Title: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Coya Knutson.
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
This resolution honors the life and legacy of Coya Knutson, a former U.S. Representative. The resolution states that her dedication to overcoming exceptional odds and devotion to the well-being of the United States shall serve as an inspiration for generations of individuals in the United States.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 687 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 687

             Honoring the life and legacy of Coya Knutson.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 10, 2020

   Ms. Smith (for herself and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
             Honoring the life and legacy of Coya Knutson.

Whereas Cornelia Genevive Gjesdal ``Coya'' Knutson was born on August 22, 1912, 
        in Edmore, North Dakota;
Whereas Coya Gjesdal graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, 
        with majors in English and Music and a minor in Education;
Whereas Coya Gjesdal married Andy Knutson in 1940 and later adopted a son;
Whereas Coya Knutson was involved in her community, working as a teacher, 
        volunteering, establishing a medical clinic, and serving on the Red Lake 
        County Welfare Board;
Whereas Coya Knutson was elected to the House of Representatives of Minnesota in 
        1950;
Whereas State Representative Knutson supported health and education initiatives 
        and sponsored the first clean air bill in Minnesota, which prohibited 
        smoking in some public places;
Whereas, in 1954, Coya Knutson won a seat in the House of Representatives of the 
        United States, despite having lost the nomination of her party to a man;
Whereas Coya Knutson became the first woman elected to Congress from Minnesota;
Whereas Congresswoman Knutson became the first woman to be appointed to the 
        Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives;
Whereas Congresswoman Knutson sponsored legislation that eventually led to 
        expanded school lunch assistance, the first Federal student loan 
        program, and the first appropriations for research on cystic fibrosis;
Whereas Congresswoman Knutson's husband did not support her career and 
        reportedly wrote a public letter in 1958 ordering her to return to 
        Minnesota to ``make a home for [her] son and husband'';
Whereas the story of the letter was taken up by the national press, with 
        newspapers across the United States running the headline ``Coya, Come 
        Home'';
Whereas Coya Knutson lost reelection in 1958 to a man whose campaign slogan was 
        ``A Big Man for a Man-Sized Job'';
Whereas Coya Knutson eventually divorced her husband, moved permanently to 
        Washington, DC, and was appointed by President Kennedy to be the liaison 
        officer in the Office of Civil Defense at the Department of Defense, 
        where she served until 1970;
Whereas Coya Knutson retired from politics and moved back to Minnesota to live 
        with her son and his family until her death in 1996 at 82 years of age; 
        and
Whereas Coya Knutson was a trailblazer and an inspiration who was devoted to her 
        community, State, and country: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate honors the life and legacy of Coya 
Knutson, whose dedication to overcoming exceptional odds and devotion 
to the well-being of the United States shall serve as an inspiration 
for generations of individuals in the United States.
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