Ben Cardin: “I rise to recognize the 36th annual Women's History Month. This year in Maryland, we have some special advancements to…”

“I rise to recognize the 36th annual Women's History Month. This year in Maryland, we have some special advancements to celebrate. In Maryland, voters chose Brooke Lierman as the first-ever woman independently elected to a statewide office as our new comptroller. Marylanders also elected Aruna Miller as our second female Lieutenant Governor and first woman of color and immigrant elected to statewide office in Maryland. Here in the U.S. Congress, we have the highest percentage of women serving in history--28 percent across both the House of Representatives and here in the Senate. They build on the legacy of pioneers like former Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski. She was the first Democratic woman to win a seat in both the House and the Senate and until recently held the record as the longest serving female Senator, having now been surpassed by Senator Feinstein of California. As the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said: Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. Equal Rights Amendment Mr. President, I was proud to testify recently at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing regarding the Equal Rights Amendment, the ERA. At the most basic level, the ERA is a continuation of the centuries-long process of expanding what is meant by ``We the People.'' The main clause of the amendment simply states: Equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.…”