[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 52 (Thursday, March 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               OMNIBUS PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 25, 2009

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 146, the 
Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. The rivers, mountains, 
parks and forests of the United States are a fundamental part of our 
national heritage, and it is crucial that these resources are protected 
for future generations to enjoy.
  The majority of the bills in this monumental legislation had been 
considered and enjoyed strong bipartisan support in previous 
Congresses, and the passage of these provisions for public land 
management, forest preservation, and other crucial conservation 
measures is long overdue. I would like to take this opportunity to 
commend the work of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker of the 
House Nancy Pelosi, the bill's sponsor Senator Jeff Bingaman, and 
Representative Nick Rahall in keeping this legislation moving forward.
  I would also like to congratulate my friend Congresswoman Louise 
Slaughter for the inclusion of her provision on the Women's Rights 
National Historic Park in this important legislation. It is fitting 
that, as we work to protect the landmarks that help to make this 
country great, we commemorate the central role women have played in our 
Nation's history.
  On July 19, 1848, a group of women activists including Elizabeth Cady 
Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Mary Ann M'Clintock organized the first 
Women's Rights Convention at Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls, New York. 
The document produced at the Convention, entitled the Declaration of 
Sentiments, articulated the then radical idea that certain rights 
accrued to women, such as the freedom to own property and the right to 
an education. That meeting spearheaded a 72-year struggle for women's 
suffrage, ending with the ratification of the 19th amendment on August 
18, 1920.
  This provision in the Omnibus Public Lands Act would pay tribute to a 
milestone event in the women's rights movement by allowing for the 
construction of a trail in the Women's Rights Historical Park in Seneca 
Falls, New York, and permitting the establishment of a network of 
historical sites relevant to women's history.
  The park would serve as a physical reminder of women's historical 
contributions to equality of rights and opportunity, values which are 
central to the legacy of the United States. I ask my colleagues to join 
me in celebrating these accomplishments by ensuring that the landmarks 
of the women's rights movement are remembered and preserved.

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