[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 54 (Monday, March 28, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H3887-H3891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1800
 STATUE TO HONOR UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE SANDRA 
DAY O'CONNOR AND STATUE TO HONOR UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE 
                      JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG

  Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 3294) to obtain and direct the placement in the Capitol or on 
the Capitol Grounds of a statue to honor Associate Justice of the 
Supreme Court of the United States Sandra Day O'Connor and a statue to 
honor Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Ruth 
Bader Ginsburg.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3294

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       (a) Sandra Day O'Connor.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Sandra Day O'Connor was born in 1930 in El Paso, Texas, 
     and spent her childhood on her family's isolated Arizona 
     cattle ranch. She lived with her grandmother in El Paso 
     during the school year, away from her home and parents.
       (2) O'Connor matriculated to Stanford University at the age 
     of 16, and combined her undergraduate and law school 
     curricula, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics 
     and a law degree in just 6 years. She was third in her law 
     school class, behind William Rehnquist, her future colleague 
     on the Supreme Court of the United States (in this section 
     referred to as the ``Supreme Court'').
       (3) Despite her qualifications, O'Connor could not find 
     work as an attorney because of bias against women in the law. 
     She ended up negotiating for an unpaid position in the San 
     Mateo County District Attorney's office at a shared desk, 
     while her husband, John, finished at Stanford Law School 1 
     year later.
       (4) O'Connor traveled to Frankfurt, Germany, in 1954 with 
     her husband John, who had joined the United States Army Judge 
     Advocate General's Corps, where she was able to find work as 
     a civilian attorney with the United States Army Quartermaster 
     Corps. In 1957, O'Connor returned to Arizona and still could 
     not find work with a traditional law firm due to her gender, 
     so she ``hung out a shingle'' as a sole practitioner.
       (5) In 1965, O'Connor was hired as an Assistant Attorney 
     General for the State of Arizona.
       (6) Active in Republican Party politics and well-received 
     for her work at the Arizona State Capitol, O'Connor was 
     appointed to an Arizona State Senate seat in 1969 when the 
     incumbent, also a woman, was appointed to a Federal position 
     and vacated the office.
       (7) In 1970, O'Connor was elected to the Arizona State 
     Senate and served 2 consecutive terms. In 1972, she was 
     selected as Majority Leader of the Arizona State Senate, the 
     first time a woman held such a position in any State.
       (8) In 1974, O'Connor ran for office as a trial court 
     judge. She won and was later appointed to the Arizona Court 
     of Appeals in 1979.
       (9) On August 19, 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated 
     O'Connor to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, to 
     fill the seat vacated by Associate Justice Potter Stewart. On 
     September 21, 1981, the Senate confirmed O'Connor's 
     nomination by a unanimous vote, making her the first woman to 
     serve on the Supreme Court.
       (10) O'Connor established herself as a pragmatic, 
     independent voice on the Supreme Court, casting decisive 
     votes during a time when the Court was being asked to resolve 
     politically charged issues.
       (11) In the 1982 case of Mississippi University for Women 
     v. Hogan, O'Connor wrote the majority opinion holding that 
     the State could not prevent men from enrolling in an all-
     women's nursing school, writing that laws discriminating on 
     the basis of sex would be allowed only if there was an 
     ``exceedingly persuasive justification'' for them.
       (12) O'Connor sought, when possible, to find the middle 
     ground between her often-divided colleagues, frequently 
     joining the majority decision but presenting her views in 
     concurring opinions that eschewed broad constitutional 
     doctrine in favor of resolving the cases before the Court.
       (13) O'Connor put a very public face on the role of the 
     Supreme Court, domestically and around the world. She became 
     the Court's most prolific public speaker, traveling to all 50 
     States and to countless law schools, libraries, and public 
     events to describe how the Court works and its role in our 
     constitutional form of government. She traveled worldwide as 
     an ambassador for the Rule of Law and the independence of 
     judiciaries everywhere.
       (14) After 24 years on the Supreme Court, O'Connor 
     announced her retirement to care for her ailing husband, who 
     had Alzheimer's disease. President George W. Bush nominated 
     John Roberts, Jr., for the vacancy, but before Roberts was 
     confirmed, Chief Justice Rehnquist passed away, creating a 
     second vacancy. President Bush personally appealed

[[Page H3888]]

     to O'Connor to remain on the Court so he could nominate 
     Roberts for the Chief Justice vacancy and have more time to 
     make a second nomination to the Court. In yet another act of 
     public service, O'Connor agreed to serve until Samuel Alito 
     was confirmed to fill her seat on January 31, 2006.
       (15) O'Connor began her retirement with 2 goals. One was to 
     convince more States to adopt merit selection of judges for 
     filling vacancies in State courts. The second was to educate 
     the public on the importance of an independent judiciary. Her 
     judicial independence work led to her awareness of a national 
     civics education deficit.
       (16) In 2009, O'Connor created iCivics.org to educate young 
     Americans about civics and what it means to be a citizen. 
     That endeavor grew to become the largest civics education 
     platform in the country, with over 7,000,000 students 
     annually enrolling in the programs. Its popularity was due to 
     a captivating online, interactive gaming approach. The 
     program was free to all and had no advertising. iCivics 
     played a crucial role in Educating for American Democracy, a 
     federally funded initiative to improve civics and history 
     education, which released its reports in March 2021.
       (b) Ruth Bader Ginsburg.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born in 1933 in Brooklyn, New 
     York, and grew up in a low-income, working-class 
     neighborhood.
       (2) Ginsburg graduated from Cornell University in 1954, 
     finishing first in her class. Following her graduation, 
     Ginsburg enrolled at Harvard Law School in 1956, entering 
     into a class of 552 men and only 8 other women.
       (3) As a law student, Ginsburg became the first female 
     member of the Harvard Law Review, a prestigious legal 
     journal. She also cared for her husband, Martin Ginsburg, who 
     had been diagnosed with cancer, and their young daughter. 
     Ginsburg finished her legal education at Columbia Law School, 
     where she graduated first in her class in 1959.
       (4) Ginsburg taught at Rutgers University Law School from 
     1963 to 1972 and at Columbia Law School from 1972 to 1980, 
     where she became the school's first female tenured professor.
       (5) During the 1970s, Ginsburg served as the director of 
     the Women's Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties 
     Union. In this position, she led the fight against gender 
     discrimination and successfully argued 6 landmark cases 
     before the Supreme Court.
       (6) Ginsburg won 5 cases on gender discrimination before 
     the Supreme Court, including the case Weinberger v. 
     Wiesenfeld, which involved a portion of the Social Security 
     Act that favored women over men, because the Act granted 
     certain benefits to widows, but not widowers.
       (7) In 1980, President Jimmy Carter nominated Ginsburg to a 
     seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the District 
     of Columbia Circuit.
       (8) On June 22, 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated 
     Ginsburg to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, to 
     fill the seat vacated by Associate Justice Byron White. On 
     August 3, 1993, the Senate confirmed Ginsburg's nomination to 
     the Supreme Court by a 96 to 3 vote.
       (9) Ginsburg became the second female justice to serve on 
     the Supreme Court, as well as the first Jewish female justice 
     to serve on the Supreme Court.
       (10) As a justice, Ginsburg presented a strong voice in 
     favor of gender equality, voting rights, the rights of 
     workers, and the separation of church and state.
       (11) In 1996, Ginsburg wrote the Supreme Court's landmark 
     decision in United States v. Virginia, which held that the 
     State-supported Virginia Military Institute could not refuse 
     to admit women.
       (12) Ginsburg famously dissented in Ledbetter v. Goodyear 
     Tire & Rubber Co., where the plaintiff, a female worker being 
     paid significantly less than males with her same 
     qualifications, sued under title VII of the Civil Rights Act 
     of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.), but was denied relief 
     under a statute of limitation issue. Ginsburg broke with 
     tradition and wrote a high colloquial version of her dissent 
     to read from the bench. In her dissent, she also called for 
     Congress to undo this interpretation of the law.
       (13) Ginsburg's impactful dissent in Ledbetter v. Goodyear 
     Tire & Rubber Co. led to the successful passage of the Lilly 
     Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-2; 123 Stat. 
     5), which was the first piece of legislation signed by 
     President Barack Obama.
       (14) Until the 2018 term, Ginsburg had not missed a day of 
     oral arguments, not even when she was undergoing chemotherapy 
     for pancreatic cancer, after surgery for colon cancer, or the 
     day after her husband passed away in 2010.
       (15) Ginsburg passed away on September 18, 2020.

     SEC. 2. STATUES HONORING JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR AND 
                   JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG.

       (a) Obtaining of Statues.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, in consultation with the Committee 
     on House Administration of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, and 
     under such terms and conditions as the Joint Committee of 
     Congress on the Library considers appropriate, consistent 
     with applicable law, the Joint Committee shall--
       (A) enter into an agreement to obtain a statue honoring 
     Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States 
     Sandra Day O'Connor; and
       (B) enter into an agreement to obtain a statue honoring 
     Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States 
     Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
       (2) Consideration.--In selecting one or more artists to 
     make the statues obtained under paragraph (1), the Joint 
     Committee of Congress on the Library shall make the 
     announcement available to, and consider, artists from a 
     variety of backgrounds, including artists from 
     underrepresented demographic groups.
       (b) Installation.--
       (1) In general.--The Architect of the Capitol, under the 
     direction of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, 
     shall permanently install each statue obtained under 
     subsection (a) in a prominent location in the Capitol or on 
     the Capitol Grounds, as described in section 5102 of title 
     40, United States Code.
       (2) Priority for location.--In determining the location for 
     the permanent installation of each statue obtained under 
     subsection (a), the Joint Committee of Congress on the 
     Library shall give priority to identifying an appropriate 
     location near the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United 
     States Capitol.
       (c) Funding.--Amounts available in the Capitol Preservation 
     Fund established under section 803 of the Arizona-Idaho 
     Conservation Act of 1988 (2 U.S.C. 2083) may be used by the 
     Joint Committee of Congress on the Library for payments for 
     the costs of creating and installing the statues obtained 
     under subsection (a), without regard to subsections (b) and 
     (d) of such section, provided that not more than $500,000 of 
     such amounts may be used for each statue obtained under 
     subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney 
Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the matter under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This bill, by creating statues in the Capitol, honors former Supreme 
Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, two women 
who made groundbreaking contributions to American history and 
jurisprudence.
  The United States Capitol is a global symbol of democracy. This 
iconic building, where we debate and craft law, is also a museum of 
American art and history, with a rich collection of portraits, 
paintings, and statues.
  Among the hundreds of sculptures, just 14 honor women leaders. By 
adding statues of these two pioneering Supreme Court Justices, we will 
honor their legacy and inspire all who pass through these Halls.
  In 1869, Arabella Mansfield became the first woman admitted to 
practice law in the United States when she was admitted to the Iowa 
bar.
  Ten years later, Belva Lockwood became the first woman admitted to 
practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. One hundred 
years would pass before Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman to 
serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.
  Born in the early 1930s, Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg 
both achieved extraordinary academic success. One of only five women in 
her class at Stanford Law, O'Connor served on the Board of Editors of 
the Stanford Law Review and graduated near the top of her class.
  Ginsburg first attended Harvard Law School, one of nine women in her 
class. She became the first female member of the Harvard Law Review, 
while also caring for her husband, who had been diagnosed with cancer, 
and their young daughter. When her husband took a job in New York City, 
Ginsburg transferred to Columbia Law School and graduated first in her 
class.
  Despite their outstanding academic qualifications, O'Connor and 
Ginsburg faced barriers to employment after graduation, as law firms 
were unwilling to hire women lawyers. Each persevered and rose to 
prominence.
  O'Connor obtained a position as a deputy county attorney in 
California. Then, when her husband was stationed in Germany, she served 
as a civilian attorney with the United States Army Quartermaster Corps.

[[Page H3889]]

  In 1957, the O'Connors settled in Arizona, where they raised their 
three sons. O'Connor started a law practice, became involved in local 
politics and community service, and served as an assistant state 
attorney general.
  In 1969, O'Connor was appointed to the Arizona State Senate, where 
she was twice reelected and became the first woman majority leader in 
any State. In 1974, she was elected as a trial judge, a position she 
held until 1979, when she was appointed to the Arizona Court of 
Appeals.
  In 1981, President Ronald Reagan fulfilled his campaign promise to 
appoint a woman to the Supreme Court by nominating O'Connor. The Senate 
unanimously confirmed her appointment. In her nearly 25 years on the 
Court, Justice O'Connor established herself as a pragmatic, independent 
voice.
  In a 1982 case, O'Connor wrote the majority opinion, holding that the 
State could not prevent men from enrolling in an all-women's nursing 
school. She wrote that laws discriminating on the basis of sex are 
allowed only if there is an ``exceedingly persuasive justification'' 
free of archaic and stereotypic notions of the roles and abilities of 
males and females.
  Justice O'Connor retired from the Supreme Court in 2006. In 
retirement, she remained active as a tireless advocate for judicial 
independence and civics education.
  Following law school, Ginsburg served as a law clerk to Judge Edmund 
L. Palmieri of the United States District Court for the Southern 
District of New York. She then became associate director of a 
comparative law project sponsored by Columbia University before joining 
the faculty of Rutgers Law School in 1963. From 1972 to 1980, she 
taught at Columbia Law School, where she became the first female 
tenured professor.
  In the 1970s, Ginsburg also served as a fellow at the Center for 
Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences in Stanford, California, and 
as the director of the Women's Rights Project of the American Civil 
Liberties Union. In this position, she led the fight against gender 
discrimination and won five landmark cases before the Supreme Court.
  In 1980, President Carter appointed Ginsburg to the United States 
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In 1993, 
President Clinton nominated Ginsburg as an Associate Justice of the 
Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed her nomination by a vote of 96-3, 
and she became the second female and the first Jewish female to serve 
on the Court.
  Justice Ginsburg was a strong voice for gender equality and voting 
rights. She authored the landmark majority opinion in United States v. 
Virginia, which held that the State-supported Virginia Military 
Institute could not refuse to admit women. Justice Ginsburg served on 
the Supreme Court for 27 years, until her death in September 2020.
  It is difficult to overstate the importance of these two Justices as 
role models and inspiration for generations of American girls, women, 
and women lawyers.
  Justice O'Connor was sworn in as the first female Supreme Court 
Justice the same month that I started law school, and I had the 
privilege of working with both Justices on issues of civic education 
and access to justice. Both women were brilliant and funny. They were 
stars on the bench and in our national firmament.

  Now we are presented with another moment of equal significance, with 
the nomination of Judge Jackson under consideration in the Senate. One 
more barrier has fallen, and soon young women of color will be able to 
see themselves in future Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ketanji 
Brown Jackson, as I once saw myself in Justices O'Connor and Ginsburg.
  Today I ask my colleagues to honor these incredible women, Justice 
O'Connor and Justice Ginsburg, and help inspire our next generation of 
leaders by voting to create these statues for the Capitol of the United 
States.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3294. As all Members of 
Congress and every American who has visited the United States Capitol 
when it was completely open know, the Halls of this foothold of 
democracy are lined with statues to honor and commemorate the lives of 
great Americans from all corners of this country, all walks of life, 
and different political leanings.
  The National Statuary Hall collection includes two statues donated 
from each State, and in addition to the base collection, Congress has 
been able to accept donations or authorize the commission of statues of 
other individuals who have shaped our Nation and contributed to the 
excellence of this country.
  Such additions have included the statue of Abraham Lincoln, 
commissioned by Congress in 1866, the portrait monument to Lucretia 
Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony in 1920, and most 
recently, the statue of Rosa Parks, which was officially unveiled in 
2013. It is among these giants that today we consider the addition of 
the first two women confirmed to serve on the Supreme Court of the 
United States.
  It took nearly 200 years after the creation of the Supreme Court for 
the first woman to sit on America's highest bench. Appointed by 
President Reagan and confirmed by the Senate in 1981, with a vote of 
99-0, a record for the most votes in support of a Supreme Court Justice 
that stands to this day, Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor blazed a 
trail that has forever changed the Court for the better.
  In the years that have followed, the Senate has confirmed Associate 
Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whom this bill also honors, Sonia 
Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and, most recently, Justice Amy Coney Barrett. 
I have no doubt that the legacy of women on the Court will continue.
  The art collections throughout the Capitol Grounds play a very 
important role. The pieces honor the ingenuity, courage, creativity, 
and patriotism of so many who came before us. They inspire us and 
remind us of the extreme weight and honor of our duties as elected 
representatives. Congress rarely commissions the addition of statues to 
its collections, a practice that signifies a rare and high honor. The 
addition of the first two female Justices to serve on the Supreme Court 
is welcomed, and I look forward to their presence in these great Halls.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Lois Frankel).
  Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very excited to be 
supporting this bill today. The gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. 
Scanlon) did a great job with the biographies of these two incredible 
women, Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, our first two women 
on the United States Supreme Court.
  I am thinking back to my childhood. It is not that easy to think back 
to my childhood, but I am thinking back to my childhood, and probably 
one of the most exciting things that I did was a family trip with my 
parents and my brother to the Capitol. Now when I think back, and 
coming through the Capitol and seeing all those statues, I must have 
wondered as a child, did women do anything? It is just amazing, of the 
266 statues here in the Capitol, only 14 are women. To me that is 
crazy. It is just crazy.
  We are honoring these two Supreme Court Justices not just because 
they are women. I am not going to go through their biographies again, 
but think about it. They went through their careers at a time when 
there was no Title IX, there was no equal pay, there were limitations 
on how many women could actually get into law school, and then if you 
did get into law school--because I was in law school back in the day 
when there weren't a lot of us--you were bullied. I mean, you were 
bullied in the classroom. Their achievement is absolutely remarkable.
  I am very proud that future generations are going to come through 
these Halls, and they are going to see representations of these two 
women. Millions of children from all over the country and all over the 
world--because we are opening up, I hope soon, as we pass COVID--can be 
inspired, and I cannot wait. I cannot wait to bring my two little 
grandsons so they can see that the girls can do it, too.

[[Page H3890]]

  Just to add, this is a bipartisan bill. I am proud to be one of the 
sponsors here in the House. Women did this together, but we thank the 
gentlemen for being on board.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this 
legislation to honor our U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ginsburg and 
O'Connor with statues in our U.S. Capitol. I am so proud to hear my co-
chair Lois Frankel talk about the importance of our history being 
recognized in these hallowed Halls.
  Both Justices O'Connor and Ginsburg did exactly that. They showed 
what it meant to blaze trails and to break the glass ceilings as the 
first and second women to serve on the Supreme Court, the highest 
court.
  Their story is an American story, and it is one that our country 
should be proud of. It is not what you say, it is what you do, and 
today we are taking action.
  Through their long and legendary careers, they have paved the way for 
countless women and girls in the legal and judiciary system. Their 
life-changing words and actions will live in the hearts of Americans 
across this country. I am grateful and I am excited to be part of the 
Democratic Women's Caucus that is helping to lead this effort in 
honoring the life and the legacies of these two giants.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn't point out a bit of irony 
that exists as we discuss honoring anyone by adding a statue or a bust 
to the Halls of the Capitol when for the past 745 days this building 
has been closed to the American people. Despite what is being called a 
reopening, it continues to be closed to most Americans.

                              {time}  1815

  This is about the last place in America to remain closed, and for no 
legitimate reason whatsoever. The honor of being memorialized in the 
Halls of Congress is far less an honor when no one is around to see it.
  It is past time for Speaker Pelosi to reopen the people's House to 
the American people.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Stanton).
  Mr. STANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3294, a bill 
to honor Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader 
Ginsburg with statues here in the United States Capitol.
  Both overcame formidable barriers and defied the odds, paving the way 
for future generations of women, but Justice Sandra Day O'Connor holds 
a special place in the hearts of all Arizonans.
  Born on a ranch in eastern Arizona, Justice O'Connor brought a tough, 
no-nonsense attitude with her throughout her career in public service. 
She blazed every trail she set foot on. And just this past Saturday, 
she celebrated her 92nd birthday.
  Justice O'Connor served as Arizona's assistant attorney general, the 
first female majority leader to serve in any State senate across the 
United States of America, and as a Maricopa County Superior Court 
judge. In 1981, she took her Arizona brand of independence and 
pragmatism with her to the United States Supreme Court.
  Justice O'Connor shattered the highest glass ceiling in the legal 
profession, but Arizonans most admire her for the way she made it 
there, with unparalleled talent, intelligence, and relentless grit.
  Her independent-minded commitment to interpreting the Constitution 
and reaching workable decisions served our Nation and the rule of law 
well.
  One of the things that I most admire about Justice O'Connor is what 
she did after she retired from the United States Supreme Court. She 
foresaw deep divisions in our society and our politics. She knew that 
we needed to improve civil discourse if we hoped to keep our democracy 
strong.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. STANTON. Mr. Speaker, after 25 years on the Court, she came back 
to Arizona and got right back to work.
  She founded the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute For American Democracy 
in Phoenix to promote civic education, inspiring future generations to 
not only participate in our democracy but to contribute to it with the 
same degree of thoughtfulness, civility, and grace that she has 
throughout her amazing career.
  I have been lucky enough to work with her and the institute through 
the Camp O'Connor civics education program for middle school students. 
I saw firsthand the difference that program makes in the lives of our 
next generation of leaders, and I saw how much Justice O'Connor truly 
cares about those children and about all people.
  That is her legacy to me.
  Justice O'Connor and Justice Ginsburg were deeply committed in their 
service to the American people. They are more than deserving of this 
recognition.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance 
of my time.
  One of the things I most appreciate about this bill is the balance 
that it brings in recognizing the first two women Justices of the 
Supreme Court, and they have very different ideologies and views. While 
I may have significant disagreements with Justice Ginsburg and her 
rulings and positions on certain issues, that doesn't mean her role in 
the history of this country is not worthy of being recognized. In the 
same way, Justice O'Connor is worthy of recognition despite the fact 
that I am sure many people on the other side of the aisle take issue 
with her beliefs and positions on certain issues.
  Cancel culture is a disease infecting our society today. Those who 
seek to wipe out the accomplishments and contributions of historic 
figures simply due to opposing politics is wrong. I am certainly not 
going to engage in that kind of mentality even though I may not have 
cared for Justice Ginsburg's politics.
  In fact, Justice Ginsburg herself spoke out against cancel culture. 
She was once asked how she could be friends with the late Justice 
Antonin Scalia. They held vastly different views. In her response, she 
quoted Justice Scalia by saying: ``I attack ideas. I don't attack 
people, and some very good people have some very bad ideas.''
  She is also famously quoted as saying: ``Fight for the things you 
care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.''
  In short, Mr. Speaker, it is okay to fight for what you believe in. 
It is okay to disagree or even despise what someone else believes, but 
it doesn't mean they don't have a right to those beliefs.

  Unfortunately, this contrasts with some of the actions of my friends 
on the other side of the aisle these past few years. I hope this serves 
as an example that we can disagree without being disagreeable, that we 
choose to rise above being easily offended and instead respect 
alternative points of view, and that the Halls of Congress are a place 
where everyone feels their viewpoints and beliefs are given equal 
credence.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I appreciate the balance of this bill. I rise in 
support of this legislation. I urge everyone to adopt it, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  I am so proud to rise in support of this bill to recognize the 
brilliant and groundbreaking legal careers of Sandra Day O'Connor and 
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but I am also so proud to recognize them because 
of their unrelenting focus on our young people.
  We have heard a couple of times about Justice O'Connor's interest in 
civics education. She founded her civics nonprofit when she found that 
more Americans knew the names of the judges on ``American Idol'' than 
they did the Justices of the Supreme Court. She was really committed to 
helping our next generation understand the importance of our civics.
  I had the opportunity to meet Justice Ginsburg with my daughter when 
my daughter was about 10. My daughter was very anxious to ask a 
question of her. She asked her: ``When will we

[[Page H3891]]

have a female President?'' Justice Ginsburg turned to her and said: 
``Probably not in my lifetime, but certainly in yours.''
  My daughter graduated from law school this year. We look forward to 
the fulfillment of Justice Ginsburg's prophecy.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and support these 
statues. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, Women's History Month offers an opportunity 
to reflect on the courageous, patriotic women who have helped write our 
Nation's story.
  Indeed, in every chapter of our history, women have been at the 
forefront: fighting for our rights, forging progress in every aspect of 
society, and pushing our nation to live up to our most cherished 
ideals.
  So, it is in that powerful, pioneering spirit that I rise today in 
support of legislation that will honor two of these historic Americans: 
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
  From their seats on the highest Court in the land, they were not only 
instrumental to upholding and defending our Constitution--but they 
paved a path in the field of law for generations of women to follow.
  With this bill, we honor their extraordinary service by welcoming to 
the United States Capitol statues of these two trailblazing women.
  Thank you to Congresswoman Lois Frankel for your tireless, persistent 
leadership in establishing this special tribute--and for all that you 
do for America's women and girls.
  Thanks also to Chair Zoe Lofgren: who, at the helm of the Committee 
on House Administration, has been a steadfast champion in bringing more 
diversity and inclusion to monuments that fill the halls of the 
Congress.
  These statues will not only ensure that Justices O'Connor and 
Ginsburg take their rightful place here, among the many heroes of our 
history.
  But they will also ensure that all those who walk these hallowed 
halls--from Members and foreign leaders to young girls on school 
trips--can learn about and be inspired by the legacies of these two 
legendary leaders.
  It is with great pride that, with this bill, we will soon welcome to 
the halls of Congress a statue of a living legend: Justice Sandra Day 
O'Connor.
  Justice O'Connor has earned her deeply deserved place in history, as 
the first woman ever to sit on the Supreme Court.
  But beyond the barrier-breaking nature of her service, she brought to 
the bench a pillar of courage, integrity and justice: our nation's 
highest ideals.
  On the Court, she was always an independent and influential voice--
bringing great wisdom, judgment and consideration to her opinions.
  She also inspired the world as a proud working mother, proving that a 
woman can both excel in her career and care for her family.
  She raised her three young sons while serving in the Arizona State 
Senate--where she was the first woman Maiority Leader of a State Senate 
anywhere in the country.
  And all were in awe of her strength in serving as her late husband's 
caregiver during his battle with Alzheimer's.
  Justice O'Connor once said: ``It's good to be first--but you don't 
want to be last.'' Indeed, she always held open the door behind her: 
mentoring so many young women in law, including our beloved Ruth Bader 
Ginsburg.
  And our Nation is so proud that Justice Ginsburg will join that of 
Justice O'Connor here on Capitol Hill.
  Ruth Bader Ginsburg truly embodied justice, brilliance and goodness--
and nearly every family in America benefited from her quarter century 
on the Court fighting for equality, opportunity and justice for all.
  The ``Notorious RBG'' quickly became an icon on the bench:
  an outstanding and independent legal mind;
  a tenacious defender of our fundamental rights; and
  the author of fiery opinions still referenced to this day.
  And throughout her entire career, she was a tireless advocate for 
gender equality, whether:
  working at the ACLU as the founder of its Women's Rights Project;
  arguing cases before the Supreme Court;
  or handing down legal opinions cementing the precedent that all men 
and women are created equal.
  After her devastating loss two years ago, it was my solemn privilege 
as Speaker to welcome her one final time back to the Capitol to lie in 
state.
  Now, it is with great respect and admiration for her legacy of 
powerful progress for women that the Congress passes this legislation 
to ensure her statue will be a permanent fixture of our Temple of 
Democracy.
  It is fitting that we enact this legislation amid the historic 
confirmation process of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
  She was magnificent during the Committee proceedings last week--
demonstrating her brilliant legal mind, her remarkable confidence and 
poise, and her unyielding commitment to justice.
  And this is a moment of great pride and patriotism for our nation, as 
she will soon make history as the first Black woman on the Supreme 
Court.
  Indeed, Judge Jackson is a blazing new trail for the next generation 
of public servants--in the same pioneering spirit as the two 
extraordinary leaders we are honoring with this legislation today.
  God blessed America with the leadership of Sandra Day O'Connor and 
Ruth Bader Ginsburg--and many of us today stand on their shoulders.
  With this bill, we ensure that all visit the Capitol feel their 
eternal presence and that our children will learn about their towering 
legacies.
  I urge a strong, bipartisan ``aye'' vote.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3294, a bill to 
place in the Capitol or on the Capitol Grounds a statue to honor 
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Sandra Day O'Connor and a statue 
to honor Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
  Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was the first woman nominated to the 
United States Supreme Court by President Ronald Regan and was the 102nd 
appointee to the position.
  Justice O'Connor served from September 25, 1981, until her retirement 
on January 31, 2006.
  During her tenure on the court, Justice O'Connor was often the 
crucial swing vote in 5-4 decisions that included many of the most 
controversial issues of our time.
  Justice O'Connor has had a long and distinguished career as a public 
servant, including three terms as an Arizona State Senator, and serving 
as a judge on the Superior Court of Maricopa County, and the Arizona 
Court of Appeals.
  Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the second woman appointed, 
and the first Jewish woman, to preside on United States Supreme Court.
  Justice Ginsburg was appointed to the court by President Bill Clinton 
on August 10, 1993 and served on the court until her death on September 
18, 2020.
  Justice Ginsburg was an advocate for woman's rights long before she 
was appointed to the court. She co-founded the Women's Rights Project 
at the ACLU.
  In the words of the late Justice Ginsburg, ``women's rights are an 
essential part of the overall human rights agenda, trained on the equal 
dignity and ability to live in freedom all people should enjoy.''
  These women broke down barriers that once stood in the way of 
equality. Their determination and persistence allowed for women across 
the nation to fight for their rights and achieve their dreams.
  Their sacrifices paved the way for many firsts en the Federal bench. 
Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the first Hispanic woman to be appointed to 
the position, and just last month, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was the 
first African American woman to be nominated to the court.
  Although these are monumental steps for women and gender equality, 
there is still much work that needs to be done.
  It is our duty as Members of Congress to acknowledge and commemorate 
these inspiring Supreme Court Justices. The two statues in our nation's 
Capital will honor the lives and legacies of these two pioneering 
women. Moreover, by celebrating Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice 
Sandra Day O'Connor we celebrate the impact of women nationwide and 
showcase these two leaders as remodels for future generations. I urge 
all my colleagues to support S. 3294.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 3294.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________