[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 86 (Thursday, May 7, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS ON MAY 6, 2020

                                 ______
                                 

 SENATE RESOLUTION 563--DESIGNATING MARCH 2020, AS ``NATIONAL WOMEN'S 
                            HISTORY MONTH''

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Cortez 
Masto, Mr. Markey, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Mr. Booker, Ms. 
Stabenbow, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Warren, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Van 
Hollen, Mr. Peters, Mr. Carper, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Brown, 
Mr. King, Mr. Jones, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Harris, Mr. Reed, Mr. Merkley, 
Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Rosen, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Hyde-
Smith, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Loeffler, Mr. Durbin, and Ms. Ernst) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 563

       Whereas National Women's History Month recognizes and 
     spreads awareness of the importance of women in the history 
     of the United States;
       Whereas, throughout the history of the United States, 
     whether in their homes, in their workplaces, in schools, in 
     the courts, or during wartime, women have fought for 
     themselves, their families, and all people of the United 
     States;
       Whereas, even from the early days of the history of the 
     United States, Abigail Adams urged her husband to ``Remember 
     the Ladies'' when representatives met for the Continental 
     Congress in 1776;
       Whereas women were particularly important in the 
     establishment of early charitable, philanthropic, and 
     cultural institutions in the United States;
       Whereas women led the efforts to secure suffrage and equal 
     opportunities for women, and also served in the abolitionist 
     movement, the emancipation movement, labor movements, civil 
     rights movements, and other causes to create a more fair and 
     just society for all;
       Whereas suffragists wrote, marched, were arrested, and 
     ultimately succeeded in achieving--
       (1) the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the 
     Constitution of the United States, which provides, ``The 
     right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be 
     denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on 
     account of sex.''; and
       (2) the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 
     U.S.C. 10301 et seq.), which extended the protection of the 
     right to vote to women of color and language minorities;
       Whereas, in 2020, the United States celebrates the 100th 
     anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the 
     Constitution of the United States, which guarantees women the 
     constitutional right to vote;
       Whereas women have been and continue to be leaders in the 
     forefront of social change efforts, business, science, 
     government, math, art, literature, music, film, athletics, 
     and other fields;
       Whereas women now represent approximately half of the 
     workforce of the United States;
       Whereas women once were routinely barred from attending 
     medical schools in the United States, but now are enrolling 
     in medical schools in the United States at higher numbers 
     than men;
       Whereas women previously were turned away from law school, 
     but now represent approximately half of law students in the 
     United States;
       Whereas, since the American Revolution, women have been 
     vital to the mission of the Armed Forces, with more than 
     200,000 women serving on active duty and 2,000,000 women 
     veterans representing every branch of service;
       Whereas more than 10,000,000 women own businesses in the 
     United States;
       Whereas Jeannette Rankin of Montana was the first woman 
     elected to the House of Representatives in 1916 and Hattie 
     Wyatt Caraway of Arkansas was the first woman elected to the 
     United States Senate in 1932;
       Whereas Margaret Chase Smith of Maine was the first woman 
     to serve in both Houses of Congress;
       Whereas, in 2020, a record total of 131 women are serving 
     in Congress, including 105 women in the House of 
     Representatives and 26 women in the Senate;
       Whereas President Jimmy Carter recognized March 2 through 
     8, 1980, as ``National Women's History Week'';
       Whereas, in 1987, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced 
     the first joint resolution to pass Congress designating 
     ``Women's History Month'';
       Whereas, in 1987, President Ronald Reagan issued a 
     Presidential proclamation proclaiming March 1987 as ``Women's 
     History Month''; and
       Whereas, despite the advancements of women in the United 
     States, much remains to be done to ensure that women realize 
     their full potential as equal members of society in the 
     United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates March 2020 as ``National Women's History 
     Month'';
       (2) recognizes the celebration of National Women's History 
     Month as a time to reflect on the many notable contributions 
     that women have made to the United States; and
       (3) urges the people of the United States to observe 
     National Women's History Month with appropriate programs and 
     activities.

                          ____________________