[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2067-2068]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, tomorrow we will begin commemoration of 
Women's History Month--an annual occasion to celebrate and honor the 
many contributions of women to American history, culture, and society. 
Since our Nation's founding, generations of women have fought injustice 
and broken down barriers at home, in the workplace, and in their 
communities in pursuit of the American dream. During Women's History 
Month, we remember these struggles, celebrate our collective progress, 
and renew our commitment to protecting the rights of all women.
  Earlier this month, the Senate came together in the best tradition of 
the Chamber to pass the Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women 
Reauthorization

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Act with a strong bipartisan vote. This bill would not have passed 
without the strong leadership and support of every woman currently 
serving in the Senate. And today the House of Representatives passed 
our bipartisan bill to help survivors of rape, domestic violence, 
stalking, and human trafficking. On the eve of Women's History month, 
Congress's actions will prevent terrible crimes and help countless 
victims rebuild their lives.
  A few days from now, on March 3, 2013, we will mark the centennial 
celebration of the 1913 women's suffrage procession--a watershed moment 
in the struggle for women's right to vote. On March 3, 1913--the eve of 
the inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson--more than 5,000 women 
from every State in the Union assembled in Washington, DC, to march for 
the right to vote. They did so in the face of widespread opposition to 
their cause, and some were hospitalized after violence erupted along 
the parade route. A century later, this courageous public act is 
recognized as the key turning point that led to the ratification of the 
19th amendment to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote in 
1920.
  In the coming days, we will witness the arc of American history, as 
thousands of women retrace the steps of the heroines of 1913, by 
reenacting the Women's Suffrage March. This ``Centennial Women's 
Suffrage March'' will be led by the women of Delta Sigma Theta 
Sorority, Incorporated--the only African-American women's organization 
to participate in the 1913 march. I commend Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, 
UniteWomen.org, the American Association of University Women, the 
Daughters of the American Revolution and the many other women's 
organizations that will join forces to reenact this historic event. I 
also commend the many government and private sector institutions that 
will support this event, including the National Archives and Records 
Administration, the National Park Service, the National Women's History 
Museum, and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
  Like the many Americans who will commemorate the women's suffrage 
march this weekend, I celebrate the progress that we have made towards 
justice, fairness, and equality for women--and for all of our citizens. 
But, while we have made remarkable strides towards gender equality, 
gender discrimination still exists. According to a recent study by the 
American Association of University of Women, full-time working women 
who are recent college graduates earn, on average, just 82 percent of 
what their male counterparts earn in the workplace. This gender wage 
gap directly affects the economic stability of American families. A 
Center for American Progress report on women in the workplace found 
that in 2010 nearly two-thirds of all American mothers were either the 
primary breadwinner for their family or shared that financial 
responsibility with a spouse or a partner.
  As we celebrate Women's History Month, the courageous acts of the 
American heroines of 1913 should inspire us all to work to eliminate 
the gender inequalities that still exist in our society today. I join 
all Americans in celebrating the countless contributions of women to 
our Nation's history and culture and in working towards a more just and 
fair society for future generations of American women and girls.

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