Mar 30, 2006- Kaptur Celebrates Women's History Month
WASHINGTON,DC- In celebration of Women's History Month, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-9)introduced the Honoring Female Pioneers Act today that createsa U.S.postage stamp honoring four female Congressional pioneers: Jeannette Rankin(R-MT), Mary Teresa Norton (D-NJ), Patsy Mink (D-HI), and Shirley Chisholm(D-NY). The funds raised from the stamp will benefit the CapitolPreservation Commission (CPC) and the House Fine Arts Board to helpraise private funds to pay for artwork representing the contributions of womento Americato be displayed in the Capitol and the new CapitolVisitorsCenter. This stamp will be a "semi-postal" stamp similar to the Breast Cancer stampthat has helped raise funds for breast cancer research.
"These postage stamps would recognize the women whosepath-breaking efforts secured a working wage, represented the minority voice,and achieved a women's right to vote," said Kaptur. "These Congressionalpioneers have made great contributions to our country's history."
In 1916, Jeannette Rankin broke new ground by becoming thefirst woman -- and first Republican woman -- elected to the House ofRepresentatives, representing the State of Montana,first from 1917 to 1919 and later from 1941 to 1943. In 1924, Mary TeresaNorton became the first Democratic woman elected to the House ofRepresentatives -- and one of a small number of women during that period whowere elected in their own right and not to replace their husbands --representing New Jersey's TwelfthCongressional District from 1925 to 1951. In 1964, Patsy Takemoto Minkbecame the first Asian-American woman elected to the House of Representatives,representing Hawaii's SecondCongressional District from 1965 to 1977 and again from 1991 until her death in2002. In 1968, Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm made history by becomingthe first African-American woman elected to the House of Representatives,representing New York's TwelfthCongressional District until her retirement in 1983.
As thesenior-most Democratic woman in the House, Kaptur has worked to raise awarenessfor the need for more art in the Capitol that is reflective of women'scontributions to American society. She was appointed by Leader Pelosi toserve on the CPC, which has oversight on improvements in the Capitol, includingthe Capitol VisitorsCenter;membership consists of Congressional leaders from both the House andSenate.
Co-sponsors of the bill include: Dennis Rehberg (R-AtLarge MT, district formerly represented by Jeannette Rankin), Major Owens(D-NY, district formerly represented by Shirley Chisholm),Ed Case (D-HI, district formerly represented by Patsy Mink), Democratic HouseLeader Nancy Pelosi, Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Rosa DeLauro(D-CT), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), BarbaraLee (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA), GwenMoore (D-WI), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL),Hilda Solis (D-CA), and Maxine Waters (D-CA).