[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 634 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 634

Acknowledging the 25th anniversary of the nomination of Representative 
 Geraldine A. Ferraro as the first woman selected by a major political 
               party as its candidate for Vice President.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 13, 2009

 Mr. Crowley (for himself, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Israel, Mr. 
 Engel, Mr. Arcuri, Mr. Massa, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Hall of New York, Mr. 
McMahon, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Filner, Mr. Murphy 
   of New York, and Mr. Nadler of New York) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Acknowledging the 25th anniversary of the nomination of Representative 
 Geraldine A. Ferraro as the first woman selected by a major political 
               party as its candidate for Vice President.

Whereas, July 19, 2009, marks the 25th anniversary of Congresswoman Geraldine A. 
        Ferraro's acceptance of the nomination of the Democratic Party for the 
        office of Vice President of the United States;
Whereas Congresswoman Ferraro worked her way through law school at Fordham 
        University, at a time when very few women did so;
Whereas Congresswoman Ferraro then joined the Queens County District Attorney's 
        Office, where she supervised the prosecution of a variety of violent 
        crimes, including child and domestic abuse;
Whereas in 1978, New York's Ninth Congressional District in Queens elected 
        Congresswoman Ferraro to the United States House of Representatives, 
        where she was one of only 16 women Members of the House;
Whereas her House colleagues rewarded Congresswoman Ferraro's legislative and 
        political talents by making her part of the elected House leadership, as 
        Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus;
Whereas Congresswoman Ferraro's legislative achievements included her 
        sponsorship of the Women's Economic Equity Act, landmark legislation to 
        end pension discrimination, and provide increased job training and 
        opportunities for women re-entering the workforce;
Whereas in 1984, Congresswoman Ferraro's status as a leader was confirmed when 
        she was named Chairwoman of the Platform Committee for the Democratic 
        Convention, the first woman to hold that position;
Whereas when she was nominated as the running mate of Vice President Walter F. 
        Mondale in the 1984 presidential race, Congresswoman Ferraro became the 
        first woman ever chosen to run on the national ticket of either of the 
        two major political parties;
Whereas that nomination also marked the only time an Italian-American has been 
        nominated as a major-party candidate in a national election;
Whereas Congresswoman Ferraro's Vice Presidential candidacy continued the 
        progress begun by women who achieved political firsts before her, 
        including Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress, Margaret 
        Chase Smith, the first woman elected to the Senate in her own right, 
        Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first Asian American/Pacific Islander woman 
        elected to Congress, and Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American 
        woman elected to Congress;
Whereas Congresswoman Ferraro's candidacy helped to tear down barriers to the 
        full and equal participation of women in national politics;
Whereas in 1984, there were two women Members of the United States Senate, and 
        22 women Members of the United States House of Representatives;
Whereas in the current, 111th Congress, there are 17 women Members of the United 
        States Senate, and 75 women Members of the House, including the first 
        woman ever to serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy 
        Pelosi;
Whereas in 2008, our country saw historic barriers fall with a presidential race 
        that featured historic candidacies in both parties, and culminated in 
        the election of the first African-American president in our Nation's 
        history;
Whereas in January 1993, President Clinton appointed Ms. Ferraro a United States 
        Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, a role from 
        which she championed the rights of women around the world; and
Whereas Geraldine Ferraro's 1984 bid for Vice President helped our daughters 
        join our sons in believing they could achieve anything they set their 
        minds to: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes that Geraldine Ferraro's vice-presidential 
        candidacy forever enriched the American political landscape and 
        forged a new path for American women, and congratulates her on 
        the 25th anniversary of the acceptance of her nomination;
            (2) pays tribute to Congresswoman Geraldine A. Ferraro's 
        work to improve the lives of women and families not only in the 
        Ninth Congressional District of New York, who she represented 
        so well, but also the lives of women and families all across 
        the United States; and
            (3) appreciates Geraldine Ferraro's life story, a daughter 
        of immigrants who studied hard to become a teacher and later 
        worked her way through law school and served as a prosecuting 
        attorney, a wife and mother who has fought to create a more 
        just world in which her three children and all children could 
        thrive, and a Congresswoman and Vice Presidential candidate who 
        inspired a generation, especially women, to run for and serve 
        in public office.
                                 <all>