[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16673-16674]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  STATEMENTS ON SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 158--HONORING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND UNFAILING 
                  SPIRIT OF WOMEN IN THE 20TH CENTURY

  Mr. CLELAND (for himself, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Cochran, and Mrs. Murray) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 158

       Whereas women should be celebrated for the unparalleled 
     strides made during the 20th century in education, 
     professional careers, legal rights, politics, military 
     service, religion, sports, and self-reliance;
       Whereas at the dawn of the 20th century, women in the 
     United States were denied their constitutional right to equal 
     protection of the law, including the right to vote;
       Whereas the women's suffrage movement, the largest 
     grassroots political movement in the Nation's history, 
     involved approximately 2,000,000 women and took more than 70 
     years of petitions, referenda, speeches, national and State 
     campaigns, demonstrations, arrests, and hunger strikes;
       Whereas women won the right to vote throughout the United 
     States with the ratification of the 19th amendment to the 
     Constitution in 1920, and by the end of the century women 
     were voting in larger numbers than men in some national 
     elections;
       Whereas women represent an increasing percentage of the 
     population awarded college and postgraduate degrees;
       Whereas women are increasingly owning businesses and 
     working to narrow the pay gap between women and men;
       Whereas in World War I, women were only allowed to serve in 
     the Army as nurses, and approximately 10,000 of the 30,000 
     women that served in World War I served as volunteers 
     overseas, with no rank and no benefits;
       Whereas during the 20th century, women served the Nation 
     proudly and capably in the Armed Forces, including duty in 
     World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Libya, the 
     Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Kosovo, and in supportive roles during 
     all of these conflicts;
       Whereas women now serve in all ranks and branches of the 
     Armed Forces as pilots, intelligence specialists, drill 
     instructors, specialists, technicians, soldiers, airmen, and 
     marines on the battlefields, and as sailors aboard Navy and 
     Coast Guard ships at sea;
       Whereas the 20th century saw women in new roles as justices 
     on the Supreme Court, members of the President's Executive 
     Cabinet, and Members of Congress;
       Whereas women's contributions have become invaluable as 
     Federal, State, and local legislators, Governors, judges, 
     Cabinet officers, county commissioners, mayors, city council 
     members, and directors of Federal, State, and local agencies;
       Whereas women made significant strides in the 20th century, 
     yet as we enter the 21st century women continue to face 
     inequality;
       Whereas women are disparately excluded from health care 
     research, clinical trials, and treatment;

[[Page 16674]]

       Whereas women continue to be underrepresented in science 
     and technology careers;
       Whereas women are often paid only 72 cents for each 1 
     dollar paid to men for the same work;
       Whereas women are disproportionately affected by poverty 
     and elderly women are generally more dependent on the social 
     security program under title II of the Social Security Act; 
     and


       Whereas women can reflect upon the opportunities created 
     during the 20th century and look toward even greater 
     accomplishments in the 21st century: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors and commends the accomplishments and unfailing 
     spirit of women in the 20th century;
       (2) recognizes the crucial roles of women in our 
     communities as mothers, wives, and family caregivers;
       (3) recognizes the disparity in equality that women still 
     face;
       (4) reaffirms the need to prevent and punish violence 
     against women so that women may be safe from domestic 
     violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, and violence in the 
     workplace;
       (5) recognizes that women should have equal access to 
     health care and inclusion in research and clinical trials;
       (6) recognizes the need for equality in vocational and 
     academic education;
       (7) recognizes that the pay gap should be closed;
       (8) commits to preserving the social security program under 
     title II of the Social Security Act and the medicare program 
     under title XVIII of such Act; and
       (9) pledges to make the 21st century the ``Century of Equal 
     Opportunity for Women''.
                                  ____

  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution 
recognizing the 21st century as the ``Century of Equal Opportunity for 
Women.''
  This proposal recognizes that as we enter the 21st century, it is 
essential that we note the great strides made by women in the 20th 
century as well as recognizing fundamental inequalities still faced by 
women as we begin the 21st century. The need for this resolution comes 
from the important requirement to acknowledge past achievements but to 
also address specific areas where further improvements are needed in 
order to ensure that women are given equal opportunity.
  Unfortunately, women continue to face challenges and disparities in 
areas like health care and wages. This resolution acknowledges 
inequities such as the pay gap and challenges us to see that these 
issues are addressed so that women may have not just more 
opportunities, but equal opportunities. The measure is supported by the 
American Association of University Women. I, along with co-sponsors 
Senators Clinton, Cochran, and Murray, urge our colleagues to support 
this resolution and recognize the 21st century as the ``Century of 
Equal Opportunity for Women.''

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