[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 280 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 280
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 31, 2025
Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr.
Costa, Ms. McClellan, Mr. Casten, Ms. Brown, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Carter of
Louisiana, Ms. Sewell, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Norton, Mr. Krishnamoorthi,
Mrs. Beatty, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Barragan, and Ms. Ross) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month.
Whereas the purpose of National Women's History Month is to increase awareness
and knowledge of women's involvement in history;
Whereas the first women's rights convention was held in 1848 in Seneca Falls,
New York, and launched the women's suffrage movement;
Whereas key women's suffrage leaders, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, attended
the Seneca Falls Convention, inspiring future women's suffrage leaders,
including Susan B. Anthony;
Whereas, in 1869, Wyoming was the first State to grant women the right to vote;
Whereas, in 1872, Susan B. Anthony was arrested for illegally voting and was
fined $100, angering countless Americans and bringing national attention
to the women's suffrage movement;
Whereas, in 1913, Harriet Tubman was buried with military honors at Fort Hill
Cemetery in Auburn, New York, after a valiant life spent fighting to end
slavery, aiding freedmen, and advocating for women's suffrage with
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony;
Whereas, in 1913, antilynching crusader and women's suffrage leader, Ida B.
Wells, Black women from Howard University, and many other notable Black
women joined the 1913 Women's Suffrage Parade to ensure that the
leadership and work for women's suffrage by Black women would be
recognized;
Whereas, in 1916, Representative Jeanette Rankin of Montana was the first woman
elected to the House of Representatives, four years before women had the
right to vote nationally;
Whereas after over 70 years of advocacy, women were granted the right to vote in
1920 with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution;
Whereas, in 1922, Rebecca Felton of Georgia was the first woman appointed to the
serve in the Senate;
Whereas, in 1925, Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming was elected as the first woman
to serve as Governor of a State;
Whereas, in 1932, Hattie Caraway of Arkansas was the first woman elected to the
Senate;
Whereas, in 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated the first female
Cabinet Secretary, Francis Perkins, who served as Secretary of Labor;
Whereas, in 1946, Felicita Mendez fought against discrimination and segregation
in the California public education system, winning the landmark case
Mendez, et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County, which
paved the way for the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision in
1954;
Whereas, as recently as the 1970s, women's history was rarely included in the
kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum and was not part of public
awareness;
Whereas the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status
of Women initiated a ``Women's History Week'' celebration in 1978
centered around International Women's History Day, which is celebrated
on March 8;
Whereas, in 1980, the National Women's History Project (known as the National
Women's History Alliance) was founded in Sonoma County, California, to
broadcast women's historical achievements;
Whereas, in 1981, responding to the growing popularity of women's history
celebrations, Congress passed a resolution making Women's History Week a
national observance;
Whereas, during this time, thousands of schools and communities joined in the
commemoration of National Women's History Week, with support and
encouragement from Governors, city councils, school boards, State
legislatures, and Congress;
Whereas, in 1987, Congress was petitioned to expand the national celebration to
include the entire month of March;
Whereas educators, workplace program planners, parents, and community
organizations, in thousands of communities in the United States, have
turned National Women's History Month into a major local learning
experience and celebration;
Whereas the popularity of women's history celebrations has sparked a new
interest in uncovering the important history of women's suffrage and the
fight for equal rights;
Whereas, in 1998, the President's Commission on the Celebration of Women in
American History was established to consider how best to acknowledge and
celebrate the roles and accomplishments of women in United States
history;
Whereas the National Women's History Museum was founded in 1996 as an
institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and celebrating the
diverse historic contributions of women, and integrating this rich
heritage fully into the Nation's teachings and history books;
Whereas, in 2018, Representative Sharice Davids of Kansas and now-Secretary Deb
Haaland of New Mexico, were the first Native American women elected to
the United States House of Representatives;
Whereas, in 2020, Vice President Kamala Harris was the first woman, the first
Black American, and the first Asian American elected to serve as Vice
President of the United States;
Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes March 2025 as National Women's
History Month; and
Whereas the theme of National Women's History Month 2025 is ``Moving Forward
Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations'': Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National Women's
History Month; and
(2) recognizes and honors the women and organizations in
the United States that have fought for, and continue to
promote, the teaching of women's history and the women's
suffrage movement.
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