Jeff Fortenberry: “Mr. Speaker, in 1908, the United States Senator from Nebraska, Elmer Burkett, rose before his colleagues to propose that…”

“Mr. Speaker, in 1908, the United States Senator from Nebraska, Elmer Burkett, rose before his colleagues to propose that Mother's Day be recognized as a national holiday. Notably, the Senator's proposal was defeated in a maelstrom of sensitivities concerning the role of women in society and the role of the Federal Government in honoring them. However, despite this setback, most States adopted Mother's Day celebrations 2 year after, and in 1914, due in large part to the unceasing dedication of support of a number of persons around the country, including Mrs. Jarvis that Representative Clay mentioned, Congress passed a resolution declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. President Woodrow Wilson then issued a proclamation directing the flying of the flag as 'a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.' One hundred years later, I now have the honor of rising to renew Senator Burkett's beginning effort to support the goals and ideals of Mother's Day. Mothers have been celebrated throughout history in many languages, religions, and cultures, yet the practice remains far from antiquated.”