[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4637-4638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, as we celebrate National Women's History 
month, I pay tribute to the countless contributions made by women, past 
and present, those heralded and those unknown to most, who have 
advanced the rights of women and enriched our Nation's history.
  The month of March has been designated as National Women's History 
Month to illuminate the tremendous accomplishments of women throughout 
history. I salute my colleagues, Senator Barbara Mikulski and Senator 
Orrin Hatch for cosponsoring legislation over two decades ago declaring 
National Women's History Week. The celebration of women's history has 
since been expanded into a month long tribute to commemorate the many 
contributions of women.
  This year's national theme, ``Celebrating Women of Courage and 
Vision,'' seeks to spark interest in the many remarkable stories of 
women's achievements in our schools and communities. We must strive to 
present history accurately, and in its entirety. History is not a 
womanless story and it should not be presented as such to our youth. It 
is imperative that we share the rich stories of women's struggles and 
achievements with all our children, but especially with our girls. With 
the benefit of strong female figures as role models, young women will 
have a fuller vision of what is possible in their lives.
  The advancement of women in the last century has been nothing short 
of remarkable. At the beginning of the last century, women generally 
did not have the right to vote or own property. They could not hold 
most occupations, participate in the armed forces, or aspire to 
political office. But as long ago as 1872, a little known milestone in 
the fight for women's equality was achieved by the courageous actions 
of an Illinois woman.
  Ellen Martin of Lombard, IL, understood her lack of legal 
entitlements in the late 1800s, but had the vision, the wits, and the 
determination to transcend the barriers around her. In the Presidential 
election of 1872, almost 50 years prior to the passage of the 19th 
Amendment, Martin and fourteen other Lombard women marched to the polls 
and demanded their right to vote. At the time, Lombard, IL, was 
governed by its local charter of incorporation, which inadvertently 
stated that ``all citizens'' rather than ``all male citizens'' had the 
right to vote.
  Armed with a law book and her spectacles, Martin asserted her 
``citizenship'' and demanded a ballot. Allegedly, the election judges 
were so shocked by the demand that one gentleman actually ``fell 
backward into a flour barrel.'' Ironically reminiscent of this year's 
unusual election, the votes of those 15 courageous women were 
extensively debated in the courts. But eventually, those 15 votes 
became the first women's votes ever to be counted in Illinois in an 
American Presidential election.
  Ellen Martin refused to be held down by the social and political 
mores of the day. She had the courage to challenge and conquer the 
barriers that attempted to restrict her. And for her efforts, she won a 
small but important victory. Of course, it was not until 1920 that 
women's fundamental right to vote was expressly protected by the 
Constitution in the 19th Amendment. I am proud to say that Illinois was 
the first State in the Union to ratify that long overdue amendment, 
guaranteeing women a voice in the political arena.
  There are many little known milestones, similar to the story of Ellen 
Martin's courage, which reveal the heroism of women throughout our 
history. These stories are important and they are powerful, but they 
can have little impact if they are not shared. Sadly, only 3 percent of 
our educational materials focus on women's contributions. Legislators 
in Illinois have recognized the need for the appreciation of the 
historical contributions of women and have mandated the teaching of 
women's history in K-12 classes. Only by recognizing the authentic 
contributions of women will educators be truly faithful to our national 
heritage.
  Today, women play a central role in the Nation's political and 
economic arenas. I am privileged to work with 13 women Senators who 
provide powerful examples to young women across the Nation. At the 
State level, women currently hold 27.6 percent of the statewide 
executive offices across the country and 22.4 percent of State 
legislative positions. As Susan B. Anthony pointed out in 1897: ``There 
never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make 
laws.'' Women's representation in politics is not yet equal, but their 
increasing prominence signals a step in the right direction.
  Today, women participate in our economy in record numbers, both in 
the workforce and as business leaders. Women own more than 9 million 
small businesses across the Nation, representing 38 percent of all 
small businesses nationwide. In Illinois, women own more than 250,000 
firms. With their comprehensive participation, it is beyond dispute 
that women are vital to sustaining and improving our Nation's economy.
  However, despite their strong presence in the workforce, women 
continue to earn less than men in this country. For every dollar a man 
earns, women on average earn only 73 cents. In Illinois, the wage gap 
is even larger: For every dollar earned by a man a woman earns only 69 
cents. This wage gap persists despite the passage of the Equal Pay Act 
over three decades ago. Although the gap continues to shrink, the 
progress is painfully slow, shrinking by a rate of less than a half a 
penny a year. In order to facilitate the closure of this gap, I urge my 
colleagues to consider Senator Daschle's Paycheck Fairness Act, S. 77, 
of which I am a cosponsor. That bill would strengthen the enforcement 
mechanisms of the Equal Pay Act as well as recognize employer efforts 
to pay wages to women that reflect the real value of their 
contributions. The wage disparities between men and women have endured 
for far too long. We must approach the problem pro-actively and demand 
results.
  The dedication of March as Women's History Month provides an 
excellent opportunity to celebrate the many contributions of women that 
have shaped our history as well as the powerful influence that women 
continue to exert not only as business leaders and politicians, but 
also as mothers, teachers, neighbors and vital members of the 
community. But as we ``Celebrate Women of Courage and Vision,'' let us 
not forget the battles that lie ahead for women as they continue to 
struggle for full equality. As Alice Paul, a female attorney in the 
early 1900s, eloquently

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noted: ``Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me there 
is nothing complicated about ordinary equality.'' Let us allow the 
simple principle of equality to guide us, as we strive to make history 
in further advancing the rights of women.

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