What This Bill Does
This resolution designates March 2023 as National Women's History Month. The Senate recognizes this month as a time to reflect on the contributions women have made to the United States.
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Who It Affects
The bill urges the people of the United States to observe National Women's History Month with appropriate programs and activities. It does not create requirements for specific individuals, businesses or agencies.
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Key Provisions
* The Senate designates March 2023 as "National Women's History Month" (Resolution line 1-2)
* The Senate recognizes National Women's History Month as a time to reflect on notable contributions women have made to the United States (Resolution line 3-6)
* The Senate urges the people of the United States to observe National Women's History Month with appropriate programs and activities (Resolution line 7-9)
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What Changes
If this resolution passes, March 2023 will be officially recognized as National Women's History Month by the Senate. The resolution encourages Americans to mark this month with programs and activities.
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Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
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III
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. RES. 129
Designating March 2023 as ‘‘National Women’s History Month’’.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 28, 2023
Mr. SCHUMER (for Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Ms. COLLINS, Ms. CORTEZ
MASTO, Mr. BARRASSO, Ms. CANTWELL, Mrs. CAPITO, Ms. HASSAN,
Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Mr. MARKEY, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr.
REED, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. COONS, Mr. PADILLA, Ms.
HIRONO, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. BENNET, Mr. KING, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Ms.
KLOBUCHAR, Ms. SMITH, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. BROWN, Ms.
SINEMA, Ms. WARREN, Mr. CASEY, Mr. CARPER, Mr. WELCH, Mr.
KELLY, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. LUJA´N, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr.
WYDEN, Mr. WARNOCK, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. PETERS,
Mr. WARNER, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr.
MURPHY, Mr. FETTERMAN, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. KAINE, and Mrs. GILLI-
BRAND)) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and
agreed to
RESOLUTION
Designating March 2023 as ‘‘National Women’s History
Month’’.
Whereas National Women’s History Month recognizes and
spreads awareness of the importance of women in the his-
tory of the United States;
Whereas, throughout the history of the United States, wheth-
er in the home, in the workplace, in schools, in the
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2
•SRES 129 ATS
courts, or during wartime, women have fought for them-
selves, their families, and all people of the United States;
Whereas, even from the early days of the history of the
United States, Abigail Adams urged her husband to ‘‘Re-
member the Ladies’’ when representatives met for the
Continental Congress in 1776;
Whereas women were particularly important in the establish-
ment of early charitable, philanthropic, and cultural insti-
tutions in the United States;
Whereas women led the efforts to secure suffrage and equal
opportunities for women, and also served in the aboli-
tionist movement, the emancipation movement, labor
movements, civil rights movements, and other causes to
create a more fair and just society for all;
Whereas suffragists wrote, marched, were arrested, and ulti-
mately succeeded in achieving—
(1) the ratification 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’’; and
(2) the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
(52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.), which extended the protection
of the right to vote to women of color and language mi-
norities;
Whereas women have been and continue to be leaders in the
forefront of social change efforts, business, science, gov-
ernment, math, art, literature, music, film, athletics, and
other fields;
Whereas women now represent approximately half of the
workforce of the United States;
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3
•SRES 129 ATS
Whereas women once were routinely barred from attending
medical schools in the United States, but now are enroll-
ing in medical schools in the United States at higher
numbers than men;
Whereas women previously were turned away from law
school, but now represent approximately half of law stu-
dents in the United States;
Whereas, since the American Revolution, women have been
vital to the mission of the Armed Forces, with more than
200,000 women serving on active duty and 2,000,000
women veterans representing every branch of service;
Whereas more than 10,000,000 women own businesses in the
United States;
Whereas Jeannette Rankin of Montana was the first woman
elected to the House of Representatives in 1916 and Hat-
tie Wyatt Caraway of Arkansas was the first woman
elected to the United States Senate in 1932;
Whereas Margaret Chase Smith of Maine was the first
woman to serve in both Houses of Congress;
Whereas, in 2023, a record total of 154 women are serving
in Congress, including 129 women in the House of Rep-
resentatives and 25 women in the Senate;
Whereas President Jimmy Carter recognized March 2
through March 8, 1980, 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’’;
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•SRES 129 ATS
Whereas, in 1987, President Ronald Reagan issued a Presi-
dential proclamation proclaiming March 1987 as ‘‘Wom-
en’s History Month’’;
Whereas, in 2020, Congress passed the Smithsonian Amer-
ican Women’s History Museum Act (20 U.S.C. 80t et
seq.) to establish a national women’s history museum on
or near the National Mall in Washington, DC; 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 society in
the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate—
1
(1) designates March 2023 as ‘‘National Wom-
2
en’s History Month’’;
3
(2) recognizes the celebration of National Wom-
4
en’s History Month as a time to reflect on the many
5
notable contributions that women have made to the
6
United States; and
7
(3) urges the people of the United States to ob-
8
serve National Women’s History Month with appro-
9
priate programs and activities.
10
Æ
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