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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 409 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

<DOC>

114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 409

     Recognizing March 2016 as ``National Women's History Month''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 17, 2016

 Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Baldwin, 
Ms. Heitkamp, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. Ayotte, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Boxer, Mrs. 
Capito, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Schumer, 
 Ms. Collins, Mr. Reed, Ms. Warren, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Stabenow, Mrs. 
 Fischer, Mrs. McCaskill, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mrs. Ernst, Mr. Carper, Mr. 
     Heinrich, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. Brown) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
     Recognizing March 2016 as ``National Women's History Month''.

Whereas National Women's History Month recognizes and spreads awareness of the 
        importance of women in the history of the United States;
Whereas, throughout the history of the United States, whether in the home, at 
        the office, in school, in the courts, or in wartime, women have fought 
        for themselves, their families, and all people of the United States and 
        played an essential role in the history of the United States;
Whereas, even from the early days of the United States, Abigail Adams urged her 
        husband to ``Remember the Ladies'' when representatives met for the 
        Continental Congress in 1776;
Whereas women were particularly important in the establishment of early 
        charitable, philanthropic, and cultural institutions in the United 
        States;
Whereas women led the efforts to secure suffrage and equal opportunity for women 
        and also served in the abolitionist movement, the emancipation movement, 
        labor movements, civil rights movements, and other causes to create a 
        more fair and just society for all people;
Whereas suffragists wrote, marched, were arrested, went on hunger strikes, and 
        were force-fed in prison but were ultimately successful in achieving the 
        enactment of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United 
        States, which provides, ``The right of citizens of the United States to 
        vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any 
        State on account of sex.'';
Whereas women have served and continue to serve as leaders in the forefront of 
        social change efforts;
Whereas women of every race and background have played and continue to play a 
        critical economic, cultural, and social role in every sphere of the life 
        of the United States, including by constituting a significant portion of 
        the labor force working inside and outside of the home;
Whereas women now represent approximately \1/4\ of the workforce in the fields 
        of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;
Whereas women once were routinely barred from attending medical schools in the 
        United States but now represent 47 percent of medical school students;
Whereas women previously were turned away from law schools but now represent 47 
        percent of law school graduates but only 20 percent of law school deans 
        and 27 percent of State and Federal judges;
Whereas women have served in the United States Armed Forces in volunteer and 
        enlisted positions, with 201,400 active-duty women currently serving and 
        women comprising approximately 10 percent of veterans;
Whereas more than 9,900,000 women own small businesses in the United States;
Whereas women in the United States contribute significantly to the artistic and 
        literary advancements of the United States;
Whereas the 2016 theme of National Women's History Month is ``Working to Form a 
        More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government'';
Whereas, in 1932, Hattie Wyatt Caraway of Arkansas was the first woman elected 
        to the United States Senate;
Whereas Margaret Chase Smith of Maine was the first woman to serve in both 
        houses of Congress;
Whereas, in the 114th Congress, 20 women serve as Senators and 84 women serve in 
        the House of Representatives, both of which are records;
Whereas, in 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first proclamation 
        designating March 2 through 8 as ``National Women's History Week'';
Whereas, in 1987, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced the first joint 
        resolution to pass Congress designating ``Women's History Month'';
Whereas, in 1987, President Ronald Reagan issued the first Women's History Month 
        proclamation; and
Whereas, despite the advancements of women in the United States, much remains to 
        be done to ensure that women realize their full potential as equal 
        members of the society of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates March 2016 as ``National Women's History 
        Month'';
            (2) recognizes the celebration of National Women's History 
        Month as a time to reflect on the many notable contributions 
        that women have made to the United States; and
            (3) urges the people of the United States to observe 
        National Women's History Month with appropriate programs and 
        activities.
                                 <all>
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