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Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer deliver remarks celebrating International Women’s Day.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following:
“On International Women’s Day, we look back with pride on the extraordinary progress that women in America and around the world have forged toward the promise of equality, education and opportunity for themselves and their daughters. While we celebrate the achievements of generations of trailblazing women, we also remember that, in too many places across the globe, our mission to build a brighter, more just and equal future for women remains incomplete.
“This International Women’s Day, women are suffering a devastating, disproportionate toll from the pandemic and economic crisis. In America, over 2.3 million women have been forced to leave the workforce, including nearly 1 million mothers. Democrats acted boldly to deliver relief for women and their families by passing President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, to put vaccines in people’s arms, money in people’s pockets, children back in school and workers back in jobs. While this robust legislation helps crush the virus, it will also strengthen women-owned small businesses and provide critical funding for child care to ensure women can continue to support themselves and their families. Democrats will continue to deliver results that lift up women in a way that recognizes the value and contributions of women in every area of life.
“This year’s theme, ‘Choose to Challenge’ is a call to action. Today, we choose to challenge old norms that prevent women from taking their full place in our societies, our governments and our economies. We choose to challenge those who commit violence and abuse against women and undermine our rights and our dignity. And we choose to challenge one another to continue standing up, speaking out and using our power to demand our rights. Here at home and around the world, we will not rest until the voices of every woman and girl is heard, respected and empowered – because nothing is more wholesome to our communities and the world than the increased leadership and participation of women.”
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following:
“As we mark International Women’s Day, we do so this year recognizing that women have borne the brunt of the economic hardship that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic – both in the United States and around the world. With the burden of caring for children home from school and for loved-ones who are sick still disproportionately falling on women’s shoulders, the past year has been a difficult one for so many women. That’s why the American Rescue Plan, which aims to help struggling families get by while directing resources toward safely reopening schools and businesses, is so essential.
“Sadly, the stay-at-home measures necessary to control and stop the spread of the virus have led to a worsening of domestic abuse, which is why it is even more important that Congress also approve a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which I will be bringing to the House Floor next week. In addition, I look forward to bringing to the Floor legislation to affirm that the Equal Rights Amendment, since its ratification by Virginia last year, has been duly added to our Constitution, banning discrimination on the basis of sex. In the coming months, the House will also take up the Paycheck Fairness Act to ensure that women earn equal pay for equal work. All three of these passed the House last Congress but were ignored by the Senate’s Republican Majority. Now, with Democrats in control of the Senate, we have an opportunity to make real progress to benefit women’s equality, safety, and access to economic opportunity.
“The Executive Orders signed today by President Biden will help move us back toward supporting victims of domestic violence and abuse and protect students from sexual violence. By establishing a White House Gender Policy Council, the President is making it clear that the Biden-Harris Administration is focused on rooting out these evils from our country and promoting greater equality. I commend him for taking these actions and offer my strong support.
“Celebrating International Women’s Day offers us a chance to pay tribute to all those who have worked hard to advance women’s equality throughout our history. This year, let us do so while also recognizing the everyday heroes of women’s equality working so hard in 2021: the front-line health care workers, teachers, law enforcement officers, military personnel, skilled workers, small business owners, and so many others who are helping keep us safe from COVID-19 and doing their part to get our economy through this crisis. That includes the outstanding Democratic women with whom I am so proud to serve in the 117th Congress. Together, we can and will build back better from this pandemic – and, in doing so, make our economy work better for women through equal opportunity, equal pay, and equal justice.”
