2015 -- H 5805

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

RECOGNIZING MARCH 8, 2015, AS "INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY" IN THE STATE

OF RHODE ISLAND

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Hearn, Serpa, Handy, and DeSimone

     Date Introduced: March 05, 2015

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, International Women's Day has been observed since the early 1900's, at a

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time when women's oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and

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active in campaigning for change; and

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     WHEREAS, The first National Women's Day was observed in the United States on

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February 28, 1909, in honor of the 1908 garment workers' strike in New York City, where women

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protested and demanded shorter hours, better pay, and voting rights; and

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     WHEREAS, The first countries to honor International Women's Day in 1911 were

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Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, where together more than one million women and

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men attended International Women's Day rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote,

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hold public office, and to end discrimination in general; and

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     WHEREAS, Over the last century, countries throughout the world have honored women

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on different days throughout the year; and

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     WHEREAS, In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed, once and for all,

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throughout the world, March 8th as International Women's Day, a day that is celebrated in the

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Unites States and worldwide; and

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     WHEREAS, International Women's Day has more recently assumed a new, global

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dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike; and

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     WHEREAS, In 2015, the Rhode Island International Women's Day celebration will

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honor women in the military. Throughout history women have helped defend our great nation,

 

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our values, our American way of life and our freedom, and we all know that freedom is anything

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but free; and

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     WHEREAS, Women represent 15 percent of those serving in active duty in the armed

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services today; and

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     WHEREAS, Women in the military demonstrate courage, skill, and patriotism; now,

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therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations hereby recognizes:

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     - Captain Maureen Pennington, United States Navy

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     - Command Master Chief Shannon Howe, United States Navy

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     - Major Kimberly Rhodes, United States Marine Corps

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     - Gunnery Sergeant Crystal Smith, United States Marine Corps

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     - Lieutenant Kelli Dougherty, United States Coast Guard

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     - First Class Petty Officer Joanna Moran, United States Coast Guard

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     - Colonel Arlene Mello, Rhode Island Army National Guard

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     - Sergeant Major Deborah Storm, Rhode Island Army National Guard

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     - Colonel Kimberly Baumann, Rhode Island Air National Guard

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     - Chief Master Sergeant Lorraine Casucci, Rhode Island Air National Guard; and

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be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this House hereby recognizes March 8, 2015, as International

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Women's Day, this year honoring women in the military. We moreover, encourage all the citizens

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of the state to celebrate and pay tribute to the contributions made by these and all women of this

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state and every nation; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the first woman Governor of the State of Rhode

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Island, Governor Gina Raimondo.

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