[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 38 (Thursday, March 30, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E457-E458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARTIN OLAV SABO

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 30, 2000

  Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, as we take time this month to honor the many 
contributions women have made in our country's history, I wish to 
reflect on American women's progress in school and the workplace.
  When I was young, economic opportunities for women were limited. 
Seemingly, very few professions were open to women--teaching, 
secretarial work, social work, and nursing, for instance. If women 
chose to explore other fields, they faced significant barriers. It took 
great determination and a unique set of factors for a woman to break 
through the male-dominated preserves of medicine, law and many other 
professional careers.
  Later, in the 1970's, female students, while likely to receive good 
grades, were less likely than male students to extend their education 
beyond high school. Not so today. Along with the increase in the number 
of women attending college and graduate school over the years, there 
has been a remarkable increase in the number of advanced degrees 
awarded to women. For example, in 1970, women received only 13 percent 
of all Ph.D. degrees; 8

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percent of M.D. degrees; 5 percent of all law degrees; and a mere 1 
percent of dentistry degrees. By the end of the 20th century, however, 
women earned an average of 40 percent of Ph.D.s; 41 percent of M.D. 
degrees; 44 percent of law degrees; and 36 percent of dentistry 
degrees.
  Gains in education have advanced women significantly in the world of 
work. Today, women make up 46 percent of America's workforce. Women 
occupy almost half of all managerial and professional positions in the 
country, and women currently own 40 percent of America's businesses. 
Yet significant obstacles remain.
  Unfortunately, in our country, female students still lag behind male 
students in their pursuit of math, science and engineering-related 
degrees. Today, women earn only one-seventh of all computer science 
doctorate degrees, and only one-eighth of all engineering degrees 
awarded in the United States.
  Furthermore, although women are making great strides in America's 
corporate world, they still have not penetrated the executive arena. 
Currently, less than one percent of all top corporate managers are 
female.
  Also, even though the law has dictated equal pay for men and women 
since 1963, women still earn only 76 percent as much as men. This means 
$24 less to spend on groceries, housing, child care, and other expenses 
for every $100 worth of work women do. And these figures are worse for 
women of color: African-American women earn only 67 cents--and Latinas 
only 58 cents--for every dollar earned by their male counterparts.
  Various factors play a role in the wage gap between men and women. 
Women who leave the workforce temporarily in order to care for children 
or their elderly parents may suffer the consequences of a wage gap. 
Women are also less likely than men to join a labor union; therefore, 
they miss out on the benefits that come from organizing. Another factor 
in the gender wage gap includes the career path a person chooses. It is 
not uncommon for women to choose careers in the teaching and social 
service fields, in which salaries tend to be lower than in business or 
other professions.
  Yet, there is more that can and should be done to level the playing 
field and provide fair opportunities for women in education and the 
workplace.
  We should pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, H.R. 2397, to curb gender-
based wage discrimination in the workplace. Parents should boost their 
daughters' self-esteem through praise and involvement in their school 
and extracurricular lives. Friends, teachers, and communities should 
encourage girls to explore non-traditional courses of study to broaden 
their career options.
  Women's History Month reminds us to celebrate the educational and 
work achievements of the women in our families and our communities. We 
should also use this opportunity to rededicate ourselves to breaking 
down the remaining barriers for women in school and the workplace. We 
owe it to our wives, daughters, sisters, and mothers to do everything 
we can so that all of America's working women have equal opportunities 
for success.

                          ____________________