[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 42 (Thursday, March 12, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S1493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            103RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA

 Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, today, I wish to recognize the 
103rd anniversary of the Girl Scouts of America. What started out as a 
group of 18 girls in Georgia organized by Juliette Low has grown into 
an organization of more than 3.2 million girls and women and more than 
59 million alumnae, including myself. As a former Girl Scout, I know 
firsthand how important the Girl Scouts are for learning about 
leadership, service, and personal development.
  When the Girl Scouts started, women couldn't vote, women couldn't 
have property in their name, and in some States women couldn't go to 
college. The founding of the Girl Scouts started a revolutionary 
movement to empower girls. Now, Girl Scouts is working to bring gender 
balance to leadership roles, whether it is creating jobs in the private 
sector or representing constituents in public office. I believe in that 
mission, and I know it can be achieved.
  What I love about the Girl Scouts is that it is always reinventing 
itself and looking to the future. Whether it is new uniforms or new 
badges, the Girl Scouts are engaging in a new generation of leadership. 
Their core programs focused on environmental stewardship, healthy 
living, financial literacy, and global citizenship help girls develop a 
solid and well-rounded foundation in leadership. Their award-winning 
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics--STEM--Program helps 
girls build strong, hands-on foundations to become future leaders and 
meet the growing need for skilled science and technology professionals 
in the United States. And last year, the Girl Scouts joined the STEM 
mentoring initiative, Million Women Mentors, a national initiative to 
increase interest for girls and women to pursue STEM career paths. This 
program would help close the gender gap in the field and gives girls 
the confidence and the ability to believe that they too can be those 
female scientists, engineers, and doctors who are serving as mentors 
for the program.
  I have taken the lessons I learned from the Girl Scouts with me to 
the U.S. Senate every day and in every way. These lessons include: 
Let's help people at all times. Let's be honest and fair. Let's be 
friendly and helpful. Let's be considerate and caring, courageous and 
strong and responsible. Let's respect ourselves and others, respect 
authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be 
a sister to every Girl Scout whether she is here or around the world. 
For all of these reasons and more, I am honored to recognize the 103rd 
anniversary of the Girl Scouts of America.

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