Senators Collins, Feinstein Urge Vote on Legislation to Establish Smithsonian Women’s History Museum
Washington, D.C. – On the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment being added to the Constitution, finally giving women the right to vote, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) urged the Senate to pass their legislation that would establish a Smithsonian Women’s History Museum on the National Mall.
“Women across the country made countless sacrifices and worked tirelessly to secure the right to vote,” said Senator Collins. “Though there is more work to be done, this centennial celebration recognizes the women who fought for equal voting rights. Congress should preserve and honor the legacies of these courageous women by passing the bill Senators Feinstein and I introduced to create a Smithsonian Women’s History Museum.”
“When I was first elected to the Senate in 1992, there were only two women serving in the Senate,” said Senator Feinstein. “That election was dubbed the ‘Year of the Woman’ because four women senators were elected. Today that number stands at 26, and I hope it’s not too long before we see 50 or more. Our work is not done. As women senators we must honor the accomplishments of the trailblazers who came before us and continue pushing for equal rights for future generations. Change will come if we continue to keep pushing.”
To mark the occasion, the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission sent a letter to Senate leadership in support of the Smithsonian American Women’s Museum Act.
In March, Senators Collins and Feinstein sent a letter to Senate leadership, urging them to bring up the legislation for consideration by the full Senate as soon as possible. In addition, the Senators introduced a bipartisan resolution, cosponsored by all of their female colleagues and passed in July, that designated August 2020 as “National Women’s Suffrage Month” to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
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