Murkowski Leads Senate Effort to Celebrate 100th Anniversary of 19th Amendment

Press Release

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), joined by all the women of the Senate, introduced a resolution to celebrate a historic milestone, the 100th anniversary of the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment, providing for women's suffrage, to the Constitution of the United States. The resolution seeks to honor, reaffirm, and preserve the ratification of the 19th Amendment in further promoting the core values of our democracy as promised by the U.S. Constitution.

"Ratifying the 19th amendment required a challenging and lengthy fight. But after decades of protesting, lobbying, and picketing, women achieved what many would consider a radical change to the Constitution," said Senator Murkowski. "While the fight for equality has not come to an end, I'm proud to lead this resolution with the support of every female U.S. Senator, to honor the many generations of strong, brave women that fought to ensure the equal voting rights we have today, and inspire generations to come."

Click here for full text of the resolution.

Resolution excerpts:

Whereas Congress passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, guided by the shared ideals of freedom, sovereignty, democracy, civil liberties, and individual rights.
Whereas the introduction, passage, and ultimate ratification of the 19th Amendment were the culmination of decades of work and struggle by advocates for the rights of women across the United States and worldwide.
Whereas the ratification of the 19th Amendment ensured women could more fully participate in our democracy and fundamentally changed the role of women in the civic life of our Nation.
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Senate celebrates and reaffirms the desire of Congress to continue strengthening democratic participation and to inspire future generations to cherish and preserve the historic precedent established under the 19th Amendment.
The resolution is cosponsored by Senators Baldwin (D-WI), Feinstein (D-CA), Collins (R-ME), Shaheen (D-NH), Capito (R-WV), Blackburn (R-TN), Warren (D-MA), Ernst (R-IA), Fischer (R-NE), Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Hirono (D-HI), Murray (D-WA), Cantwell (D-WA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Harris (D-CA), McSally (R-AZ), Stabenow (D-MI), Rosen (D-NV), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Smith (D-MN), Gillibrand (D-NY), Hassan (D-NH), Duckworth (D-IL), Sinema (D-AZ).

Senator Murkowski is chairman of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which has funded the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission since the Fiscal Year 2017 appropriations bill. This purpose of the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission, created by Congress, is "to ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing for women's suffrage."