[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 40 (Monday, March 7, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1013-S1014]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 537, submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 537) designating March 2022 as 
     ``National Women's History Month.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today in honor of Women's 
History Month to recognize the extraordinary achievements of past 
generations of women and to pay tribute to the vital role they have 
played in the political, economic, and social development of this 
Nation.
  Women's History Month provides a special opportunity to reflect upon 
the numerous contributions made by women who touch all aspects of our 
society--from government, to business, the arts and sciences, the 
military, and much more. I look upon the courage our predecessors 
displayed with great admiration, and I continue to be inspired by those 
who blazed the trail for women like me.
  I am reminded of how incredibly proud I was to see the Smithsonian 
Women's History Museum Act, which I coled with Senator Susan Collins, 
enacted in December 2020. This law establishes a long-overdue, 
permanent museum to collect, study, and create programs that celebrate 
the contributions and experiences of women. The Women's History Museum 
will be established on or near the National Mall, and I look forward to 
hearing about the site when it is announced later this year.
  However, it is with sadness that the past year brought with it the 
loss of a number of pioneering women, including the First Lady of 
Television Betty White; Sarah Weddington, who represented ``Jane Roe'' 
in the landmark Roe v. Wade case; authors bell hooks, Beverly Clearly, 
and Joan Didion; and

[[Page S1014]]

Motown vocalists Mary Wilson and Wanda Young. Although these icons are 
no longer with us, their contributions will live on, and their 
accomplishments have shattered glass ceilings for future generations of 
women. May we honor their work and memory with a commitment to empower 
and support future women leaders.
  But the future is bright. In the 117th Congress, we have reached a 
new high-water mark for women in politics, as more women are now 
serving in elected office than ever before. There are now 148 women 
serving in Congress: 124 women in the House of Representatives and 24 
women in the U.S. Senate. Just last year, the Senate confirmed Janet 
Yellen to be the first female Treasury Secretary. Just recently, 
President Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the 
Nation's first Black woman as a Supreme Court Justice.
  These are exciting times for women indeed, and much progress has been 
made. Yet we still have a lot of work cut out for us. We must come 
together to address the ongoing pandemic, which has had devastating 
consequences for the health of our country and economy. The pandemic 
has also uniquely harmed women and girls--especially women of color. A 
disproportionate number of women have lost their jobs as a result of 
the pandemic and are often unable to maintain work commitments with 
children learning from home while schools are closed. This unequal harm 
endured by women during the pandemic reminds us that the march toward 
equality is yet to be done. We must continue our work to ensure 
fairness and equity for women everywhere.
  As we convene to celebrate Women's History Month, I ask my colleagues 
to celebrate with me how far we have come and to continue the fight for 
the progress of all women--especially those who are struggling during 
these trying times.
  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed 
to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 537) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  (The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in today's Record 
under ``Submitted Resolutions.'')

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