IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 249 

Honoring the life and legacy of the first woman to serve in the United 

States Congress, Jeannette Pickering Rankin, on the 100th anniversary 

of her swearing-in to Congress. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 5, 2017 

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana (for herself, Ms. JENKINS of Kansas, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, 

Mr. GOWDY, Mrs. BUSTOS, Ms. NORTON, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mrs. 

DEMINGS, Ms. FRANKEL of Florida, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. GRANGER, 

Mr. MITCHELL, Mrs. MIMI WALTERS of California, Mrs. MCMORRIS

RODGERS, Ms. LEE, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. 

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. SPEIER, Ms. ADAMS, Mrs. BEATTY, Mrs. 

RADEWAGEN, Ms. STEFANIK, Ms. MCSALLY, Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER, 

Mrs. HARTZLER, Mrs. NOEM, Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. COSTELLO of 

Pennsylvania, Mr. SCALISE, Mr. CARTER of Georgia, Mrs. COMSTOCK, 

Ms. FOXX, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mrs. WALORSKI, Mrs. LOVE, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. PAULSEN, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. RENACCI, Mr. OLSON, Mr. 

ISSA, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. KILMER, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. STEWART, and 

Mrs. ROBY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on House Administration 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life and legacy of the first woman to serve 

in the United States Congress, Jeannette Pickering 

Rankin, on the 100th anniversary of her swearing-in 

to Congress. 

Whereas Jeannette Pickering Rankin was born June 11, 

1880, near Missoula, Montana; 


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•HRES 249 IH 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin studied at Montana State University, the New York School of Philanthropy, and the University of Washington; 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin began her work in public service 

as a social worker and member of the women’s suffrage 

movement, successfully campaigning to achieve suffrage 

for women in Washington and Montana; 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin successfully ran as a Republican 

and secured one of Montana’s two at-large congressional 

seats on November 7, 1916; 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin became the first woman to serve 

in the United States House of Representatives upon taking the oath of office on April 2, 1917, as a Member of 

the 65th Congress (1917–1919); 

Whereas upon her election to Congress in 1916, Jeannette 

Rankin declared, ‘‘I may be the first woman in Congress, 

but I won’t be the last.’’, setting an example for American women; 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin served an instrumental role in the 

fight for women’s suffrage by serving on the House Committee on Woman Suffrage and opening the first House 

floor debate on women’s right to vote in 1918; 

Whereas in her two terms as a Member of Congress, 

Jeannette Rankin served on the House Committee on Insular Affairs and House Committee on Public Lands and 

worked to address western and environmental issues; 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin made history as the only Member 

of Congress to vote against the involvement of the United 

States in both World War I and World War II, standing 

firmly behind her pacifist convictions; 


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•HRES 249 IH 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin continued to advocate for women 

and world peace beyond her service in Congress by attending the Women’s International Conference for Permanent Peace in 1919, joining the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, founding the 

Georgia Pearce Society, lobbying on the behalf of the National Council on the Prevention of War, and advocating 

for nonviolence and peace during the Vietnam war; 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin died May 18, 1973, in Carmel, 

California; 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin dedicated her life to public service, by giving back to her communities, fighting for civil 

rights, and striving for peace; 

Whereas Jeannette Rankin’s groundbreaking achievement 

paved the way for hundreds of women from across the 

country to make history in Congress, drawing attention 

to the pressing issues of their time and creating policies 

that have impacted generations of Americans; and 

Whereas women have served in Congress for 100 years: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the life and accomplishments of 

3 the first United States Congresswoman, Jeannette 

4 P. Rankin; and 

5 (2) commemorates 100 years of women serving 

6 in the United States Congress. 

Æ 


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