The following was submitted by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi:
When I was sworn in as the first woman Speaker of the House in January, my 8-year-old granddaughter Madeleine said
she hoped because of my step forward, more women would also be able to
have jobs like mine. With those words, Madeleine spoke a simple but
powerful truth: Without the pioneering women who have blazed the trail
before us, we would not have come nearly as far as we have today.
When
I proudly assumed the role of Speaker, it was with a nod to both the
past and to the future. It was in honor of those pioneering
suffragettes and women whose tenacity and sacrifice allowed me to
become the first woman Speaker. And it was in honor of our children,
who represent our hope for the future and for change. At the time, I
said that we have made history, and now we must make progress.