Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1696590695461.pdf (United States)
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE Whereas despite the achievements of indi- S1582 (4) encourages the Department of State and the United States Agency for Inter- national Development to establish guidelines for overseas personnel consulting with stake- holders regarding efforts to promote the par- ticipation of women in the mediation and ne- gotiation processes; and (5) requires the President to evaluate the impact of the ‘‘Women, Peace, and Security Strategy’’ and report the results to Congress; Whereas, on October 27, 2017, Ambassador Michele J. Sison, United States Deputy Per- manent Representative to the United Na- tions, stated in a United Nations Security Council debate on women, peace, and secu- rity that— (1) the role of women in maintaining inter- national peace and security is more critical than ever; (2) collective work is still required for women to gain more positions of leadership in government and civil society, and more seats at the negotiating table; (3) a growing body of evidence confirms that the inclusion of women in peace proc- esses helps reduce conflict and advance sta- bility long-term; and (4) the involvement of women in efforts to bring about peace and security lead to more sustainable results; Whereas, in June 2016, the Department of State released an update to the strategy en- titled ‘‘United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Glob- ally’’, based on internal evaluations, lessons learned, and consultations with civil society, that underscores that ‘‘preventing and re- sponding to gender-based violence is a cor- nerstone of the U.S. government’s commit- ment to advancing human rights and pro- moting gender equality and the empower- ment of women and girls’’; Whereas the ability of women and girls to realize their full potential is critical to the ability of a country to achieve— (1) strong and lasting economic growth; and (2) political and social stability; Whereas, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organi- zation— (1) 2⁄3 of
 the 778,000,000 illiterate individuals in the world are female; and (2) 130,000,000 girls worldwide are not in school; Whereas, according to the United States Agency for International Development, as compared to uneducated women, educated women are— (1) less likely to marry as children; and (2) more likely to have healthier families; Whereas, although the United Nations Mil- lennium Project reached the goal of achiev- ing gender parity in primary education in most countries in 2015, more work remains to be done to achieve gender equality in pri- mary education worldwide by addressing— (1) discriminatory practices; (2) cultural norms; (3) inadequate sanitation facilities; and (4) other factors that favor boys; Whereas, according to the United Nations, women have access to fewer income earning opportunities and are more likely to manage the household or engage in agricultural work than men, making women more vulnerable to economic insecurity caused by— (1) natural disasters; and (2) long term changes in weather patterns; Whereas women around the world— (1) face a variety of constraints that se- verely limit their economic participation and productivity; and (2) are underrepresented in the labor force; Whereas closing the global gender gap in labor markets could increase worldwide gross domestic product by as much as $28,000,000,000,000 by 2025; vidual female leaders— (1) women around the world remain vastly underrepresented in— (A) high-level positions; and (B) national and local legislatures and governments; and (2) according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, women account for only 22 percent of national parliamentarians and 17.7 percent of government ministers; Whereas, according to the World Health Organization, during the period beginning in 1990 and ending in 2015, global maternal mor- tality decreased by approximately 44 per- cent, but approximately 830 women die from preventable causes relating to pregnancy or childbirth each day, and 99 percent of all ma- ternal
 deaths occur in developing countries; Whereas according to the World Health Or- ganization— (1) suicide is the leading cause of death for girls between the ages of 15 and 19; and (2) complications from pregnancy or child- birth is the second-leading cause of death for those girls; Whereas the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that women and girls comprise approximately 1⁄2 of the 65,300,000 refugees and internally dis- placed or stateless individuals in the world; Whereas it is imperative— (1) to alleviate violence and discrimination against women; and (2) to afford women every opportunity to be full and productive members of their com- munities; Whereas violence, discrimination, and harmful practices against women and girls are a direct result of negative social norms that undervalue females in society; and Whereas March 8, 2018, is recognized as International Women’s Day, a global day— (1) to celebrate the economic, political, and social achievements of women in the past, present, and future; and (2) to recognize the obstacles that women face in the struggle for equal rights and op- portunities: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) supports the goals of International Women’s Day; (2) recognizes that the empowerment of women is inextricably linked to the poten- tial of a country to generate— (A) economic growth; (B) sustainable democracy; and (C) inclusive security; (3) recognizes and honors individuals in the United States and around the world, includ- ing women human rights defenders and civil society leaders, that have worked through- out history to ensure that women are guar- anteed equality and basic human rights; (4) recognizes the unique cultural, histor- ical, and religious differences throughout the world and urges the United States Govern- ment to act with respect and understanding toward legitimate differences when pro- moting any policies; (5) reaffirms the commitment— (A) to end discrimination and violence
 March 8, 2018 SENATE RESOLUTION 427—SUP- PORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF SOCIAL WORK MONTH DURING MARCH 2018 AND WORLD SOCIAL WORK DAY ON MARCH 20, 2018 Ms. STABENOW submitted the fol- lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Edu- cation, Labor, and Pensions: S. RES.
427 Whereas the profession of social work is— (1) dedicated to enhancing the well-being of others and meeting the basic needs of all people, especially the most vulnerable people in society; and (2) expected to grow faster than average relative to all professions over the next 6 years, with more than 649,000 individuals ex- pected to be employed as social workers by 2024; Whereas social workers embody the theme of Social Work Month in 2018, which is ‘‘So- cial workers: Leaders.

Advocates.
Cham- pions.’’; Whereas social workers are— (1) employed throughout society, including in government, schools, universities, social service agencies, the military, and health care and mental health organizations; (2) the largest group of providers of mental health services in the United States; and (3) present in times of crisis, helping— (A) individuals overcome issues such as the death of a loved one and grief; and (B) individuals and communities recover from natural disasters, including floods and hurricanes; Whereas the Department of Veterans Af- fairs is one of the largest employers of social workers who hold advanced degrees; Whereas, for decades, social workers have pushed to ensure rights for all people, includ- ing women, African Americans, Latinos, in- dividuals who are disabled, individuals who are LGBTQ, and various ethnic, cultural, and religious groups; Whereas the profession of social work has helped bring about some of the most pro- found, positive changes in society over the past century, including improvements with respect to— (1) voting rights; (2) workplace safety; (3) the minimum wage; and (4) social safety net programs that help prevent poverty and hunger; and Whereas social workers continue to engage and bring together individuals, communities, agencies, and units of government in order to help society address some of the most pressing current issues, including— (1) immigration reform; (2) ensuring equal rights for all people; (3) providing affordable and good health care and mental health care for all individ- uals; and (4) protecting the environment: Now, against women and girls; therefore, be it (B) to ensure the safety and welfare of women and girls; (C) to pursue policies that guarantee the basic human rights of women and girls worldwide; and (D) to promote meaningful and significant participation of women in every aspect of so- ciety and community; (6) supports sustainable, measurable, and global development that seeks to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women; and (7) encourages the people of the United States to observe International Women’s Day with appropriate programs and activi- ties.
Resolved, That the Senate— (1) supports the goals and ideals of Social Work Month during March 2018 and World Social Work Day on March 20, 2018; (2) acknowledges the diligent efforts of in- dividuals and groups that promote the im- portance of social work and observe Social Work Month and World Social Work Day; (3) encourages individuals to engage in ap- propriate ceremonies and activities to pro- mote further awareness of the life-changing role that social workers play; and (4) with gratitude, recognizes the contribu- tions of the millions of caring individuals who have chosen to serve their communities through social work.
I - E N L N O C E R G N O C h t i - w D O R P 2 8 0 V R 0 3 K S D n o r e n y o e j CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE Whereas Latinas are paid just 55 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men; March 8, 2018 f IN THE SENATE RESOLUTION 428—RECOG- NIZING THE HERITAGE, CUL- TURE, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF UNITED LATINAS STATES Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. REED, Mr. NELSON, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. BROWN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. UDALL, Mr. BEN- NET, Mr. COONS, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. WARREN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Ms. HASSAN, Ms. HAR- RIS, Ms. SMITH, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, and Mrs. GILLIBRAND) submitted the fol- lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary: S. RES.
428 Whereas the United States celebrates Na- tional Women’s History Month every March to recognize and honor the achievements of women throughout the history of the United States; Whereas there are more than 27,000,000 Latinas living in the United States; Whereas 1 in 6 women in the United States is a Latina; Whereas Latinas have helped shape the his- tory of the United States since its inception; Whereas Latinas contribute to the society of the United States through working in many industries, including business, edu- cation, science and technology, medicine, en- gineering, mathematics, literature and the arts, the military, agriculture, hospitality, and public service at every level of govern- ment; Whereas Latinas come from diverse cul- tures across North America, Central Amer- ica, and the Caribbean, and Afro-Latinas face disparities in recognition; Whereas Latinas are dedicated public serv- ants, holding posts at the highest levels of the Federal Government, including the Su- preme Court of the United States, the United States Senate, and the United States House of Representatives; Whereas Latinas make up an estimated 15 percent of women in the Armed Forces, and in 2006 Angela Salina became the first Latina general in the United States Marine Corps; Whereas Latinas are breaking the glass ceiling in the science, technology, engineer- ing, and mathematics fields, such as Ellen Ochoa, who became the first Latina to go into space during a 9-day Space Shuttle Dis- covery mission in 1993; Whereas Latinas own more than 1,400,000 businesses and 1 in 9 women-owned compa- nies in the United States is owned by a Latina; Whereas Latina activists have led the fight for civil rights, including Dolores Huerta who cofounded the United Farm Workers and advocates for the rights of immigrants, agri- cultural workers, and women; Whereas Latinas create award-winning art and are recipients of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, including Rita Moreno who earned all 4 awards between 1961 and 1977; Whereas Latina singers and
 songwriters, like Selena, also known as the Queen of Tejano music, and Celia Cruz, also known as the Queen of Salsa, have made lasting and significant contributions to music through- out the world; Whereas Latinas serve in the medical pro- fession, including Antonia Novello, who be- came the first female and first Hispanic Sur- geon General of the United States in 1990; Whereas, in the face of societal obstacles, including unequal pay, disparities in edu- cation, health care needs, and civil rights struggles, Latinas continue to break through and thrive; Whereas the United States should continue to invest in the future of Latinas to address the barriers they face; and Whereas, by 2060, Latinas will represent one third of the female population of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) celebrates and honors the successes of Latinas and the contributions they have made and continue to make to the United States; and (2) recognizes the changes that are still to be made to ensure that Latinas can realize their full potential as equal members of soci- ety.
f SENATE RESOLUTION 429—COM- MEMORATING THE 59TH ANNI- VERSARY OF TIBET’S 1959 UPRIS- ING AS ‘‘TIBETAN RIGHTS DAY’’, AND EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELI- GIOUS FREEDOM OF THE TI- BETAN PEOPLE AND THE TI- BETAN BUDDHIST FAITH COMMU- NITY Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mrs. FEIN- STEIN, Mr. CRUZ, and Mr. RUBIO) sub- mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on For- eign Relations: S. RES.
429 Whereas March 10, 2018, marks the 59th an- niversary of the 1959 uprising in Tibet, dur- ing which the people of Lhasa, fearing for the life of the Dalai Lama, surrounded his residence, organized a guard, and called for the withdrawal of Chinese forces from Tibet and the restoration of Tibet’s freedom; Whereas Chinese statistics estimate 87,000 Tibetans were killed, arrested, or deported to labor camps during the suppression of the 1959 uprising, which also forced the Dalai Lama and tens of thousands of other Tibet- ans to flee into exile; Whereas March 10, 2018, also marks the 10th anniversary of a series of protests in Lhasa, which spread across Tibet, and which were suppressed by Chinese forces; Whereas, according to the Department of State, the Government of the People’s Re- public of China is engaged in the severe re- pression of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguistic heritage, and is engaged in gross violations of human rights in Tibet, in- cluding extrajudicial detentions, disappear- ances, and torture; Whereas, in the ten years since the 2008 protests, at least 152 Tibetans in Tibet are known to have self-immolated, with state- ments or records left by these self-immola- tors calling for freedom for Tibet and the re- turn of the Dalai Lama; Whereas, in 1961, with the support of the United States, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the Tibetan people’s ‘‘fundamental human rights and freedoms, including the right to self-determination’’; Whereas, on October 18, 2007, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama, finding that he is recognized around the world as a leading figure of moral and religious authority, and is the unrivaled spiritual and cultural leader of the Tibetan people; Whereas Buddhists in Tibet, the United States, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, Rus- S1583 sia, and other countries where followers of Tibetan Buddhism reside look to the Dalai Lama for religious leadership and spiritual guidance; Whereas, in its 2017 annual report, the United
 States Commission on International Religious Freedom noted that ‘‘[t]he Chinese government claims the power to select the next Dalai Lama with the help of a law that grants the government authority over rein- carnations,’’ which purports to require all Tibetan Buddhist leaders to obtain the ap- proval of the Government of the People’s Re- public of China in order to reincarnate; Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China has interfered in the iden- tification and installation of reincarnated leaders of Tibetan Buddhism, as part of its efforts to maintain control over Tibet, in- cluding in 1995 arbitrarily detaining the re- cently identified 11th Panchen Lama, then a six-year-old boy, and purporting to install China’s own candidate as Panchen Lama; Whereas, in 2011, the 14th Dalai Lama de- clared that the responsibility for identifying a future 15th Dalai Lama will rest with offi- cials of the Dalai Lama’s private office and that ‘‘apart from the reincarnation recog- nized through such legitimate methods, no recognition or acceptance should be given to a candidate chosen for political ends by any- one, including those in the People’s Republic of China’’; Whereas, in 1981, the United Nations Gen- eral Assembly passed the Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Be- lief, which provides that freedom of religion shall include the freedom to ‘‘train, appoint, elect or designate by succession appropriate leaders called for by the requirements and standards of any religion or belief’’; and Whereas Congress has long held that the right to freedom of religion undergirds the very origin and existence of the United States, and that freedom of religious belief and practice is a universal human right and fundamental freedom: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) recognizes March 10, 2018, as ‘‘Tibetan Rights Day’’; (2) affirms its recognition of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for his
 outstanding con- tributions to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and religious understanding; (3) affirms its support for the Tibetan peo- ple’s fundamental human rights and free- doms, including their right to self-deter- mination and the protection of their distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and national identity; (4) expresses its sense that the identifica- tion and installation of Tibetan Buddhist re- ligious leaders, including a future 15th Dalai Lama, is a matter that should be determined solely within the Tibetan Buddhist faith community, in accordance with the inalien- able right to religious freedom; (5) expresses its sense that any attempt by the Government of the People’s Republic of China to identify or install its own candidate as a Tibetan Buddhist religious leader, in- cluding a future 15th Dalai Lama, is invalid interference in the right to religious freedom of Tibetan Buddhists around the world, in- cluding in Tibet as well as the United States and elsewhere; and (6) calls on the Secretary of State to fully implement the provisions of the Tibetan Pol- icy Act of 2002 (subtitle B of title VI of Pub- lic Law 107–228; 22 U.S.C.
6901 et seq.

), in co- operation with like-minded states where ap- propriate, including that— (A) representatives of the United States Government in exchanges with officials of the Government of the People’s Republic of China should call for and otherwise promote I - E N L N O C E R G N O C h t i - w D O R P 2 8 0 V R 0 3 K S D n o r e n y o e j