld, which involved a portion of the Social Security
Act that favored women over men, because the Act granted
certain benefits to widows, but not widowers.
(7) In 1980, President Jimmy Carter nominated Ginsburg to a
seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the District
of Columbia Circuit.
(8) On June 22, 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated
Ginsburg to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, to
fill the seat vacated by Associate Justice Byron White. On
August 3, 1993, the Senate confirmed Ginsburg's nomination to
the Supreme Court by a 96 to 3 vote.
(9) Ginsburg became the second female justice to serve on
the Supreme Court, as well as the first Jewish female justice
to serve on the Supreme Court.
(10) As a justice, Ginsburg presented a strong voice in
favor of gender equality, voting rights, the rights of
workers, and the separation of church and state.
(11) In 1996, Ginsburg wrote the Supreme Court's landmark
decision in United States v. Virginia, which held that the
State-supported Virginia Military Institute could not refuse
to admit women.
(12) Ginsburg famously dissented in Ledbetter v. Goodyear
Tire & Rubber Co., where the plaintiff, a female worker being
paid significantly less than males with her same
qualifications, sued under title VII of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.), but was denied relief
under a statute of limitation issue. Ginsburg broke with
tradition and wrote a high colloquial version of her dissent
to read from the bench. In her dissent, she also called for
Congress to undo this interpretation of the law.
(13) Ginsburg's impactful dissent in Ledbetter v. Goodyear
Tire & Rubber Co. led to the successful passage of the Lilly
Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-2; 123 Stat.
5), which was the first piece of legislation signed by
President Barack Obama.
(14) Until the 2018 term, Ginsburg had not missed a day of
oral arguments, not even when she was undergoing chemotherapy
for pancreatic cancer, after surgery for colon cancer, or the
day after her husband passed away in 2010.
(15) Ginsburg passed away on September 18, 2020.

SEC. 2. STATUES HONORING JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR AND
JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG.

(a) Obtaining of Statues.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, in consultation with the Committee
on House Administration of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, and
under such terms and conditions as the Joint Committee of
Congress on the Library considers appropriate, consistent
with applicable law, the Joint Committee shall--
(A) enter into an agreement to obtain a statue honoring
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Sandra Day O'Connor; and
(B) enter into an agreement to obtain a statue honoring
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
(2) Consideration.--In selecting one or more artists to
make the statues obtained under paragraph (1), the Joint
Committee of Congress on the Library shall make the
announcement available to, and consider, artists from a
variety of backgrounds, including artists from
underrepresented demographic groups.
(b) Installation.--
(1) In general.--The Architect of the Capitol, under the
direction of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library,
shall permanently install each statue obtained under
subsection (a) in a prominent location in the Capitol or on
the Capitol Grounds, as described in section 5102 of title
40, United States Code.
(2) Priority for location.--In determining the location for
the permanent installation of each statue obtained under
subsection (a), the Joint Committee of Congress on the
Library shall give priority to identifying an appropriate
location near the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United
States Capitol.
(c) Funding.--Amounts available in the Capitol Preservation
Fund established under section 803 of the Arizona-Idaho
Conservation Act of 1988 (2 U.S.C. 2083) may be used by the
Joint Committee of Congress on the Library for payments for
the costs of creating and installing the statues obtained
under subsection (a), without regard to subsections (b) and
(d) of such section, provided that not more than $500,000 of
such amounts may be used for each statue obtained under
subsection (a).

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney
Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania.

General Leave

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the matter under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This bill, by creating statues in the Capitol, honors former Supreme
Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, two women
who made groundbreaking contributions to American history and
jurisprudence.
The United States Capitol is a global symbol of democracy. This
iconic building, where we debate and craft law, is also a museum of
American art and history, with a rich collection of portraits,
paintings, and statues.
Among the hundreds of sculptures, just 14 honor women leaders. By
adding statues of these two pioneering Supreme Court Justices, we will
honor their legacy and inspire all who pass through these Halls.
In 1869, Arabella Mansfield became the first woman admitted to
practice law in the United States when she was admitted to the Iowa
bar.
Ten years later, Belva Lockwood became the first woman admitted to
practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. One hundred
years would pass before Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman to
serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.
Born in the early 1930s, Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg
both achieved extraordinary academic success. One of only five women in
her class at Stanford Law, O'Connor served on the Board of Editors of
the Stanford Law Review and graduated near the top of her class.
Ginsburg first attended Harvard Law School, one of nine women in her
class. She became the first female member of the Harvard Law Review,
while also caring for her husband, who had been diagnosed with cancer,
and their young daughter. When her husband took a job in New York City,
Ginsburg transferred to Columbia Law School and graduated first in her
class.
Despite their outstanding academic qualifications, O'Connor and
Ginsburg faced barriers to employment after graduation, as law firms
were unwilling to hire women lawyers. Each persevered and rose to
prominence.
O'Connor obtained a position as a deputy county attorney in
California. Then, when her husband was stationed in Germany, she served
as a civilian attorney with the United States Army Quartermaster Corps.

[[Page H3889]]

In 1957, the O'Connors settled in Arizona, where they raised their
three sons. O'Connor started a law practice, became involved in local
politics and community service, and served as an assistant state
attorney general.
In 1969, O'Connor was appointed to the Arizona State Senate, where
she was twice reelected and became the first woman majority leader in
any State. In 1974, she was elected as a trial judge, a position she
held until 1979, when she was appointed to the Arizona Court of
Appeals.
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan fulfilled his campaign promise to
appoint a woman to the Supreme Court by nominating O'Connor. The Senate
unanimously confirmed her appointment. In her nearly 25 years on the
Court, Justice O'Connor established herself as a pragmatic, independent
voice.
In a 1982 case, O'Connor wrote the majority opinion, holding that the
State could not prevent men from enrolling in an all-women's nursing
school. She wrote that laws discriminating on the basis of sex are
allowed only if there is an ``exceedingly persuasive justification''
free of archaic and stereotypic notions of the roles and abilities of
males and females.
Justice O'Connor retired from the Supreme Court in 2006. In
retirement, she remained active as a tireless advocate for judicial
independence and civics education.
Following law school, Ginsburg served as a law clerk to Judge Edmund
L. Palmieri of the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York. She then became associate director of a
comparative law project sponsored by Columbia University before joining
the faculty of Rutgers Law School in 1963. From 1972 to 1980, she
taught at Columbia Law School, where she became the first female
tenured professor.
In the 1970s, Ginsburg also served as a fellow at the Center for
Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences in Stanford, California, and
as the director of the Women's Rights Project of the American Civil
Liberties Union. In this position, she led the fight against gender
discrimination and won five landmark cases before the Supreme Court.
In 1980, President Carter appointed Ginsburg to the United States
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In 1993,
President Clinton nominated Ginsburg as an Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed her nomination by a vote of 96-3,
and she became the second female and the first Jewish female to serve
on the Court.
Justice Ginsburg was a strong voice for gender equality and voting
rights. She authored the landmark majority opinion in United States v.
Virginia, which held that the State-supported Virginia Military
Institute could not refuse to admit women. Justice Ginsburg served on
the Supreme Court for 27 years, until her death in September 2020.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of these two Justices as
role models and inspiration for generations of American girls, women,
and women lawyers.
Justice O'Connor was sworn in as the first female Supreme Court
Justice the same month that I started law school, and I had the
privilege of working with both Justices on issues of civic education
and access to justice. Both women were brilliant and funny. They were
stars on the bench and in our national firmament.

Now we are presented with another moment of equal significance, with
the nomination of Judge Jackson under consideration in the Senate. One
more barrier has fallen, and soon young women of color will be able to
see themselves in future Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ketanji
Brown Jackson, as I once saw myself in Justices O'Connor and Ginsburg.
Today I ask my colleagues to honor these incredible women, Justice
O'Connor and Justice Ginsburg, and help inspire our next generation of
leaders by voting to create these statues for the Capitol of the United
States.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3294. As all Members of
Congress and every American who has visited the United States Capitol
when it was completely open know, the Halls of this foothold of
democracy are lined with statues to honor and commemorate the lives of
great Americans from all corners of this country, all walks of life,
and different political leanings.
The National Statuary Hall collection includes two statues donated
from each State, and in addition to the base collection, Congress has
been able to accept donations or authorize the commission of statues of
other individuals who have shaped our Nation and contributed to the
excellence of this country.
Such additions have included the statue of Abraham Lincoln,
commissioned by Congress in 1866, the portrait monument to Lucretia
Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony in 1920, and most
recently, the statue of Rosa Parks, which was officially unveiled in
2013. It is among these giants that today we consider the addition of
the first two women confirmed to serve on the Supreme Court of the
United States.
It took nearly 200 years after the creation of the Supreme Court for
the first woman to sit on America's highest bench. Appointed by
President Reagan and confirmed by the Senate in 1981, with a vote of
99-0, a record for the most votes in support of a Supreme Court Justice
that stands to this day, Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor blazed a
trail that has forever changed the Court for the better.
In the years that have followed, the Senate has confirmed Associate
Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whom this bill also honors, Sonia
Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and, most recently, Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
I have no doubt that the legacy of women on the Court will continue.
The art collections throughout the Capitol Grounds play a very
important role. The pieces honor the ingenuity, courage, creativity,
and patriotism of so many who came before us. They inspire us and
remind us of the extreme weight and honor of our duties as elected
representatives. Congress rarely commissions the addition of statues to
its collections, a practice that signifies a rare and high honor. The
addition of the first two female Justices to serve on the Supreme Court
is welcomed, and I look forward to their presence in these great Halls.
Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and I reserve the balance of
my time.
Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Lois Frankel).
Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very excited to be
supporting this bill today. The gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms.
Scanlon) did a great job with the biographies of these two incredible
women, Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, our first two women
on the United States Supreme Court.
I am thinking back to my childhood. It is not that easy to think back
to my childhood, but I am thinking back to my childhood, and probably
one of the most exciting things that I did was a family trip with my
parents and my brother to the Capitol. Now when I think back, and
coming through the Capitol and seeing all those statues, I must have
wondered as a child, did women do anything? It is just amazing, of the
266 statues here in the Capitol, only 14 are women. To me that is
crazy. It is just crazy.
We are honoring these two Supreme Court Justices not just because
they are women. I am not going to go through their biographies again,
but think about it. They went through their careers at a time when
there was no Title IX, there was no equal pay, there were limitations
on how many women could actually get into law school, and then if you
did get into law school--because I was in law school back in the day
when there weren't a lot of us--you were bullied. I mean, you were
bullied in the classroom. Their achievement is absolutely remarkable.
I am very proud that future generations are going to come through
these Halls, and they are going to see representations of these two
women. Millions of children from all over the country and all over the
world--because we are opening up, I hope soon, as we pass COVID--can be
inspired, and I cannot wait. I cannot wait to bring my two little
grandsons so they can see that the girls can do it, too.

[[Page H3890]]

Just to add, this is a bipartisan bill. I am proud to be one of the
sponsors here in the House. Women did this together, but we thank the
gentlemen for being on board.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of
my time.
Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this
legislation to honor our U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ginsburg and
O'Connor with statues in our U.S. Capitol. I am so proud to hear my co-
chair Lois Frankel talk about the importance of our history being
recognized in these hallowed Halls.
Both Justices O'Connor and Ginsburg did exactly that. They showed
what it meant to blaze trails and to break the glass ceilings as the
first and second women to serve on the Supreme Court, the highest
court.
Their story is an American story, and it is one that our country
should be proud of. It is not what you say, it is what you do, and
today we are taking action.
Through their long and legendary careers, they have paved the way for
countless women and girls in the legal and judiciary system. Their
life-changing words and actions will live in the hearts of Americans
across this country. I am grateful and I am excited to be part of the
Democratic Women's Caucus that is helping to lead this effort in
honoring the life and the legacies of these two giants.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn't point out a bit of irony
that exists as we discuss honoring anyone by adding a statue or a bust
to the Halls of the Capitol when for the past 745 days this building
has been closed to the American people. Despite what is being called a
reopening, it continues to be closed to most Americans.

{time} 1815

This is about the last place in America to remain closed, and for no
legitimate reason whatsoever. The honor of being memorialized in the
Halls of Congress is far less an honor when no one is around to see it.
It is past time for Speaker Pelosi to reopen the people's House to
the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Stanton).
Mr. STANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3294, a bill
to honor Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader
Ginsburg with statues here in the United States Capitol.
Both overcame formidable barriers and defied the odds, paving the way
for future generations of women, but Justice Sandra Day O'Connor holds
a special place in the hearts of all Arizonans.
Born on a ranch in eastern Arizona, Justice O'Connor brought a tough,
no-nonsense attitude with her throughout her career in public service.
She blazed every trail she set foot on. And just this past Saturday,
she celebrated her 92nd birthday.
Justice O'Connor served as Arizona's assistant attorney general, the
first female majority leader to serve in any State senate across the
United States of America, and as a Maricopa County Superior Court
judge. In 1981, she took her Arizona brand of independence and
pragmatism with her to the United States Supreme Court.
Justice O'Connor shattered the highest glass ceiling in the legal
profession, but Arizonans most admire her for the way she made it
there, with unparalleled talent, intelligence, and relentless grit.
Her independent-minded commitment to interpreting the Constitution
and reaching workable decisions served our Nation and the rule of law
well.
One of the things that I most admire about Justice O'Connor is what
she did after she retired from the United States Supreme Court. She
foresaw deep divisions in our society and our politics. She knew that
we needed to improve civil discourse if we hoped to keep our democracy
strong.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentleman from Arizona.
Mr. STANTON. Mr. Speaker, after 25 years on the Court, she came back
to Arizona and got right back to work.
She founded the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute For American Democracy
in Phoenix to promote civic education, inspiring future generations to
not only participate in our democracy but to contribute to it with the
same degree of thoughtfulness, civility, and grace that she has
throughout her amazing career.
I have been lucky enough to work with her and the institute through
the Camp O'Connor civics education program for middle school students.
I saw firsthand the difference that program makes in the lives of our
next generation of leaders, and I saw how much Justice O'Connor truly
cares about those children and about all people.
That is her legacy to me.
Justice O'Connor and Justice Ginsburg were deeply committed in their
service to the American people. They are more than deserving of this
recognition.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance
of my time.
One of the things I most appreciate about this bill is the balance
that it brings in recognizing the first two women Justices of the
Supreme Court, and they have very different ideologies and views. While
I may have significant disagreements with Justice Ginsburg and her
rulings and positions on certain issues, that doesn't mean her role in
the history of this country is not worthy of being recognized. In the
same way, Justice O'Connor is worthy of recognition despite the fact
that I am sure many people on the other side of the aisle take issue
with her beliefs and positions on certain issues.
Cancel culture is a disease infecting our society today. Those who
seek to wipe out the accomplishments and contributions of historic
figures simply due to opposing politics is wrong. I am certainly not
going to engage in that kind of mentality even though I may not have
cared for Justice Ginsburg's politics.
In fact, Justice Ginsburg herself spoke out against cancel culture.
She was once asked how she could be friends with the late Justice
Antonin Scalia. They held vastly different views. In her response, she
quoted Justice Scalia by saying: ``I attack ideas. I don't attack
people, and some very good people have some very bad ideas.''
She is also famously quoted as saying: ``Fight for the things you
care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.''
In short, Mr. Speaker, it is okay to fight for what you believe in.
It is okay to disagree or even despise what someone else believes, but
it doesn't mean they don't have a right to those beliefs.

Unfortunately, this contrasts with some of the actions of my friends
on the other side of the aisle these past few years. I hope this serves
as an example that we can disagree without being disagreeable, that we
choose to rise above being easily offended and instead respect
alternative points of view, and that the Halls of Congress are a place
where everyone feels their viewpoints and beliefs are given equal
credence.
Mr. Speaker, again, I appreciate the balance of this bill. I rise in
support of this legislation. I urge everyone to adopt it, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I am so proud to rise in support of this bill to recognize the
brilliant and groundbreaking legal careers of Sandra Day O'Connor and
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but I am also so proud to recognize them because
of their unrelenting focus on our young people.
We have heard a couple of times about Justice O'Connor's interest in
civics education. She founded her civics nonprofit when she found that
more Americans knew the names of the judges on ``American Idol'' than
they did the Justices of the Supreme Court. She was really committed to
helping our next generation understand the importance of our civics.
I had the opportunity to meet Justice Ginsburg with my daughter when
my daughter was about 10. My daughter was very anxious to ask a
question of her. She asked her: ``When will we

[[Page H3891]]

have a female President?'' Justice Ginsburg turned to her and said:
``Probably not in my lifetime, but certainly in yours.''
My daughter graduated from law school this year. We look forward to
the fulfillment of Justice Ginsburg's prophecy.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and support these
statues. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, Women's History Month offers an opportunity
to reflect on the courageous, patriotic women who have helped write our
Nation's story.
Indeed, in every chapter of our history, women have been at the
forefront: fighting for our rights, forging progress in every aspect of
society, and pushing our nation to live up to our most cherished
ideals.
So, it is in that powerful, pioneering spirit that I rise today in
support of legislation that will honor two of these historic Americans:
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
From their seats on the highest Court in the land, they were not only
instrumental to upholding and defending our Constitution--but they
paved a path in the field of law for generations of women to follow.
With this bill, we honor their extraordinary service by welcoming to
the United States Capitol statues of these two trailblazing women.
Thank you to Congresswoman Lois Frankel for your tireless, persistent
leadership in establishing this special tribute--and for all that you
do for America's women and girls.
Thanks also to Chair Zoe Lofgren: who, at the helm of the Committee
on House Administration, has been a steadfast champion in bringing more
diversity and inclusion to monuments that fill the halls of the
Congress.
These statues will not only ensure that Justices O'Connor and
Ginsburg take their rightful place here, among the many heroes of our
history.
But they will also ensure that all those who walk these hallowed
halls--from Members and foreign leaders to young girls on school
trips--can learn about and be inspired by the legacies of these two
legendary leaders.
It is with great pride that, with this bill, we will soon welcome to
the halls of Congress a statue of a living legend: Justice Sandra Day
O'Connor.
Justice O'Connor has earned her deeply deserved place in history, as
the first woman ever to sit on the Supreme Court.
But beyond the barrier-breaking nature of her service, she brought to
the bench a pillar of courage, integrity and justice: our nation's
highest ideals.
On the Court, she was always an independent and influential voice--
bringing great wisdom, judgment and consideration to her opinions.
She also inspired the world as a proud working mother, proving that a
woman can both excel in her career and care for her family.
She raised her three young sons while serving in the Arizona State
Senate--where she was the first woman Maiority Leader of a State Senate
anywhere in the country.
And all were in awe of her strength in serving as her late husband's
caregiver during his battle with Alzheimer's.
Justice O'Connor once said: ``It's good to be first--but you don't
want to be last.'' Indeed, she always held open the door behind her:
mentoring so many young women in law, including our beloved Ruth Bader
Ginsburg.
And our Nation is so proud that Justice Ginsburg will join that of
Justice O'Connor here on Capitol Hill.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg truly embodied justice, brilliance and goodness--
and nearly every family in America benefited from her quarter century
on the Court fighting for equality, opportunity and justice for all.
The ``Notorious RBG'' quickly became an icon on the bench:
an outstanding and independent legal mind;
a tenacious defender of our fundamental rights; and
the author of fiery opinions still referenced to this day.
And throughout her entire career, she was a tireless advocate for
gender equality, whether:
working at the ACLU as the founder of its Women's Rights Project;
arguing cases before the Supreme Court;
or handing down legal opinions cementing the precedent that all men
and women are created equal.
After her devastating loss two years ago, it was my solemn privilege
as Speaker to welcome her one final time back to the Capitol to lie in
state.
Now, it is with great respect and admiration for her legacy of
powerful progress for women that the Congress passes this legislation
to ensure her statue will be a permanent fixture of our Temple of
Democracy.
It is fitting that we enact this legislation amid the historic
confirmation process of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
She was magnificent during the Committee proceedings last week--
demonstrating her brilliant legal mind, her remarkable confidence and
poise, and her unyielding commitment to justice.
And this is a moment of great pride and patriotism for our nation, as
she will soon make history as the first Black woman on the Supreme
Court.
Indeed, Judge Jackson is a blazing new trail for the next generation
of public servants--in the same pioneering spirit as the two
extraordinary leaders we are honoring with this legislation today.
God blessed America with the leadership of Sandra Day O'Connor and
Ruth Bader Ginsburg--and many of us today stand on their shoulders.
With this bill, we ensure that all visit the Capitol feel their
eternal presence and that our children will learn about their towering
legacies.
I urge a strong, bipartisan ``aye'' vote.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3294, a bill to
place in the Capitol or on the Capitol Grounds a statue to honor
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Sandra Day O'Connor and a statue
to honor Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was the first woman nominated to the
United States Supreme Court by President Ronald Regan and was the 102nd
appointee to the position.
Justice O'Connor served from September 25, 1981, until her retirement
on January 31, 2006.
During her tenure on the court, Justice O'Connor was often the
crucial swing vote in 5-4 decisions that included many of the most
controversial issues of our time.
Justice O'Connor has had a long and distinguished career as a public
servant, including three terms as an Arizona State Senator, and serving
as a judge on the Superior Court of Maricopa County, and the Arizona
Court of Appeals.
Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the second woman appointed,
and the first Jewish woman, to preside on United States Supreme Court.
Justice Ginsburg was appointed to the court by President Bill Clinton
on August 10, 1993 and served on the court until her death on September
18, 2020.
Justice Ginsburg was an advocate for woman's rights long before she
was appointed to the court. She co-founded the Women's Rights Project
at the ACLU.
In the words of the late Justice Ginsburg, ``women's rights are an
essential part of the overall human rights agenda, trained on the equal
dignity and ability to live in freedom all people should enjoy.''
These women broke down barriers that once stood in the way of
equality. Their determination and persistence allowed for women across
the nation to fight for their rights and achieve their dreams.
Their sacrifices paved the way for many firsts en the Federal bench.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the first Hispanic woman to be appointed to
the position, and just last month, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was the
first African American woman to be nominated to the court.
Although these are monumental steps for women and gender equality,
there is still much work that needs to be done.
It is our duty as Members of Congress to acknowledge and commemorate
these inspiring Supreme Court Justices. The two statues in our nation's
Capital will honor the lives and legacies of these two pioneering
women. Moreover, by celebrating Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice
Sandra Day O'Connor we celebrate the impact of women nationwide and
showcase these two leaders as remodels for future generations. I urge
all my colleagues to support S. 3294.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, S. 3294.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.

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