[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH MARCH 2006

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                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 8, 2006

  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History 
Month. I would like to share with you some of the progress being made 
with regard to women's rights and some of the issues that I will 
continue to fight for. Women have come a long way since they were 
granted the right to vote, just 85 years ago. Women now enjoy rights to 
education, wages, and property ownership. It still remains, however, 
that not enough Americans are aware of the long struggle to obtain the 
rights that we take for granted today, and the rights that we have yet 
to guarantee and protect.
  This month, I co-sponsored legislation that will help to ensure we 
learn more about the female heroes that fought tirelessly to secure the 
rights we all enjoy today. H.R. 3779, the National Women's Rights 
History Project Act would celebrate the accomplishments of women all 
year long. Specifically, H.R. 3779 would establish an auto route 
linking sites significant to the struggle for women's suffrage and 
civil rights. It also would expand the current National Register travel 
itinerary website, ``Places Where Women Made History,'' to include 
additional historic sites. Finally, this bill would require the 
Department of Interior to establish a partnership-based network to 
offer financial and technical assistance for interpretive and 
educational program development of national women's rights history.
  As many of you know, I lost my beloved wife Jeanne to cancer two 
years ago. I am acutely aware of the need for increased funding of 
research, prevention and treatment programs for breast and gynecologic 
cancers. Below is a list of legislation that I have supported during 
the 109th Congress that is aimed at providing this funding support:
  H.R. 1245 The Gynecologic Cancer Education and Awareness Act of 
2005--This Act provides for programs to increase the awareness and 
knowledge of women and health care providers with respect to 
gynecologic cancers.
  H.R. 1849 Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2005--This Act 
requires that health plans provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay 
for mastectomies, lumpectomies, and lymph node dissection for the 
treatment of breast cancer and coverage for secondary consultations.
  H.R. 2231 Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2005--This 
Act amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of 
the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants 
for the development and operation of research centers regarding 
environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast 
cancer.
  H.R. 4540 Mammogram Availability Act of 2005 This act amends the 
Public Health Service Act and Employee Retirement Income Security Act 
of 1974 to require that group and individual health insurance coverage 
and group health plans provide coverage for annual screening 
mammography for women 40 years of age or older if the coverage or plans 
include coverage for diagnostic mammography.
  In addition to supporting this legislation, during fiscal year 2005, 
I was able to get funding for the Santa Clara Community Health 
Partnership's Community Mammography Access Project (CMAP). This will 
help the Community Health Partnership begin a program to offer low-
income women across the county regular access to a potentially life-
saving test. My office has joined the Community Health Partnership's 
CMAP task force as a member and will be updated regularly on the 
project's progress.
  Access to proper healthcare is just one basic freedom women have 
traditionally fought for. There are several other civil rights issues 
that continue to limit women's participation and leadership in American 
culture and society:
  The original Violence Against Women Act was passed in 1998. This 
legislation and its successors (including the 2005 reauthorization) are 
aimed at preventing and responding to violence against women and 
children. The legislation covers a broad range of services including 
transitional housing assistance, community awareness programs, law 
enforcement training, protections for immigrant victims of domestic 
violence, and funding for stalker and sex offender databases. I co-
sponsored the reauthorization of the VAWA, significant elements of 
which were eventually incorporated into H.R. 3402 which passed into law 
on January 5, 2006.
  Equity and fairness are key to our democracy. Equal pay is a critical 
issue, affecting all of us. Lack of equal pay makes it harder for 
working families to make ends meet. It also makes it harder for single 
mothers whose children depend on their wages for basic needs. However, 
more than simple economic reasons, equal pay shows women that their 
accomplishments and hard work are equally appreciated. Because women 
are equal partners in American society and deserve equity and fairness 
on the job and under the law, I cosponsor H.R. 1687 the Paycheck 
Fairness Act and H.J. Res. 37.
  H.R. 1687 would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide 
more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of 
wages on the basis of sex and to expand training for EEOC employees and 
affected individuals about wage discrimination.
  H.J. Res. 37 proposes an amendment to the Constitution that states 
that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged 
by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
  It is clear, that even though women enjoy the kind of freedom that 
didn't exist for them just decades ago, Americans continue to be 
threatened by Republican and far-right influences on our Administration 
and policy makers. The President's budget sheds light on some of the 
ways in which basic women's rights are undermined. The President cuts 
funding for health, education and housing programs that provide vital 
services for American families and promote equal opportunity for women. 
The President's budget will also adversely affect women in working 
families and elderly women by slashing Medicare, Medicaid, housing, 
food stamps and child care. Services that are vital to women and their 
families are cut to protect the interests of the wealthiest Americans.
  My sincere hope is that each of us takes the time to commemorate 
Women's History Month so that we may be ever vigilant of protecting the 
freedoms all Americans enjoy today. The current state of women's rights 
demands that we honor those who brought us to this point, and inspire 
those who will broaden the spectrum of liberties that all Americans 
should have access to.

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