[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2512]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  (Ms. CASTOR of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join the millions of 
Americans who will mark the annual celebration of March as Women's 
History Month.
  During Women's History Month, we celebrate the successes of America's 
women throughout our history and the sacrifice of the bold women who 
broke down so many barriers.
  This year I would like to devote Women's History Month to saluting 
our female veterans and military members who work to keep us safe.
  And even though the Department of Defense 3 months ago announced that 
females will now be able to serve in military combat roles, women 
actually have been serving in combat since the Civil War; like Army 
Specialist Brittany Gordon of St. Petersburg, Florida, who was the 
first woman from the Tampa Bay area killed in action in Iraq and 
Afghanistan in 2012 at the young age of 24.
  And like the many women who serve at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, 
whether it is at Air Mobility Command, Special Operations Command or 
Central Command, you women are making history, and you are doing so 
while you are working to keep us safe.
  We are grateful for your service to this country during Women's 
History Month and every year.

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