[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 27, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS WITH RESPECT TO COMMEMORATION OF WOMEN 
                              SUFFRAGISTS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. DEBORAH PRYCE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 25, 2005

  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate women 
suffragists. As one of the eighty-three women serving in the House and 
Senate, the Women's Rights Movement was, and continues to be, in my 
opinion, one of the most inspirational series of events to occur in 
United States history.
  The battle for suffrage, fought by the early women's rights leaders 
was thought to be the most effective way to change an unjust system. 
Constant barriers were thrown ahead of them, and degrading stereotypes 
were placed upon them.
  Challengers of women's suffrage claim that women were less 
intelligent and less able to make political decisions than men. The 
women of the suffrage movement dismissed these accusations with the 
ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. 
Now, women utilize this freedom more so than men. Among citizens, 
women's voting rates have surpassed men's ever since the 1984 
presidential election. 54 percent of the 2004 presidential election 
votes belonged to women and 46 percent of the votes to men.
  Women like Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Caddy, Sojourner Truth, and Susan 
B. Anthony were the pioneers of the suffrage movement. They took risks 
and broke laws in order to pave the way for the new generation of 
suffrage leaders like Carrie Chapman Catt, Maud Wood Park, Lucy Burns, 
Alice Paul, and Harriot E. Blatch. All of these women devoted their 
lives to this cause. That is why it is so important that we devote a 
day to honor these women.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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