Van Hollen Marks the 90th Anniversary of Women Gaining the Right to Vote

Press Release

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Assistant to the Speaker, issued the following statement marking the 90th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote:

"Today, we honor the struggle of the courageous group of women who fought for all American women to have the right to vote. Their dedication to equal rights and unwavering effort led to the 19th Amendment and truly changed the course of American history. Women are now leaders in every sector of our economy, and today make up half of the American workforce. Just a few years ago, we voted into office the first female Speaker of the House, for the first time in history three women serve as Supreme Court Justices, and there are more women involved in politics than ever before. They have made incalculable contributions to our nation.

"The 111th Congress has worked to build on their legacy by increasing opportunities for women. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which is now law, will help ensure fair treatment in the workplace. The Paycheck Fairness Act, which has passed the House, will complement the Ledbetter bill by plugging loopholes that have been used to weaken enforcement of the Equal Pay Act and putting gender discrimination on equal footing with other forms of wage discrimination when it comes to seeking damages. Under the new health care reform law, women will not have to pay deductibles or co-pays for mammograms, as part of a broader effort to provide universal access to preventative care for all Americans. We have made important progress -- but as we honor those brave suffragettes on today's anniversary, we must also reaffirm our commitment to equality for all Americans."

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