Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. FITZPATRICK. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Davis for yielding, and I thank Chairwoman Maloney for her leadership, her partnership, her friendship, and passion that she has shown to get us here today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to proudly support the Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act. I was proud to join the chairwoman in introducing this legislation last year. I am even happier to be here today to support it on the floor.

Madam Speaker, women's contributions to the development of our Nation are immense, however, only 5 percent of the approximately 2,400 national monuments honor women, and as the first museum in the United States dedicated to the full story of women's history, this museum will tell the diverse story of the women who helped shape the United States of America.

H.R. 1980 will finally establish a comprehensive women's history museum in the Smithsonian Institution. The museum will honor and document women's contributions to United States history and exhibit diverse perspectives across our history. For too long the contributions of women and the contributions that they have made to our Nation have been overlooked and underappreciated. This is unacceptable. Women have been making contributions to America since our founding, and it is time that they get the recognition they deserve.

This bipartisan bill sends a message loud and clear that women deserve an entire museum to show the important role that they have played in building the greatest Nation on Earth. It is time for Congress to authorize the creation of this national museum, and I am proud to stand with Chairwoman Maloney and all my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, as the saying goes, if you can see it, you can be it. Let's show women across America, young and old, the contributions that they and their predecessors have made to the United States of America can be theirs as well.

Again, I thank Chairwoman Maloney so much for engaging our bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus to be very instrumental in getting us here today.

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