[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S8976]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 64--DIRECTING THE ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL 
TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A MONUMENT 
TO COMMEMORATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MINORITY WOMEN TO WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE 
  AND TO THE PARTICIPATION OF MINORITY WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE, AND FOR 
                             OTHER PURPOSES

  Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Carnahan, 
Mr. Dodd, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Levin, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. 
Schumer, and Ms. Stabenow) submitted the following concurrent 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and 
Administration:

                            S. Con. Res. 64

       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF MONUMENT COMMEMORATING 
                   CONTRIBUTIONS OF MINORITY WOMEN TO WOMEN'S 
                   SUFFRAGE.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     adoption of this Resolution, the Architect of the Capitol 
     shall enter into a contract for the design and construction 
     of a monument to commemorate the contributions of minority 
     women to women's suffrage and to the participation of 
     minority women in public life in the United States (referred 
     to in this Resolution as the ``Monument'').
       (b) Women Depicted on Monument.--The Monument shall depict 
     an appropriate representative, as determined by the Advisory 
     Committee established under section 2, of each of the 
     following:
       (1) African American women.
       (2) Hispanic American women.
       (3) Asian Pacific American women.
       (4) Jewish American women.
       (5) Native American women.
       (c) Deadline for Completion.--The contract under subsection 
     (a) shall include a requirement that the Monument be 
     completed and delivered to the Architect of the Capitol not 
     later than 18 months after the date on which the Architect 
     enters into the contract.
       (d) Location.--The Architect of the Capitol shall arrange 
     for the Monument to be placed in a prominent location of the 
     Capitol.

     SEC. 2. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

       (a) In General.--An Advisory Committee shall be established 
     to--
       (1) solicit from the general public nominees for depiction 
     on the Monument; and
       (2) recommend to the Architect of the Capitol, for 
     depiction on the Monument, individuals that are 
     representative of the women specified in section 2(b).
       (b) Composition.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed 
     of 5 members, of whom--
       (1) 1 member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House 
     of Representatives;
       (2) 1 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
     the House of Representatives;
       (3) 1 member shall be appointed by the majority leader of 
     the Senate;
       (4) 1 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
     the Senate; and
       (5) 1 member shall be appointed by the President Pro 
     Tempore of the Senate.
       (c) Appointment.--Not later than 30 days after the adoption 
     of this Resolution, members of the Advisory Committee shall 
     be appointed in accordance with subsection (b).
       (d) Compensation.--A member of the Advisory Committee shall 
     serve without pay.
       (e) Deadline for Submission.--Not later than 90 days after 
     the date of the adoption of this Resolution, the Advisory 
     Committee shall submit to the Architect of the Capitol the 
     names of the individuals to be depicted on the Monument.

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Resolution (including sums as are 
     necessary for the Advisory Committee to carry out the duties 
     described in section 2), to remain available until expended.

  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, it is an honor to be here today to 
submit a resolution to recognize the contributions of minority women to 
women's suffrage and to the history of our country. This resolution 
establishes an Advisory Committee and directs the Architect of the 
Capitol to enter into a contract for the design and construction of a 
monument commemorating the contributions of minority women.
  I was so pleased when Congressman Davis introduced this resolution. 
His decision was inspired by the observations of a young woman working 
in his office who noticed, as she toured the Capitol, that there are so 
few women, and even fewer minority women, represented in these sacred 
halls.
  The under-representation of women and minorities does a disservice to 
the thousands of schoolchildren who tour the Capitol every year. I 
believe the time has come, and is in fact long overdue, to create a 
statute honoring the contributions of minority women who were 
instrumental in building our country and leaders in extending equal 
rights to all people.
  I can cite many examples of minority women who I would like to see 
considered for recognition. Women with New York roots such as Harriet 
Tubman, Sojourner Truth and Maud Nathan have made considerable 
contributions to our nation's history.
  Harriet Tubman, whose home was in Auburn, NY, escaped slavery and 
then risked her life again and again to return and lead so many others 
to freedom. Harriet Tubman's motto was, ``keep going.'' She would 
encourage escaped slaves in their journey by saying, ``Children if you 
are tired, keep going; if you are scared, keep going; if you are 
hungry, keep going; if you want to taste freedom, keep going.'' Harriet 
Tubman went on to be an active leader in the women's movement, to work 
for schools for freed slaves and to establish services for the elderly 
and destitute. Her actions were selfless and her courage is of heroic 
proportions.
  Sojourner Truth was born enslaved in Upstate New York. After her 
release from slavery, she went on to work as an abolitionist and then 
as a leader in the women's movement. She was a highly effective 
speaker, and used her voice to see that equal rights would be extended 
to all people regardless of the color of one's skin or one's gender. 
Maud Nathan is another example of a New Yorker who was influential in 
the women's suffrage movement and served as an early and innovative 
consumer advocate, organizing for better conditions for working women.
  I often think of the courage and vision of these women and so many 
others who put their lives on the line in the abolitionist, suffrage, 
civil rights and women's movements, and it is a great sense of pride to 
me that so many women leaders were from New York.
  It is our responsibility to make sure that the contributions of 
minority women with stories similar to Truth, Tubman, Nathan, and so 
many others, are told in our schoolrooms, at our dinner tables and yes, 
celebrated in the halls of Congress.
  In 1997, after more than 75 years of storage in the crypt, a monument 
recognizing suffragists Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and 
Lucretia Mott was moved to a visible location in the Rotunda. This was 
the right decision then, and no doubt has aroused the interest of so 
many people who have had the opportunity to view it since the move.
  Now we have an opportunity to make significant strides toward telling 
a far more accurate story of our Nation's collective history by 
celebrating the minority women who were behind so many of our nation's 
important social movements. Their commitment, resilience and courage 
can be a great source of strength to the next generation of women who 
will assume the struggles shaping our time.

                          ____________________