[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 30, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT OF 2011

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                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 30, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today, I proudly join in a bipartisan 
effort with Representatives Jean Schmidt, Gwen Moore, Susan Davis, 
Barbara Lee, Tammy Baldwin, Janice Schakowsky, Doris Matsui, Raul 
Grijalva, Karen Bass, Pete Stark, Jaime Herrera Beutler, Jackie Speier, 
Cynthia Lummis, Sandy Adams, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Marsha Blackburn, 
Madeleine Bordallo, Barney Frank, Judy Biggert, Alcee Hastings, Jo Ann 
Emerson, Marcy Kaptur, James Moran, and Yvette Clarke in introducing 
the National Women's History Museum Act of 2011.
  This bill directs the General Services Administration, GSA, to house 
a National Women's History Museum (NWHM) in one of their properties in 
Washington, DC. NWHM must pay fair market value for the property and 
reasonable timeframes are included for the transfer of the property and 
for construction to begin. NWHM will be built and maintained with 
private funds. No federal dollars will be spent on this important, new 
museum.
  Women's history is largely missing from textbooks, memorials, museum 
exhibits and many other venues. In contrast, men have hundreds of years 
of written and available history to reflect upon and use for 
inspiration. Of the 210 statues in the United States Capitol, only 9 
are of female leaders. Less than 5 percent of the 2,400 national 
historic landmarks chronicle women's achievement and according to a 
survey of 18 history textbooks, only 10 percent were dedicated to 
women.
  The museums and memorials in our Nation's Capital demonstrate what we 
value. We have museums dedicated to flight, postage stamps, law 
enforcement and many other important people and issues of interest, but 
not to women. This bill would provide women, comprising 53 percent of 
our population, a long overdue home on our National Mall to honor their 
many contributions that are the very fabric of our country.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in filling this void and honoring our 
Nation's foremothers by becoming cosponsors of the National Women's 
History Museum Act of 2011.

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