[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2701]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     SENATE RESOLUTION 441--RECOGNIZING THE HISTORY AND CONTINUED 
   ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WOMEN IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES

  Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Feinstein, 
Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Lincoln, 
Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Burris, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. 
Stabenow, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Byrd, and Mr. Schumer) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 441

       Whereas women of diverse ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, 
     and racial backgrounds have made extraordinary contributions 
     to each service of the Armed Forces;
       Whereas today women volunteer to serve the Nation and 
     distinguish themselves in the active and reserve components 
     of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard;
       Whereas the contributions of generations of women have 
     contributed to the collective success of women in military 
     service and the freedom and security of the United States;
       Whereas women have served with honor, courage, and a 
     pioneering spirit in every major military campaign in the 
     history of the United States since the Revolutionary War;
       Whereas Dr. Mary E. Walker was the first, and remains the 
     only, woman awarded the Medal of Honor for her contributions 
     to military medicine and selfless actions during the Civil 
     War;
       Whereas the role of women expanded during World War I, with 
     women serving as medical professionals and telephone 
     operators and in other support roles that were critical to 
     the war effort;
       Whereas, during World War II, women served in every 
     military service and in every theater and received awards for 
     their gallantry, including four Silver Stars;
       Whereas the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 
     (62 Stat. 356, chapter 449) established permanent positions 
     and granted veterans benefits for women in the Armed Forces 
     and allowed women to serve during the Korean War as regular 
     members of the military;
       Whereas, during the Vietnam War, roughly 7,500 women served 
     in the Armed Forces in Southeast Asia as Nurse Corps officers 
     and in other vital capacities where they saved lives and 
     supported their fellow service members;
       Whereas, in 1976, the service academies first admitted 
     women, and in 1980, the first women graduated from the United 
     States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the 
     United States Air Force Academy, and the United States Coast 
     Guard Academy;
       Whereas women were assigned to the first gender-integrated 
     units during the 1980s, with women serving alongside men in 
     Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada and Operation Just Cause in 
     Panama;
       Whereas an unprecedented 40,000 women deployed as uniformed 
     members of the Armed Forces in support of Operations Desert 
     Storm and Desert Shield;
       Whereas, in 1991, Congress repealed laws prohibiting women 
     from flying combat missions and in 1993 repealed the 
     restriction on women serving on combat vessels;
       Whereas, on June 16, 2005, Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, an 
     Army National Guard Military Police Soldier, became the first 
     woman to receive the Silver Star since World War II for 
     exceptional valor during an ambush on her convoy in Iraq;
       Whereas, on November 14, 2008, General Ann Dunwoody became 
     the first woman in the military to achieve the rank of four-
     star general;
       Whereas, according to the Department of Defense, there are 
     currently 203,375 women on active duty in the Armed Forces, 
     many of whom have been deployed in harm's way;
       Whereas, as of January 2, 2010, 104 military women have 
     lost their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 20 military 
     women have lost their lives in Operation Enduring Freedom;
       Whereas, as of February 6, 2010, 616 military women have 
     been wounded in action in Iraq, and 50 military women have 
     been wounded in action in Afghanistan;
       Whereas, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
     as of February 1, 2010, there were 1,824,000 women veterans 
     of the Armed Forces;
       Whereas women help make the military of the United States 
     the finest in the world by serving frequent and lengthy 
     deployments under the most difficult conditions;
       Whereas women in the Armed Forces frequently balance the 
     rigors of a military career with the responsibilities of 
     maintaining a healthy family;
       Whereas women serving in combat theaters have been exposed 
     to the same hazards and harsh conditions as male service 
     members, and have sustained grave injuries and have given 
     their lives in service to our Nation;
       Whereas all service members, both men and women, deserve 
     fair compensation for service related injuries, proper health 
     care and rehabilitation, and the respect of a grateful Nation 
     for their selfless service, sacrifice, and loyalty; and
       Whereas women have made our Nation safer and more secure, 
     while representing the values that we hold dear: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) acknowledges the contributions of women to our national 
     defense and their importance in the rich history of the 
     United States;
       (2) celebrates the role that women have played in securing 
     our Nation and defending our freedom;
       (3) recognizes the unique challenges that women have 
     overcome to expand the role of women in military service;
       (4) agrees that programs available for women service 
     members and veterans should be strengthened and enhanced, 
     including for those who are dealing with invisible wounds of 
     war; and
       (5) strongly encourages the people of the United States to 
     honor women veterans who have served our Nation and to 
     elevate their stature in our national conscience.

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