[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 6, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 8241-8243]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04206]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 44 / Wednesday, March 6, 2019 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 8241]]


                Proclamation 9847 of March 1, 2019

                
Women's History Month, 2019

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                During Women's History Month, we celebrate the 
                countless women whose courage and resolve have 
                contributed to the character and success of our Nation 
                and the entire world. The equal opportunity of women in 
                every facet of daily life is an essential feature of a 
                free and prosperous society. This month, we honor women 
                who have fought for equality and against the status 
                quo, and who have broken the bonds of discrimination, 
                partiality, and injustice for the benefit of all. These 
                women created a legacy that continues to inspire 
                generations of women to live with confidence, to have a 
                positive impact on their communities, and to improve 
                our Nation every single day.

                Throughout our history, women have dedicated their 
                lives to achieving equal rights for all Americans. They 
                envisioned a society where women could pursue a formal 
                education, start a business, serve in the military, or 
                run for elected office. The example of each of these 
                women motivates successive generations to aspire to 
                greatness and to stand tall in the face of adversity. 
                We remember all the American women, past and present, 
                who have inspired and empowered today's women to 
                advocate for their beliefs and pursue their dreams 
                without hesitation.

                Catherine Brewer, who in 1840 became the first woman to 
                earn a bachelor's degree, and Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, 
                who graduated from medical school to become America's 
                first recognized female physician, are in the pantheon 
                of great American women. Both pursued their passion to 
                learn and to achieve advanced degrees in an 
                unprecedented way. Their achievement marked the 
                beginning of our society's move toward equality among 
                men and women in education. They would be proud to know 
                that, today, female students constitute the majority of 
                undergraduates in our colleges and universities.

                Women also have a rich history of civilian and military 
                leadership, service, and sacrifice. The Women Airforce 
                Service Pilots (WASP), for example, were remarkable 
                pioneers in military aviation. Founded by Nancy Love 
                and Jacqueline Cochran in 1942, WASP grew to a fleet of 
                1,102 women pilots who flew every type of World War II 
                military aircraft for non-combat missions domestically. 
                These women were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal 
                for their service, and they paved the way for women 
                pilots like Captain Rosemary Mariner, the Navy's first 
                female fighter pilot and first woman to command a naval 
                aviation squadron. Over the course of her 24 years of 
                honorable service, Captain Mariner broke many barriers 
                for women in the military. When she passed away on 
                January 24, 2019, the Navy conducted an all-female 
                flyover in her honor, a first in the history of the 
                Armed Forces and a fitting honor for a woman of her 
                stature.

                Leaders of our Nation also stand on the shoulders of 
                women like Jeannette Rankin, who became the first woman 
                to hold Federal office in 1916. She predicted: ``I may 
                be the first woman member of Congress, but I won't be 
                the last.'' This year, a century after the Congress 
                passed the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right 
                to vote, more women are serving in the Congress than at 
                any time in our history.

[[Page 8242]]

                My Administration continues to empower women by 
                creating unprecedented opportunities for them. The 
                United States economy is booming like never before. An 
                all-time record number of women are employed, and, just 
                last year, women filled 58 percent of new jobs. Our 
                economic agenda, including the enactment of the Tax 
                Cuts and Jobs Act and the elimination of unnecessary 
                and burdensome regulations, has driven women's 
                unemployment to the lowest level in 65 years. My 
                Administration fought to provide tax relief to parents 
                by doubling the child tax credit and preserving the 
                child and dependent care credit. To help women thrive 
                in the labor force and provide for their families, we 
                developed a tax credit for employers who offer paid 
                family and medical leave, and I have called on the 
                Congress to pass a nationwide paid family leave 
                program.

                Prioritizing the economic empowerment of women has also 
                helped to boost our Nation's economy and security. My 
                Administration is committed to working with States to 
                reform occupational licensing laws, which 
                disproportionately affect women. States and licensing 
                boards can and must do more to eliminate unnecessary 
                barriers to career opportunities and improve license 
                portability to facilitate career continuity. Promoting 
                women's economic empowerment abroad enables developing 
                countries to increase their global financial stability. 
                When women are fully empowered to reach their economic 
                potential, they invest back into their families and 
                communities, which helps their countries thrive. That 
                is why I signed a National Security Presidential 
                Memorandum to launch the Women's Global Development and 
                Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP), which is the first-ever 
                whole-of-government approach to advancing global 
                women's economic empowerment. The W-GDP Initiative aims 
                to benefit 50 million women across the developing world 
                by 2025. It will help women prosper in the workforce by 
                improving their access to quality education and skills 
                training, funding and supporting women's 
                entrepreneurship and access to capital, and working to 
                address legal, regulatory, and cultural barriers that 
                hinder women from fully and freely participating in the 
                economy.

                This month, we express our gratitude for all American 
                women who continue to strengthen our families, 
                communities, and workforce. Our future is brighter 
                because of their contributions.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim March 2019 as Women's 
                History Month. I call upon all Americans to observe 
                this month and to celebrate International Women's Day 
                on March 8, 2019, with appropriate programs, 
                ceremonies, and activities.

[[Page 8243]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                first day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                third.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2019-04206
Filed 3-5-19; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F9-P