[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 77 (Thursday, May 10, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF A NATIONAL SUFFRAGISTS DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 8, 2007

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution 
honoring women suffragists. How fitting that the House should consider 
this legislation just a few days before our Nation will celebrate 
Mother's Day.
  Our foremothers, who fought so courageously for a woman's right to 
vote, passed on to us a precious gift: the gift of citizenship, of 
having a stake in our government. Imagine it: when Susan B. Anthony 
started the campaign for women's suffrage, one of her acts of ``civil 
disobedience'' was to cast a vote in the 1872 presidential election. 
Voting was her crime, and she was fined for it.
  This seems so unbelievable to us now since our Nation has finally 
lived up to some of its early ideals--ideals such as ``all persons are 
created equal'' and that all of us have a right to elect our 
representatives.
  We have even had the privilege of electing the first woman Speaker of 
the House--Nancy Pelosi--quite a milestone, especially considering the 
long and difficult struggles suffragists faced in their efforts to win 
the right of women to vote.
  I am proud to pay my deepest respects to these amazing women who 
fought for our right to stake a claim to our government and earn a seat 
at the table. Thank you.

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