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

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

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

active in campaigning for change; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

on different days throughout the year; and

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

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

Unites States and worldwide; and

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

dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike; and

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

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

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

but free; and

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

services today; and

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

therefore be it

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

Providence Plantations hereby recognizes:

     - Captain Maureen Pennington, United States Navy

     - Command Master Chief Shannon Howe, United States Navy

     - Major Kimberly Rhodes, United States Marine Corps

     - Gunnery Sergeant Crystal Smith, United States Marine Corps

     - Lieutenant Kelli Dougherty, United States Coast Guard

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

     - Colonel Arlene Mello, Rhode Island Army National Guard

     - Sergeant Major Deborah Storm, Rhode Island Army National Guard

     - Colonel Kimberly Baumann, Rhode Island Air National Guard

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

be it further

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

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

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

state and every nation; and be it further

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

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

Island, Governor Gina Raimondo.

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