90th Anniversary Of Women's Right To Vote

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on behalf of the women of America to recognize, honor, and celebrate the 90th anniversary of their voting rights on August 26, 2010--Women's Equality Day. I know my colleagues join me, in acknowledging the tremendous contributions women have made to America and the historic significance of reaching this milestone in women's history.

The 72-year struggle of suffragists, from the first women's rights convention held in Seneca Falls, NY, in July 1848 to the passage of the 19th amendment of the U.S. Constitution on August 26, 1920, bears witness to the sacrifice and dedication of the leaders of the early women's rights movement who never wavered from their intent to reach the goal of full enfranchisement.

We must thank Elizabeth Cady Stanton, born in 1815 in Johnstown, NY, who organized the first women's rights convention with Lucretia Mott and other courageous women in 1848. Their early advocacy for voting rights, protection from domestic violence, the right to own property, and other social reforms that promoted equality are what we continue to support for women today. The ``Declaration of Sentiments'' speech Mrs. Stanton delivered at that July convention called for ``all men and women'' to be recognized as created equal under the law. Her celebrated 50-year partnership that began in 1851 with Susan B. Anthony brought to the public consciousness the importance of equality rights for women. That is a sacred trust we must continue to support.

On August 26, 1970--the 50th anniversary--the National Organization of Women, NOW, called upon women nationwide to strike for equality in protest of the fact that women still did not have equal rights, 40 years after passage of the 19th amendment. In New York City, 50,000 women marched down Fifth Avenue to demonstrate in support of the women's movement and securing equality rights, as did women in 40 other cities across America that day. U.S. Representative Bella Abzug addressed the NYC crowd and was instrumental in getting Congress in 1971 to officially recognize August 26 as Women's Equality Day.

In 1776, Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, sent an urgent message to her husband, who was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, stating: ``In the new Code of Laws, I desire you would remember the ladies.'' It took 144 years for women's equality rights to be sanctioned by Congress, and I ask, Mr. President, that we take this opportunity on August 26, 2010, to honor this 90th anniversary and the remarkable contributions women have made to this country. The American people owe a debt of gratitude to the early suffragists for remaining steadfast in the face of overwhelming opposition in advocacy on behalf of the equality rights for all American citizens that our Constitution supports today.

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