[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16396]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               85TH ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE

  (Mrs. CAPITO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of the upcoming 
85th anniversary of the women's right to vote.
  During the first women's rights convention that took place in Seneca 
Falls, New York, in 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton said, ``We are 
assembled to protest against a form of government existing without the 
consent of the governed to declare our right to be free as man is free, 
to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support.''
  Elizabeth Cady Stanton's words marked the beginning of what we now 
know as the Women's Suffragist Movement. Seventy-two long and hard 
fought years after that speech, the 19th amendment was written into our 
country's Constitution. August 26, 2005, marks the 85th anniversary of 
that right.
  In February of 1920, in my home State of West Virginia, the 
legislature met in special session and was lobbied heavily by the 
State's suffragettes. On March 10, 1920, the House passed the amendment 
by a 15 to 14 vote. The State senate made West Virginia the 35th of the 
36 States needed to ratify the amendment.
  Mr. Speaker, it is only fitting that I stand here to honor and 
remember those women and men who petitioned, picketed, and 
demonstrated, even some in spite of being jailed and disgraced, for the 
sake of women's rights to be equal in the eyes of our government. Had 
it not been for the bravery and conviction of many important women that 
preceded us, I would not be standing here today.
  Women's voices are heard loud and clear at the ballot box, and we 
will never forget the value of our vote.

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