[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 51 (Friday, March 22, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2589-S2590]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, this Women's History Month, I find it more 
important than ever to celebrate and recognize the contributions of 
women to society. Women's rights are under attack in the United States 
and around the world. Since the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, 
we have witnessed policies that are taking away a women's 
constitutional right to control their own bodies, with many legislators 
passing harmful abortion restrictions. But, as President Biden said in 
his State of the Union, ``They have no clue about the power of women in 
America.''
  This year, the National Women's Alliance has chosen the theme of 
``Women who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.'' To 
contribute to this theme, I want to honor Maryland's many famous female 
activists and community leaders throughout history who promote 
diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  First, a woman whose contributions cannot be overstated is Harriet 
Tubman. An abolitionist and political activist best known as the 
conductor of the Underground Railroad who emancipated an estimated 300 
enslaved people. A paragon of freedom and justice, she was born in 
Dorchester County, MD, in March of 1822. She was also the first 
American woman to lead an armed military raid, acting as a spy and 
nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War. After the war, she 
continued to fight for civil rights, leading the charge for women's 
suffrage with other significant figures such as Susan B. Anthony. The 
fight for gender equality

[[Page S2590]]

continues today, as I lead my colleagues in working to recognize 
ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.
  Second, I want to recognize Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and 
nature writer, who catalyzed the global environmental movement. In her 
home in Silver Spring, MD, Rachel Carson wrote ``Silent Spring,'' which 
outlined the dangers of chemical pesticides to humans and the 
environment. The pesticide industry pushed back against her, branding 
her as crazy and communist, but she persevered. Through her continued 
research and advocacy, ``Silent Spring'' led to the banning of DDT and 
other pesticides and ultimately led to the creation of the 
Environmental Protection Agency. She has been an overwhelming influence 
on my work to preserve our environment and the Chesapeake Bay.
  I also want to honor Irene Morgan Kirkaldy, a Black civil rights 
activist who took a stand against segregation. Kirkaldy, a Baltimore 
native, was riding a Greyhound bus back home from Virginia in July of 
1944 when she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a White 
couple. When her case made it to the Supreme Court, she was represented 
by Thurgood Marshall, and the Court ruled that segregation violated the 
Constitution's ``protection of interstate commerce.'' Her bravery paved 
the way for the Civil Rights Movement going forward, including the 
monumental Brown v. Board of Education decision and Rosa Parks' similar 
act of resistance in Alabama. Strengthening civil rights and promoting 
equity has been a major part of my legislative agenda in Congress and 
before that in the Maryland House of Delegates.
  Another incredible female activist I would like to highlight is 
Pauline Woo Tsui, a Chinese-American anti-discrimination activist who 
immigrated to the United States during World War II to escape Japanese 
occupation. A Montgomery County resident, she supported her family by 
working at the U.S. Army Map Service, while she also served as manager 
of the Federal Women's Program, advocating for the rights of around 700 
female employees. She cofounded the Organization of Chinese American 
Women and served on the advisory board for the State Department for 
International Women's Year in 1975. As a civil servant and activist, 
Pauline set a standard for gender equity and ensuring girls had access 
to education worldwide.
  I would additionally like to honor Carmen Delgado Votaw, an author, 
community leader, and public servant. She was born in Humacao, PR, and 
settled in Bethesda, MD, in 1962. Serving as cochair of the National 
Advisory Committee for Women and president of the Inter-American 
Commission of Women of the Organization of American States, she was 
instrumental in the civil rights movement for Latinx people. She also 
became the first Latina chief of staff to a Member of Congress, and she 
worked to address challenges faced by Puerto Ricans.
  It would be remiss of me not to mention Sharon Brackett, an LGBTQ+ 
rights activist who became the first transgender woman elected to 
public office in Maryland. She pushed Howard County to pass a bill that 
added gender identity and expression to its anti-discrimination laws 
and served on the Democratic Central Committee starting in 2018. 
Further, she was named CEO and president of Tiresias Technologies, as 
engineer-in-residence at the 3D Maryland Innovation + Prototyping Lab, 
in Columbia.
  While these are only a sampling of change-making women in Maryland, 
they are a symbol of the drive and power that women have brought 
nationwide. Women outnumber and outvote men, and their continued 
leadership will be instrumental in promoting the values of the United 
States: liberty and freedom for all.

                          ____________________