III 111th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 441 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 4, 2010 Mrs. Boxer (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Burris, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Byrd, and Mr. Schumer) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Recognizing the history and continued accomplishments of women in the Armed Forces of the United States.

Whereas women of diverse ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, and racial backgrounds have made extraordinary contributions to each service of the Armed Forces; Whereas today women volunteer to serve the Nation and distinguish themselves in the active and reserve components of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard; Whereas the contributions of generations of women have contributed to the collective success of women in military service and the freedom and security of the United States; Whereas women have served with honor, courage, and a pioneering spirit in every major military campaign in the history of the United States since the Revolutionary War; Whereas Dr. Mary E. Walker was the first, and remains the only, woman awarded the Medal of Honor for her contributions to military medicine and selfless actions during the Civil War; Whereas the role of women expanded during World War I, with women serving as medical professionals and telephone operators and in other support roles that were critical to the war effort; Whereas, during World War II, women served in every military service and in every theater and received awards for their gallantry, including four Silver Stars; Whereas the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 (62 Stat. 356, chapter 449) established permanent positions and granted veterans benefits for women in the Armed Forces and allowed women to serve during the Korean War as regular members of the military; Whereas, during the Vietnam War, roughly 7,500 women served in the Armed Forces in Southeast Asia as Nurse Corps officers and in other vital capacities where they saved lives and supported their fellow service members; Whereas, in 1976, the service academies first admitted women, and in 1980, the first women graduated from the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, and the United States Coast Guard Academy; Whereas women were assigned to the first gender-integrated units during the 1980s, with women serving alongside men in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada and Operation Just Cause in Panama; Whereas an unprecedented 40,000 women deployed as uniformed members of the Armed Forces in support of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield; Whereas, in 1991, Congress repealed laws prohibiting women from flying combat missions and in 1993 repealed the restriction on women serving on combat vessels; Whereas, on June 16, 2005, Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, an Army National Guard Military Police Soldier, became the first woman to receive the Silver Star since World War II for exceptional valor during an ambush on her convoy in Iraq; Whereas, on November 14, 2008, General Ann Dunwoody became the first woman in the military to achieve the rank of four-star general; Whereas, according to the Department of Defense, there are currently 203,375 women on active duty in the Armed Forces, many of whom have been deployed in harm’s way; Whereas, as of January 2, 2010, 104 military women have lost their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 20 military women have lost their lives in Operation Enduring Freedom; Whereas, as of February 6, 2010, 616 military women have been wounded in action in Iraq, and 50 military women have been wounded in action in Afghanistan; Whereas, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, as of February 1, 2010, there were 1,824,000 women veterans of the Armed Forces; Whereas women help make the military of the United States the finest in the world by serving frequent and lengthy deployments under the most difficult conditions; Whereas women in the Armed Forces frequently balance the rigors of a military career with the responsibilities of maintaining a healthy family; Whereas women serving in combat theaters have been exposed to the same hazards and harsh conditions as male service members, and have sustained grave injuries and have given their lives in service to our Nation; Whereas all service members, both men and women, deserve fair compensation for service related injuries, proper health care and rehabilitation, and the respect of a grateful Nation for their selfless service, sacrifice, and loyalty; and Whereas women have made our Nation safer and more secure, while representing the values that we hold dear: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)acknowledges the contributions of women to our national defense and their importance in the rich history of the United States; (2)celebrates the role that women have played in securing our Nation and defending our freedom; (3)recognizes the unique challenges that women have overcome to expand the role of women in military service; (4)agrees that programs available for women service members and veterans should be strengthened and enhanced, including for those who are dealing with invisible wounds of war; and (5)strongly encourages the people of the United States to honor women veterans who have served our Nation and to elevate their stature in our national conscience.