[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 126 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO CAROLINE DILLON

 Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize Caroline 
Dillon of Rochester, NH, as July's Granite Stater of the Month for her 
work ensuring that every public high school and middle school in New 
Hampshire provides free feminine hygiene products to students who 
cannot afford them.
  When Caroline first learned about ``period poverty'' in her high 
school's U.S. history class, she was shocked by the magnitude of this 
crisis. Period poverty occurs when someone does not have the means to 
afford basic feminine hygiene products. Caroline knew many of her 
classmates were on the reduced or free lunch program, and it did not 
take long for her to connect the dots and realize that some of her 
classmates were struggling with this problem every month.
  Caroline turned her concern into political action. She took her 
history teacher's advice, who told Caroline's class that, if they ever 
had a problem with how things were run in the State, they should reach 
out to an elected official. She reached out to State Senator Martha 
Hennessey, an outspoken advocate for women's health and education.
  Caroline, who at the time was not old enough to vote, worked with 
Senator Hennessey to draft the bill and to gain support for their 
legislation in the New Hampshire State House and among interest groups. 
Their argument was simple: If students do not need to bring essentials 
like toilet paper to school, why should they need to bring their own 
feminine hygiene products, which are just as essential?
  Thanks to Caroline's efforts, the New Hampshire Governor last week 
signed into law a bill that mandates that every high school and middle 
school in the Granite State provide free feminine hygiene products in 
their female and gender-neutral bathrooms.
  I want to thank Caroline once more for her work to help reduce the 
stigma around periods and to provide essential feminine hygiene 
products for those in need. I want to congratulate her as well for 
demonstrating how powerful individual compassion and advocacy can be in 
our democracy.

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