Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, when I rise for women and girls around the world, I do so with the awareness that the barriers that we face do not exist in a vacuum, that a woman's right to education, to bodily autonomy, and to self-determination are all connected. To combat these barriers, we must enact comprehensive legislation that relies on years of data, studies, and advocacy efforts to establish a truly equal world across gender lines. According to UN Women, every additional year of primary school increases girls' eventual wages by 10 to 20 percent. It also encourages them to marry later, to have fewer children, and leaves them less vulnerable to violence. In our effort to achieve gender parity, it is crucial that we work with international partners and global organizations that are making great progress on this issue. Initiatives like the U.N. Joint Program to End Child Marriage are looking at this issue holistically, with the understanding that social protection, health, education, and social and behavioral change must all be addressed in order to spark sustainable changes for women and girls around the world. That is why I cosponsored the Keeping Girls in School Act, which would empower girls by increasing their educational opportunities and economic security.…”