[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 44 (Thursday, March 12, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S3069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I am proud to help celebrate Women's 
History Month today. This is a time to celebrate the contributions of 
women throughout our history and to recognize the work of so many to 
secure women's rights and fulfill our Nation's promise of equal justice 
under the law.
  My own State can be proud that so many Wisconsin women have made 
critical contributions to the movement for women's suffrage, to 
education, and to countless other areas of American life. Wisconsin 
achieved extraordinary things to pave the way for suffrage and social 
progress for generations to come. According to the Wisconsin Historical 
Society, in 1919 Wisconsin was the first State to ratify the 19th 
amendment to grant women the right to vote. Sixty years before that 
historic moment, one of the great leaders of the suffrage movement, 
Carrie Chapman Catt, was born in Ripon, WI. Catt's lifelong effort to 
pass the 19th amendment, especially her leadership of the National 
American Woman Suffrage Association, was vital to the Amendment's 
ultimate success. And Catt didn't stop there. Once the amendment was 
ratified, she founded the League of Women Voters to continue and build 
on the momentum for change that the women's suffrage movement created. 
Catt's lifetime of persistence and dedication--as a leader for change 
and, earlier in her life, as the only woman in her graduating class at 
Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm--reminds us how hard women 
throughout our history have worked to secure our rights and freedoms.
  We also remember the amazing Wisconsin women who have enriched their 
local communities, including Margaret Schurz. Schurz started the first 
kindergarten in the Nation in Watertown, WI, in 1856. Her efforts led 
to the implementation of kindergarten and early-education programs 
throughout the United States. Her legacy is a great example of the 
impact Wisconsin women have had in bringing about progressive change in 
education and many other areas.
  This month we also know that we must continue to advocate for 
fundamental fairness and equality for women. The enactment of the Lily 
Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 to help ensure protection from pay 
discrimination represents another step forward, but there remains a 
long road ahead of us. In addition to passing the Fair Pay Act, 
Congress needs to do more to ensure all of America's citizens receive 
equal pay for equal work. Wage discrimination costs families thousands 
of dollars each year. This is hard-earned money that working women 
simply cannot afford to lose. I am a proud cosponsor of the Paycheck 
Fairness Act introduced earlier this year. This legislation strengthens 
penalties for employers who violate the Equal Pay Act and requires the 
Department of Labor to provide training to employers to help eliminate 
pay disparities.
  I applaud President Obama's announcement that he will convene a White 
House Council on Women and Girls to ensure that the Federal Government 
is coordinated in its response to the challenges facing women and girls 
in our country. As we commemorate Women's History Month, we must 
continue to honor the tremendous contributions women have made, and 
renew our commitment to advancing the rights of women everywhere.

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