[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 26 (Thursday, March 9, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1382-S1383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, today I rise in recognition of Women's 
History Month--a time to honor the many great women leaders from our 
past and present who have served our Nation so well. These women have 
worked diligently to achieve social

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change and personal triumph often against incredible odds. As 
scientists, writers, doctors, teachers, and mothers, they have shaped 
our world and guided us down the road to prosperity and peace. For far 
too long, however, their contributions to the strength and character of 
our society went unrecognized and undervalued.
  It is also important to recognize the countless American women whose 
names and great works are known only to their families. They too have 
played critical roles in the development of our State and National 
heritage.
  Women have led efforts to secure not only their own rights, but have 
also been the guiding force behind many of the other major social 
movements of our time--the abolitionist movement, the industrial labor 
movement, and the civil rights movement, to name a few. We also have 
women to thank for the establishment of many of our early charitable, 
philanthropic, and cultural institutions.
  I am proud of the many women from Maryland whose bravery, hard work, 
and dedication have earned them a place in our Nation's history. They 
include Margaret Brent, America's first woman lawyer and landholder. In 
1648, she went before the Maryland General Assembly demanding the right 
to vote. Another brave Maryland woman was Harriet Tubman, hero of the 
Underground Railroad, who was personally responsible for freeing over 
300 slaves. Dr. Helen Taussig, another great Marylander, in 1945, 
developed the first successful medical procedure to save ``blue 
babies'' by repairing heart birth defects in children whose blood was 
starved of oxygen, turning their skin a bluish hue. This breakthrough 
laid the foundation for modern heart surgery.
  I would also like to recognize my colleague, another great Maryland 
woman, Senator Barbara A. Mikulski. One of only nine female Members of 
the Senate, she has forged a path for women legislators into the 
Federal political arena and has tirelessly fought for recognition of 
the right of women to equal treatment and opportunities in our society. 
Through her leadership, the effort to designate March as Women's 
History Month has been a resounding success.
  Other Maryland women leaders include Dr. Lillie Jackson and Enolia 
McMillan, two great champions of the Civil Rights Movement, and 
Henrietta Szold, the founder of Hadassah, the Women's Zionist 
Organization of America. Hattie Alexander, a native of Baltimore, was a 
microbiologist and pediatrician who won international recognition for 
deriving a serum to combat influenzal meningitis. Rachel Carson, 
founder of the environmental movement, Billie Holiday, the renowned 
jazz singer, and Elizabeth Seton, the first American canonized as a 
saint were also all from Maryland. The achievements and dedication of 
these women are a source of inspiration to us all.

  Now more than ever, women are a guiding force in Maryland and a major 
presence in our business sector. As of 1996, there were over 167,000 
women-owned businesses in our State--that amounts to 39 percent of all 
firms in Maryland. Maryland's women-owned businesses employ over 
301,000 people and generate over $39 billion in sales. Between 1987 and 
1996, the number of women-owned firms in Maryland is estimated to have 
increased by 88 percent.
  During Women's History month we have the opportunity to remember and 
praise great women leaders who have opened doors for today's young 
women in ways that are often overlooked. Their legacy has enriched our 
lives and deserves prominence in the annals of American history.
  With this in mind, I have co-sponsored legislation again this 
Congress to establish a National Museum of Women's History Advisory 
Committee. This Committee would be charged with identifying a site for 
the National Museum of Women's History and developing strategies for 
raising private funding for the development and maintenance of the 
museum. Ultimately, the museum will enlighten the young and old about 
the key roles women have played in our Nation's history and the many 
contributions they have made to our culture.
  However, we must do more than merely recognize the outstanding 
accomplishments women have made. Women's History Month also is a time 
to recognize that women still face substantial obstacles and 
inequities. At every age, women are more likely than their male 
contemporaries to be poor. A working woman still earns on average only 
74 cents for every dollar earned by a man. A female physician only 
earns about 58 cents to her male counterpart's dollar, and female 
business executives earn about 65 cents for every dollar paid to a male 
executive. The average personal income of men over 65 is nearly double 
that of their female peers. Access to capital for female entrepreneurs 
is still a significant stumbling block, and women business owners of 
color are even less likely than white women entrepreneurs to have 
financial backing from a bank.
  To address some of these discrepancies, I have co-sponsored the 
Paycheck Fairness Act which would provide more effective remedies to 
victims of wage discrimination on the basis of sex. It would enhance 
enforcement of the existing Equal Pay Act and protect employees who 
discuss wages with co-workers from employer retaliation.
  On the other hand, we have made great strides toward ensuring a 
fairer place for women in our society. The college-educated proportion 
of women, although still smaller than the comparable proportion of men, 
has been increasing rapidly. In 1995, women represented 55 percent of 
the people awarded bachelor's degrees, 55 percent of people awarded 
masters', 39 percent of the doctorates, 39 percent of the M.D.'s, and 
43 percent of the law degrees. As recently as the early 1970s, the 
respective percentages were 43 percent, 40 percent, 14 percent, 8 
percent, and 5 percent. Women are now the majority in some professional 
and managerial occupations that were largely male until relatively 
recently.
  The future does not look so bright for women in many other countries 
where women not only lack access to equal opportunities, but even worse 
are subject to dehumanizing social practices and abominable human 
rights violations. For this reason, I have added my name to a 
resolution calling on the Senate to act on the Convention on the 
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
  Mr. President, in the dawn of this new millennium, we must renew our 
efforts to ensure that gender no longer predetermines a person's 
opportunities or station in life. It is my hope that we can accelerate 
our progress in securing women's rights. As we celebrate Women's 
History Month, let us reaffirm our commitment to the women of this 
Nation and to insuring full equality for all of our citizens.

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