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[Page S2326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS ON MAY 6, 2020
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SENATE RESOLUTION 563--DESIGNATING MARCH 2020, AS ``NATIONAL WOMEN'S
HISTORY MONTH''
Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Cortez
Masto, Mr. Markey, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Mr. Booker, Ms.
Stabenbow, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Warren, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Van
Hollen, Mr. Peters, Mr. Carper, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Brown,
Mr. King, Mr. Jones, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Harris, Mr. Reed, Mr. Merkley,
Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Rosen, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Hyde-
Smith, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Loeffler, Mr. Durbin, and Ms. Ernst)
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
S. Res. 563
Whereas National Women's History Month recognizes and
spreads awareness of the importance of women in the history
of the United States;
Whereas, throughout the history of the United States,
whether in their homes, in their workplaces, in schools, in
the courts, or during wartime, women have fought for
themselves, their families, and all people of the United
States;
Whereas, even from the early days of the history of the
United States, Abigail Adams urged her husband to ``Remember
the Ladies'' when representatives met for the Continental
Congress in 1776;
Whereas women were particularly important in the
establishment of early charitable, philanthropic, and
cultural institutions in the United States;
Whereas women led the efforts to secure suffrage and equal
opportunities for women, and also served in the abolitionist
movement, the emancipation movement, labor movements, civil
rights movements, and other causes to create a more fair and
just society for all;
Whereas suffragists wrote, marched, were arrested, and
ultimately succeeded in achieving--
(1) the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, which provides, ``The
right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be
denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on
account of sex.''; and
(2) the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52
U.S.C. 10301 et seq.), which extended the protection of the
right to vote to women of color and language minorities;
Whereas, in 2020, the United States celebrates the 100th
anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, which guarantees women the
constitutional right to vote;
Whereas women have been and continue to be leaders in the
forefront of social change efforts, business, science,
government, math, art, literature, music, film, athletics,
and other fields;
Whereas women now represent approximately half of the
workforce of the United States;
Whereas women once were routinely barred from attending
medical schools in the United States, but now are enrolling
in medical schools in the United States at higher numbers
than men;
Whereas women previously were turned away from law school,
but now represent approximately half of law students in the
United States;
Whereas, since the American Revolution, women have been
vital to the mission of the Armed Forces, with more than
200,000 women serving on active duty and 2,000,000 women
veterans representing every branch of service;
Whereas more than 10,000,000 women own businesses in the
United States;
Whereas Jeannette Rankin of Montana was the first woman
elected to the House of Representatives in 1916 and Hattie
Wyatt Caraway of Arkansas was the first woman elected to the
United States Senate in 1932;
Whereas Margaret Chase Smith of Maine was the first woman
to serve in both Houses of Congress;
Whereas, in 2020, a record total of 131 women are serving
in Congress, including 105 women in the House of
Representatives and 26 women in the Senate;
Whereas President Jimmy Carter recognized March 2 through
8, 1980, as ``National Women's History Week'';
Whereas, in 1987, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced
the first joint resolution to pass Congress designating
``Women's History Month'';
Whereas, in 1987, President Ronald Reagan issued a
Presidential proclamation proclaiming March 1987 as ``Women's
History Month''; and
Whereas, despite the advancements of women in the United
States, much remains to be done to ensure that women realize
their full potential as equal members of society in the
United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates March 2020 as ``National Women's History
Month'';
(2) recognizes the celebration of National Women's History
Month as a time to reflect on the many notable contributions
that women have made to the United States; and
(3) urges the people of the United States to observe
National Women's History Month with appropriate programs and
activities.
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