Rep. Corrine Brown: “But women won the right to vote by the slimmest of margins. In the House of Representatives, suffrage passed by exactly…”

“But women won the right to vote by the slimmest of margins. In the House of Representatives, suffrage passed by exactly the number of votes needed, with one supporter carried in from the hospital and the other leaving his wife's deathbed to vote. In the Senate, suffrage passed with just two votes to spare. When the 19th amendment was sent to the States for ratification, Tennessee, the last State, passed it by a single vote during a recount. So it just amazes me that people cannot understand how important their vote is. Redistricting, since the 1990 census, has marked tremendous gains for women and minorities. In 1992, the year we were elected to Congress, was a historical year for Florida. For the first time in over 120 years, an African-American was elected to Congress from Florida. I do not understand why people do not feel history is important. I want to repeat that. For the first time in over 120 years, an African-American was elected to the U.S. Congress from Florida. At the same time, I was elected to represent the Third Congressional District, my colleagues, Representative Carrie Meeks and Representative Alcee Hastings were also elected to represent Florida. Sixteen new African-American Members, mostly from the South, were seated in the House of Representatives, and one African-American Senator, Carol Moseley-Braun, was seated, expanding the Congressional Black Caucus members to 40, the largest ever.”