[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 158 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 158

Honoring the accomplishments and unfailing spirit of women in the 20th 
                                century.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 10, 2001

 Mr. Cleland (for himself, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Cochran, and Mrs. Murray) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                            on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the accomplishments and unfailing spirit of women in the 20th 
                                century.

Whereas women should be celebrated for the unparalleled strides made during the 
        20th century in education, professional careers, legal rights, politics, 
        military service, religion, sports, and self-reliance;
Whereas at the dawn of the 20th century, women in the United States were denied 
        their constitutional right to equal protection of the law, including the 
        right to vote;
Whereas the women's suffrage movement, the largest grassroots political movement 
        in the Nation's history, involved approximately 2,000,000 women and took 
        more than 70 years of petitions, referenda, speeches, national and State 
        campaigns, demonstrations, arrests, and hunger strikes;
Whereas women won the right to vote throughout the United States with the 
        ratification of the 19th amendment to the Constitution in 1920, and by 
        the end of the century women were voting in larger numbers than men in 
        some national elections;
Whereas women represent an increasing percentage of the population awarded 
        college and postgraduate degrees;
Whereas women are increasingly owning businesses and working to narrow the pay 
        gap between women and men;
Whereas in World War I, women were only allowed to serve in the Army as nurses, 
        and approximately 10,000 of the 30,000 women that served in World War I 
        served as volunteers overseas, with no rank and no benefits;
Whereas during the 20th century, women served the Nation proudly and capably in 
        the Armed Forces, including duty in World War I, World War II, Korea, 
        Vietnam, Panama, Libya, the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Kosovo, and in 
        supportive roles during all of these conflicts;
Whereas women now serve in all ranks and branches of the Armed Forces as pilots, 
        intelligence specialists, drill instructors, specialists, technicians, 
        soldiers, airmen, and marines on the battlefields, and as sailors aboard 
        Navy and Coast Guard ships at sea;
Whereas the 20th century saw women in new roles as justices on the Supreme 
        Court, members of the President's Executive Cabinet, and Members of 
        Congress;
Whereas women's contributions have become invaluable as Federal, State, and 
        local legislators, Governors, judges, Cabinet officers, county 
        commissioners, mayors, city council members, and directors of Federal, 
        State, and local agencies;
Whereas women made significant strides in the 20th century, yet as we enter the 
        21st century women continue to face inequality;
Whereas women are disparately excluded from health care research, clinical 
        trials, and treatment;
Whereas women continue to be underrepresented in science and technology careers;
Whereas women are often paid only 72 cents for each 1 dollar paid to men for the 
        same work;
Whereas women are disproportionately affected by poverty and elderly women are 
        generally more dependent on the social security program under title II 
        of the Social Security Act; and
Whereas women can reflect upon the opportunities created during the 20th century 
        and look toward even greater accomplishments in the 21st century: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors and commends the accomplishments and unfailing 
        spirit of women in the 20th century;
            (2) recognizes the crucial roles of women in our 
        communities as mothers, wives, and family caregivers;
            (3) recognizes the disparity in equality that women still 
        face;
            (4) reaffirms the need to prevent and punish violence 
        against women so that women may be safe from domestic violence, 
        sexual assault, elder abuse, and violence in the workplace;
            (5) recognizes that women should have equal access to 
        health care and inclusion in research and clinical trials;
            (6) recognizes the need for equality in vocational and 
        academic education;
            (7) recognizes that the pay gap should be closed;
            (8) commits to preserving the social security program under 
        title II of the Social Security Act and the medicare program 
        under title XVIII of such Act; and
            (9) pledges to make the 21st century the ``Century of Equal 
        Opportunity for Women''.
                                 <all>