[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12994-12995]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     REMEMBERING GERALDINE FERRARO

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I wish to commemorate the 30th 
anniversary of Geraldine Ferraro's nomination as the Democratic 
candidate for Vice President of the United States.
  On the night of July 19, 1984, Gerry gave her acceptance speech as 
the first woman to be nominated for U.S. Vice President by a majority 
party. I was there, experiencing the thrill, excitement, and turbo 
energy as 10,000 people jammed the Mosconi Center. Male delegates gave 
their tickets to female alternate delegates and their daughters. 
Gerry's walk on stage was electrifying. We gave her a 10-minute 
resounding ovation and wouldn't sit down. That night, a barrier was 
broken. That night, they took down the ``men only'' sign on the White 
House. For Gerry and all American women there was no turning back--only 
going forward.
  Some people only knew Gerry as a political phenomenon, but I first 
knew her in Congress. She was a born fighter--for New York and every 
little guy and gal. She was an advocate for women, fighting for our 
status and giving us a new stature. Long after the campaign was over, 
she continued to be a source of inspiration and empowerment.
  When Gerry was chosen for the Vice Presidential nomination, she 
showed modern American women what we had become and what we could be. 
Women felt that if Gerry could go for the White House, we could go for 
anything. For some of us women, that meant going to Congress to make a 
difference. Today, I know Gerry would be so proud of all we have 
accomplished. Back when we met in the House, we were the early birds. 
We weren't afraid to ruffle some feathers, but we were in the minority. 
In 1979, there were 16 women in the House: 11 Democrats and 5 
Republicans, and 2 women of color. Today, there are 79 women in the 
House: 60 Democrats, 19 Republicans, and 30 women of color. As the Dean 
of the Senate Women, I am proud we are 20 women strong in the Senate: 
16 Democrats and 4 Republicans. Together, we are changing the tide and 
changing the tone.
  We have had some amazing victories along the way. We increased breast 
cancer research funding at NIH by 750 percent to $657 million in fiscal 
year 13. We increased childcare funding by 75 percent--$2.2 billion in 
fiscal year 14. We made sure good science included women by founding 
the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health. The research from that 
office has changed medical practices, reduced breast cancer by 15 
percent, and saved lives a million at a time. This year, we celebrated 
the fifth anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which kept the 
courthouse doors open for women to sue for discrimination. Last 
October, women on both sides of the aisle created the climate for 
compromise that was crucial to ending the disastrous government 
shutdown.
  We have had some amazing victories, but we still have more to do. The 
Senate women are fighting for women across America. We know women need 
a raise to raise their families. That is why we are fighting for equal 
pay for equal work and to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. We are 
fighting for a better minimum wage because we know that a full-time job 
shouldn't mean full-time poverty. We are fighting for education that 
helps our kids every step of the way. We want to give working families 
peace of mind and give children quality care for a brighter future. 
Passing my bipartisan child care and development block grant bill will 
bring affordable, accessible childcare to working families.
  Women need a social safety net they can count on, at every age and in 
every stage. That is why we are fighting so hard for seniors by saving 
Medicare from becoming a coupon and a promise. We are ensuring Social 
Security remains guaranteed, lifetime and inflation proof. We are also 
fighting for health care that is affordable and accessible, by passing 
the Affordable Care Act to end gender discrimination in health care. I 
was so proud when we passed my Mikulski preventive health amendment, so 
simply being a woman is no longer a preexisting condition. We are 
taking a stand against the Supreme

[[Page 12995]]

Court decision that denies women contraception and family planning, 
while valuing employer rights over employee rights. And we are fighting 
to ensure the safety and education of women and girls around the 
world--whether they are in Nigeria, Central America, or Afghanistan.
  When Gerry took the stage at the 1984 Democratic Convention, she 
forever altered the course of history. For the rest of her life, she 
remained dedicated to empowering thousands of women in the United 
States and around the world. Today, we honor her lasting legacy and her 
impact on generations of women with a dream--and a desire to make a 
difference.

                          ____________________