Washington, D.C. – Representative Julia Brownley released the following statement today celebrating March as National Women’s History Month:
“During Women’s History Month, we celebrate those who have struggled, suffered and prevailed on behalf of the advancement of women. As I walk to work and pass the Sewell-Belmont House where the women’s suffrage movement began, it reminds me of all the progress women have made in the last century – we earned the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment, the first woman entered space, and we nominated our first woman as Secretary of State. In the last several years, we also saw a record number of women enter the halls of Congress with 20 women now serving in the Senate and 81 women in the House.
“While women have made great strides, we should also use Women’s History Month as a time to recommit ourselves to the further progress that must be made for America’s women. Congress should work together to ensure women earn equal pay for equal work, to encourage more women to engage in the fields of STEM, and to protect the right of women to make their own health care decisions.
“We must also find common ground to protect critical federal programs that are important for women and their families. Sequestration is expected to arbitrarily cut millions from critical initiatives that assist women and children, including key women’s health programs, Head Start programs, services for victims of domestic violence, and funding for homeless shelters for women and their families.
“However this month, we have an opportunity to put partisanship aside to stop these indiscriminate cuts. We have seen that when leaders on both sides of the aisle are willing to work together, we make progress. Earlier this week, Democrats and Republicans in Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act, and together we reauthorized critical protections for all victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. Going forward, Congress must look beyond what divides us and focus on ways we can unite to create opportunities for future generations of women, strengthen the economy, and move our country forward.”
Issues: 113th Congress, Local Issues