[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23809]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  RECOGNITION OF THE ROLE WOMEN PLAYED IN THE TRAGEDY OF SEPTEMBER 11

  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, today I join the other members of the 
Caucus of Women's Issues at a luncheon to honor women at Ground Zero.
  To look at the media reporting, we believe that all who responded 
were men; but as was the case, there was a need, and the women were 
there were, firefighters, police officers, construction workers, 
emergency medical personnel, doctors, nurses and others, putting their 
lives on the line and in some cases giving their lives.
  I want to thank the co-chairs, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. 
Biggert) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald), 
for having the NOW legal defense and education fund, and Lieutenant 
Brenda Berkman there to tell the story of the brave and selfless women 
who were there with the men to respond in our country's tragic hour of 
need.
  The story brought a tear to many an eye, male and female, not just 
because of the stories the women told, and they were powerful, but also 
because once again women were invisible, in the media, in the new 
recruits, also in the recovery planning; and this is America, not 
Afghanistan.
  This is a potent reminder that women even here are still 
underrepresented at high levels of business and politics and that we 
are underpaid and have less opportunity.
  As we put our country back on the road to recovery, let us not get 
back to normal. Let us get better.

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