[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23031]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            IRAQI ELECTIONS

  (Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
express my enthusiasm about what the future holds for Iraq's women. 
This past weekend marked yet another courageous showing of women who 
are eager to live in a democracy, first in Afghanistan and now in Iraq.
  The message is very, very clear that these individuals are ready, 
willing, and able to vote for a change. President Bush stated that our 
fight in Iraq includes promoting the rights of women everywhere. This 
fight is a very important one. Our society proves that when women are 
given the same rights and opportunities as men, the entire nation 
benefits greatly.
  The constitutional referendum specifies equality regardless of sex 
and actually reserves 25 percent of the national assembly for women. 
Because of this provision, for the first time in Iraq's history, women 
will have a voice in their country.
  Currently, two-thirds of all Iraqi women are illiterate. Since our 
presence in Iraq, 2,400 schools have been renovated, 3,000 teachers 
trained. And this is resulting in 2 million girls back in school.
  The progress that has been made for the women of Iraq is exceptional. 
During Saddam Hussein's reign, women were imprisoned, tortured and 
raped; and their attackers faced no recourse. There was no justice 
under this dictator of terror.
  Today, injustice no longer is the rule. Iraqi women will no longer 
have to fear the terribly cruelty of their past because they will have 
control of their future.

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