[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Pages 26423-26425]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE SENATE

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 159) honoring the New Hampshire State Senate for 
becoming the 1st statewide legislative body with a majority of women in 
the United States, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 159

       Whereas for over 200 years the citizens of the State of New 
     Hampshire have elected State senators to serve in the 
     legislature;
       Whereas from 1931 to 1933, E. Maude Ferguson served as the 
     first female member of the New Hampshire State Senate;
       Whereas Vesta Roy served as the first female State senate 
     president, and in 1983 she became the first female Governor 
     of the State of New Hampshire;
       Whereas women currently hold the offices of both the 
     Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and the 
     State Senate President of New Hampshire;
       Whereas the New Hampshire State Senate was comprised of 13 
     women and 11 men for the legislative session beginning on 
     December 3, 2008; and
       Whereas the New Hampshire State Senate had nine women 
     chairing committees and five men chairing committees for the 
     legislative session beginning on December 3, 2008: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the New 
     Hampshire State Senate for becoming the 1st statewide 
     legislative body with a majority of women in the United 
     States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
McHenry) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and add any extraneous materials.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  On behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am 
pleased to present House Resolution 159 for consideration. This 
resolution pays tribute to the New Hampshire State Senate for becoming 
the first statewide legislative body in United States history with a 
majority of women members.
  House Resolution 159 was introduced on February 11, 2009, by my 
friend and fellow New Englander, Representative Paul Hodes of New 
Hampshire. In addition, this resolution was favorably reported out of 
the Oversight Committee by unanimous consent on October 29, 2009, and 
enjoys the support of nearly 60 Members of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 159 honors the New Hampshire State 
Senate for the remarkable distinction of becoming the first statewide 
legislative body to consist of a majority of women members. According 
to 2008 Census Bureau estimates, women comprise roughly 50.7 percent of 
the American population, yet despite the extent

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of their representation in the U.S. population, women remain 
significantly underrepresented at local, State and Federal Government 
levels. Notably, out of the 435 Members of the House of 
Representatives, women hold 77 congressional seats. Moreover, in the 
United States Senate, women hold 17 of the Senate's 100 seats.
  In light of these and similar statistics evidencing the 
underrepresentation of women in government, the advancement of female 
legislators in the New Hampshire State Senate can be characterized as a 
defining moment in our Nation's history.
  Following the State legislature elections of November 2008, the State 
of New Hampshire began its current legislative session on December 3, 
2008, with a historic female majority in the State Senate. 
Specifically, women legislators currently hold 13 of New Hampshire's 24 
State Senate seats. In addition, nine female Senators are currently 
serving as Chairs in the State Senate, which consists of 14 standing 
committees. Moreover, the Honorable Sylvia Larsen is currently serving 
her second consecutive term as State Senate president with the 
Honorable Terie Norelli also serving her second consecutive term as 
Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize that this watershed 
moment in American history would not have been possible without the 
efforts of previous female leaders in New Hampshire politics, including 
the Honorable E. Maude Ferguson and the Honorable Vesta Roy. Senator 
Ferguson, who served in the New Hampshire State House from 1931 to 
1933, has the distinction of becoming the first woman elected to the 
New Hampshire State Senate. Ms. Roy made history as the first woman 
elected to serve as president of the New Hampshire State Senate as well 
as the first woman to serve as the Governor of New Hampshire from 1982 
to 1983.
  Mr. Speaker, the remarkable achievements of these women legislators 
are as inspirational as they are historic, to all those Americans that 
are committed to the equality of all citizens regardless of race, 
ethnicity, religion or gender.
  Let us as a body take this opportunity to honor the great State of 
New Hampshire and its State Senate for this fine achievement by passing 
House Resolution 159. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  As I said in the previous resolution that I was managing here on the 
floor, while I am supportive of this legislation, the previous 
commemorating resolution and the additional one that the Oversight and 
Government Reform Committee is offering here for consideration today, I 
believe that Congress should be, instead, focusing on higher-priority 
initiatives. We're facing record unemployment, deficits that threaten 
to bankrupt the country, and a stimulus that is failing to create new 
jobs. Congress should be considering legislation providing real and 
immediate economic solutions for the American people before naming and 
commemorating anything.
  But having said that, I do think it is important to recognize the 
State of New Hampshire for their major milestone, and I rise in support 
of H. Res. 159, honoring the New Hampshire State Senate for becoming 
the first statewide legislative body with a majority of women in the 
United States. It is a significant achievement. As a result of the 2008 
statewide elections, 13 of 24 seats in the Senate are now held by 
women, an increase of three members which resulted in their majority 
status. On the national level, less than one in four legislators is 
female and eight of 50 Governors is a woman. These numbers continue to 
grow with each election year throughout the country.
  I'm pleased to salute the women of New Hampshire for their commitment 
to public service as well as women throughout the United States who 
choose to serve our citizens on the local, State and Federal levels as 
their elected representatives. We certainly commend the wonderful work 
and addition that New Hampshire has been able to meet by this wonderful 
milestone.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I will just point out that last week, we 
actually finally had an official draft of the health care reform bill. 
My colleagues on the other side have insisted, rightly, that they have 
72 hours to review that bill; that it be placed online. I think it is a 
courtesy to keep controversial issues off the floor today to allow 
Members to consider that legislation because it is so important. I 
think if we jammed the schedule today with controversial matters, you 
might hear the complaint from my colleagues and others that they 
weren't given a full and fair opportunity to read that health care 
reform bill.
  So, you're darned if you do sometimes, and you're darned if you 
don't. But I certainly do want to join with the lead sponsor and my 
colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina, but especially Paul Hodes 
from New Hampshire, who is the lead sponsor of this resolution, in 
congratulating the New Hampshire State Senate. I happen to be a member 
of the New Hampshire bar, so this is particularly a proud moment for me 
as well in celebrating their terrific accomplishment through the 
passage of House Resolution 159.
  Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the legislation I 
introduced, House Resolution 159. My resolution honors the New 
Hampshire State Senate for becoming the first statewide legislative 
body with a majority of women in the United States. New Hampshire has a 
proud tradition of being a first-in-the-nation State, and with this 
historic achievement, the Granite State continues to lead the way in 
providing equal opportunity for everyone. I am proud to represent the 
great State of New Hampshire, which today shines as an example for the 
entire country.
  I want to recognize all 13 women who are currently serving in the New 
Hampshire State Senate. They are the Honorable Sharon Carson, Jacalyn 
Cilley, Martha Fuller Clark, Betsi DeVries, Peggy Gilmour, Margaret 
Hassan, Molly Kelly, Sylvia Larsen, Bette Lasky, Amanda Merrill, 
Deborah Reynolds, Sheila Roberge, and Kathleen Sgambati. These leaders 
comprise the majority female body of the New Hampshire State Senate and 
were elected to office on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on December 3, 
2008.
  I would also like to recognize the following women, who played 
critical roles in the history of New Hampshire government:
  Senator Jeanne Shaheen was the first woman in the State of New 
Hampshire to be elected Governor in 1997. She is currently serving as 
the first female senator from the State of New Hampshire.
  The first woman to serve as a member of the New Hampshire State 
Senate was E. Maude Ferguson, who served from 1931 to 1933.
  Vesta Roy served as the first female State Senate President, and in 
1983 she became the first female Governor of the State of New 
Hampshire.
  In 1994, the Honorable Sylvia Larsen was elected to the New Hampshire 
State Senate and has served 7 consecutive terms thus far. She is 
currently serving in her second term as President of the New Hampshire 
Senate.
  In 1996, the Honorable Terie Norelli was elected to the New Hampshire 
House of Representatives and has served 6 consecutive terms thus far, 
and in 2008 was re-elected to serve as Speaker of the New Hampshire 
House of Representatives for a 2nd consecutive term.
  Thank you for bringing this important resolution on the New Hampshire 
State Senate's historic achievement of being the first statewide 
legislative body with a majority of women in the United States to the 
floor of the House of Representatives for consideration. I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. LYNCH. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 159, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

[[Page 26425]]



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