[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 27 (Monday, March 6, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S1784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, as Dean of the Senate Women, I rise on 
this day in Women's History Month to honor the unique contributions 
women have made to America since its beginning and to pay my respects 
to all the forgotten women who have served this country. Women's roles 
in history are often overlooked and undervalued. But we have shaped, 
and continue to shape, society--not only in terms of battles fought and 
won--but through great social movements.
  Women were the driving force behind the abolitionists, who helped end 
slavery and fought for the fourteenth amendment. And, of course, women 
led the suffragist movement, which sought to curb domestic violence by 
ending drinking and gave women control of their lives with the right to 
vote. The list goes on and on--and it is still growing.
  Last month, we said goodbye to a true pioneer for women's rights--
Betty Friedan. Ms. Friedan opened Americans' minds to the possibility 
of a new role for women in our country with her book, ``The Feminine 
Mystique.'' She provided the spark in 1963 to launch another movement 
for women's rights. And she kept that fire going--dedicating her life 
to fighting for equality, founding the National Organization for Women 
and NARAL, and cofounding the National Women's Political Caucus with 
Gloria Steinem and myself.
  Last month, Maryland and the world also said hello to another female 
star in her own right--Kimmie Meissner of Bel Air, MD, who took sixth 
place in Olympic women's figure skating. Every March, we point to those 
women who have come before us and who have paved the way for current 
advances, but it is only right and proper that we also salute the ones 
who are making history as we speak and inspiring other young women to 
follow their dreams. This year, we salute Kimmie Meissner and the honor 
she brought Maryland and our great Nation with her talent, skills and 
sportsmanship.
  The passion that inspired both of these women is the same that helped 
me to realize my own dreams--giving me the courage to break the glass 
ceiling as a social worker, a Baltimore City councilwoman, a U.S. 
Congresswoman and now as a U.S. Senator. That is why I sponsored 
legislation as a Congresswoman in 1981 to establish a Women's History 
Week and then in the Senate to expand the observance into Women's 
History Month in 1987.
  As the first Democratic woman elected to the Senate in her own right 
in 1986, I have seen the Senate women grow to the nine Democratic women 
Senators and 14 total women we have now. Today, I am Dean of the Senate 
Women--welcoming and guiding women Senators when they first take office 
and building coalitions to get things done once they are here.
  Together, we have been working to add to the legacy of women's 
history, and every year during this month we are especially reminded of 
our ongoing fight for equality. Since 1992, women Senators have tripled 
funding for domestic violence shelters, increased funding for child 
care by 68 percent and small business lending to women by 86 percent. 
And we have passed such important legislation as the Family and Medical 
Leave Act, the Violence Against Women Act, and the Breast Cancer 
Research Stamp Act.
  One of the issues that has been most important to me is women's 
health. When I first came to the Senate, women's health wasn't a 
national priority. But since then I have helped to establish an Office 
of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health, to 
increase women's involvement in clinical drug trials, and to increase 
funding for breast cancer research by 700 percent since 1992. I will 
continue to fight to make sure that women's health remains a priority 
in the Federal checkbook and that women are not left behind when it 
comes to their survival.
  This year in the Senate I have also been fighting to save American 
workers' pensions. Women are more likely to have either lower pensions 
than men or no private pension at all. That is why it is so important 
to make sure their retirement is secure. And that is why I fought with 
my colleagues to improve retirement security for women by ensuring 
better survivor benefits and better rights for divorced women in the 
new pension legislation.
  Because women are less likely to have these private pensions, make 
less money than men on average, and are more likely to work fewer years 
than men due to family responsibilities, Social Security is also of 
particular importance to us. Last year, I successfully fought to 
protect Social Security from privatization so that women and all people 
are guaranteed lifetime, inflation-proof Social Security. I truly 
believe that privatization of Social Security would have been a bad 
deal for women and would have increased poverty among them. Whether 
mothers are at home raising children or in the workplace, Social 
Security must remain a guaranteed benefit, not a guaranteed gamble. 
That is why I will continue to stand sentry to keep the `security' in 
Social Security.
  And I will continue fighting to close the wage gap between men and 
women. Women make this country run--we are business leaders, 
entrepreneurs, politicians, mothers and more. But even in 2006, women 
who work full-time year round earn only 76 cents for every $1 their 
male counterpart makes.
  There are many terrific accomplishments we have made and are 
continuing to make in the ongoing struggle for women's equality. I am 
so proud of the women who I serve with in the Senate and the work that 
we do, but I am reminded, especially during this month, that we can do 
more. Betty Friedan, Kimmie Meissner, and millions of women past and 
present serve as models for unwavering advocates for equality, justice, 
women and positive change. So during this Women's History Month I not 
only honor their courage and hard work, I vow to carry on their legacy.

                          ____________________