On the recordJune 12, 2019
On June 12, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed into law the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, allowing women to serve as regular members of the military. In the State of Texas, a bill was sent in to establish Women's Veterans Day, and that bill, in the Senate, was signed into law by the Governor of the State of Texas. I am honored to represent over 170,000 distinguished women veterans in the State of Texas. Moreover, I am proud to work alongside the four women veterans serving in the 116th Congress, and many more. On this day, it is imperative that we highlight women's role in the United States military. There should be no secret that women play an integral part. They volunteer for the same reasons as men, but 4.3 percent of women in the military reported being sexually assaulted. Female veterans are three to four times more likely than their civilian counterparts to become homeless and 2.5 times more likely to commit suicide. Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. LaShondra Jones for bringing to our attention honoring women veterans today, and they will be taking part in many different activities. I am in awe of their invaluable service. I want to salute them today on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. This is a wonderful day that we are celebrating Women's Veterans Day in Texas, but we should celebrate it and honor it in the United States of America. ____________________
