[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 3300-3301]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANN M. KUSTER

                            of new hampshire

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 4, 2015

  Ms. KUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize International 
Women's Day. This day is celebrated across the world in different ways 
to honor the role of women throughout history. Here in the United 
States, we celebrate this day during Women's History Month. Since 1913, 
March 8 has been marked as a day to honor the economic, political, and 
social achievements of women.
  International Women's Day serves as a reminder of the steps we have 
made towards equality in the United States and internationally, and 
honors the women who worked to make these steps possible. As a Member 
of Congress from the only state in the country to have had an all-
female delegation, I am proud of how far our country has come towards 
equality for women. But we cannot recognize these accomplishments 
without also mentioning the work that still needs to be done.
  While we have come so far, women still face political and economic 
obstacles. Women are still not equally represented in small business 
ownership or in the technology sector. I have been working to build 
support and encouragement for more women small business leaders and 
women in technology. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to 
congratulate eighteen female high school students on completing the BAE 
Systems Women in Technology Program, which encourages young women to 
consider pursuing careers in technology. As a country we need more 
programs like this to encourage our young women to pursue their 
interests and become future leaders, and to discourage them from 
thinking that certain careers are strictly for men.
  In New Hampshire, women make up half of the state's population and 
about a quarter of our businesses are owned by women. It is clear that 
the success of women in business is vitally important to New 
Hampshire's future,

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and the same can be said for the rest of our country. On International 
Women's Day, I ask my colleagues to recognize not just the progress we 
have made, but also how much work remains to be done. As a country we 
must promote the success of women.
  I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in 
recognizing International Women's Day and the women who are continuing 
the fight to ensure there is equal opportunity for women in the present 
and future.

                          ____________________