[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16550]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SHERWOOD BOEHLERT

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 19, 2005

  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the Women's Rights 
Movement. Today marks the 157th anniversary of the first Women's Rights 
Convention in Seneca Falls, New York.
  Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and hundreds 
of other influential women planned, organized, marched and petitioned 
to achieve women's suffrage. These women produced the Declaration of 
Sentiments, which urges women's equality with men before the law, in 
education and employment. The declaration also was the first 
pronouncement demanding that women be given the right to vote. Their 
efforts brought the issues of equality and freedom to the forefront and 
forced people to examine the roles and rights of women in society.
  In a time when the United States is spreading freedom and democracy 
across the globe, we must honor the women who helped establish gender 
equality right here at home. These women exemplify courage and their 
fight for freedom must be remembered and celebrated.
  The recent success of the Iraqi people in their quest to vote is 
continued proof that all people want to have a say in the way their 
government functions and represents its citizenry. The United States 
must continue its quest for freedom and democratic rights for all 
people.
  I am proud to have the Women's Rights National Historical Park and 
the National Women's Hall of Fame in my Congressional district. The 
Women's Rights National Historical Park is comprised of the Wesleyan 
Chapel (the site of the first women's rights convention), Declaration 
Park (which displays the full text of the Declaration of Sentiments), 
and the Stanton Home. The National Women's Hall of Fame is a tribute to 
some of the greatest women in the history of the United States. The 
Hall continues to honor women's achievements and bring women's 
accomplishments to the foreground by annually inducting women whose 
contributions to society have been of great value to the development of 
their country. I encourage all people to visit and learn more about the 
women and the events that led to women's equality in the United States.

                          ____________________