House women call for Women’s History Museum

Republican and Democratic women in the House are calling for a National Women’s History Museum, and passage of legislation to start the process.

Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) spoke on the House floor Thursday night along with other women in favor of their bill, H.R. 863. The bill would establish a commission to study the location of the museum, and to propose legislation to carry out a plan for the project.

“Women stand on historical quicksand. With each step we take forward, the steps behind us disappear,” Maloney said. “Women have to recreate the wheel with every generation.

{mosads}”Think about what’s taught in our American history classes. It’s mostly written by men and focuses on their experiences,” she added. “As my daughter said, it’s usually about a bunch of wars between men, and where are the stories about the women?”

Blackburn noted that the plan is to raise money privately for the project, instead of relying on a federal appropriation.

“The women of this great nation have said, we don’t want any federal money at all involved in this project,” Blackburn said. “We’re going to privately raise every single penny that is necessary.

“This is a project by the women of this nation for the women of future generations to celebrate the accomplishments that women have made to the nation.”

As of Thursday night, their bill has 82 cosponsors.