[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 117 (Tuesday, September 19, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S9726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Mr. Specter):
  S. 3910. A bill to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to 
accept the donation of a bust depicting Sojourner Truth and to display 
the bust in a suitable location in the Capitol; to the Committee on 
Rules and Administration.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President it gives me pride and pleasure to 
introduce revised legislation that will enable the Joint Committee on 
the Library to display a bust depicting Sojourner Truth in the Capitol 
Building.
  I began this effort with legislation I introduced 2 years ago during 
the 108th Congress. Because my colleagues in the other body and I were 
not able to enact our bill that time, we return in the 109th Congress 
with new legislation which would direct the Joint Committee on the 
Library to accept the donation of a bust depicting Sojourner Truth and 
to display the bust in a suitable location in the Capitol. I now lay 
down this version of the bill that reflects bipartisan support among 
leaders who share the goal of honoring this important figure in our 
Nation's and New York State's history.
  Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in New York's Hudson Valley in 
1797, She moved to New York City after gaining her freedom in 1826 and 
by 1843 had changed her name to Sojourner Truth, traveling the country 
preaching for human rights. After attending the 1850 National Woman's 
Rights Convention, Truth made women's suffrage a focal point of her 
speeches, portraying women as powerful, independent figures. Her most 
famous speech, ``Ain't I a Woman,'' given at the 1851 Women's Rights 
Convention in Akron, OH, has become a classic text on women's rights.
  Because of her great, advocacy on behalf of women, despite all of the 
hardships she faced, Sojourner Truth deserves to be represented along 
with the suffragists depicted in the United States Capitol Building. I 
ask that the Senate come together and honor this visionary American for 
her service to our Nation.
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